Yuki Ito

Yuki Ito won 1st prize at both the International Brahms Competition in 2010 and the UK’s most prestigious Windsor Festival International String Competition in 2011, which led him to commence an international career.

He has since internationally appeared with major orchestras as the Philharmonia Orchestra, Kärntner Sinfonieorchester, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony and Tokyo Symphony Orchestras, and has regularly given recitals around the globe at venues like London’s Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.

His performances have been internationally hailed by important critiques as “Sensational…His rubato is refined and intelligently complements the underlying harmonic movement. I would be astonished if he doesn’t establish himself at the pinnacle of the international scene” (Strad Magazine, UK), “His performance seems to come from a strong romantic vein and is extraordinarily poetic accompanied by a wonderful singing tone” (Ensemble Magazine, Germany), “Ito plays with notable maturity and taste” (American Record Guide, USA).

He specialises in Rachmaninoff amidst his wide repertoire – having released his world-wide debut album “Rachmaninoff : Complete Cello Works” in 2012, he had internationally given “All Rachmaninoff” recitals every year towards the composer’s 150th birth anniversary in 2023, which was complemented by publishing a monograph “Thoughts on Rachmaninoff”.

In 2024 he released his first concerto album “Johan de Meij : Casanova” world-wide, including a commissioned work dedicated to him “Elegy & Scherzo : Homage to Sergei Rachmaninoff” by the world-renowned composer Johan de Meij, with maestro de Meij himself on the podium. He praised Yuki Ito’s playing of his own “Casanova”, a cello concerto fondly performed by cellists around the globe, as “It is absolute perfection in all aspects…The best version I (the composer) have ever heard in my life”.

As conductor Yuki Ito made his conducting debut at St Martin-in-the-Fields in 2013, and in 2016 he led the initial Japan tour of Camerata Luanda from Republic of Angola to success, a historical event which marked the first tour in Japan ever by an African orchestra.

In recent years he has been internationally invited to give masterclasses at conservatoires, as well as serving as adjudicator for international competitions.

He was awarded the Hideo Saito Memorial Award in 2019, one of the most honourable music awards in Japan, for his service to music.

(As of May 2024, 371 words)