The 23rd Saito Hideo Memorial Fund Award Winners 　Yo Kitamura (cello) / Gene Ota (conductor)

The Sony Music Foundation (Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Michinori Mizuno; English name: Sony Music Foundation) has announced that the 23rd (FY2024) Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award in the cello category will be awarded to Yo Kitamura, 20, and in the conducting category to Gen Ohta, 31. The winners of the Cello and Conducting Divisions were selected as follows. The winners of both the cello and conducting prizes are the youngest ever.

The 23rd Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award Winners

Words of Acceptance (excerpt)

＜Mr. Yo Kitamura

I am very honored and humbled to receive the Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award. I have been a student at Toho Gakuen School of Music since high school, which is associated with Mr. Hideo Saito, and I am currently studying at the University of the Arts Berlin, where Mr. Saito also studied. I sincerely hope that people all over the world will be connected through music, and that music will help us to live peaceful and tranquil lives. I would like to inherit what Dr. Saito left behind and continue to learn from him. I will devote myself to becoming a musician who can be close to people and share with them.

＜Mr. Gene Ota

I am very honored to receive the prestigious Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award. Since Saito Sensei passed away 20 years before I was born, of course I was not able to receive his teachings directly, but I was able to hear various valuable stories from my teachers, Mr. Tadaaki Otaka and Mr. Ken Takaseki, from time to time. I have a deep respect for Saito Sensei's attitude and passion for music and education, which I was exposed to in this way. Although there is not much I can do now that I have just turned 31, I will continue to devote myself to music and orchestras with the same earnestness and sincerity."

Full text of the award speech, the selection committee members' award presentation speech, and profiles of the award winners: https://www.atpress.ne.jp/releases/427792/att_427792_1.pdf

About the Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award

The Sony Music Foundation established the Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award in 2002 to honor young cellists and conductors. The "Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award" is named after the late Hideo Saito (1902-1974), a renowned cellist, conductor, and educator.

Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award URL: https://www.smf.or.jp/saitohideo/

Sponsor: Sony Music Foundation

Special Cooperation: Saito Kinen Foundation / The Saito Kinen Foundation

　　　　　Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Executive Committee

<Scriteria for Selection

Young cellists and conductors who are expected to contribute to the development of music, art and culture, and to be more active in the future.

In principle, one cellist and one conductor will be awarded for each fiscal year (from April 1 to March 31 of the following year). However, if there is no appropriate person, the award will not be given.

＜Selection Method

The Selection Committee selects candidates for the award with reference to the opinions of persons involved in the music industry, and all members of the Selection Committee select the recipient of the award. In principle, the Selection Committee shall meet during the first half of the award year (April 1 to September 30).

＜Honorary Advisor to the President

Mr. Seiji Ozawa (Conductor, deceased)

＜Selection Committee

Selection Committee Chairman: Michinori Mizuno (President, Sony Music Foundation)

Permanent Selection Committee Member: Mr. Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi (Cellist)

Term Selection Committee Member: Mr. Katsuhiko Shibata (Music Critic)

　　　　　　　　Mr. Tatsunori Numajiri (Conductor)

　　　　　　　　Ms. Junko Yoshida (Editorial Writer, Asahi Shimbun)

<Prize

Plaque

5 million yen per person per year (10 million yen in total)

<When and how the prizewinners will be announced

An appropriate announcement period will be determined for each year, taking into consideration the timing of the awards. The winners will be announced in the mass media and on the Foundation's website.

<Time of award

An appropriate time will be determined for each year.

<Past award winners

https://www.atpress.ne.jp/releases/427792/att_427792_2.pdf

Outline of the Foundation

Name: Sony Music Foundation

President: Michinori Mizuno

Year of Establishment: 1984

Location: SME Rokubancho Building, 4-5 Rokubancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8353, Japan

URL : https://www.smf.or.jp/