Shunske Sato

Shunske Sato is a violinist, conductor, chamber musician, soloist and teacher. The diversity of his activities reflects his versatile and resourceful nature. Historically informed performance practice is central to his identity and allows him to inhabit the music and communicate with audiences in dramatic, revelatory ways.
Shunske directs and appears as soloist with period ensembles as well as symphonic orchestras around the world. He was artistic leader of the Netherlands Bach Society and has worked closely with Concerto Köln.
With his own PastFoward Ensemble he devotes himself to the realm of 19th century performance practice. The ensemble, formed by experienced European-based musicians, seeks to revisit the music of the 19th century and to bring it back to its emotion-driven roots.
Shunske forms a duo with pianist Shuann Chai – the two have given acclaimed concerts in Japan, Canada, and Europe. Their album “BEE1H0VEN – The Complete Violin Sonatas” (2024) won the prestigious New Record Academy Award in Japan.
Born in Tokyo, Shunske immigrated to the US at the age of four. Shunske studied at the Juilliard School in New York, Conservatoire National de Région in Paris and Hochschule für Musik und Theather in Munich.
Resident in The Netherlands, Shunske has been a faculty member of the Amsterdam Conservatory since 2013. Sharing his knowledge with young musicians is very important to him, which is why he enjoyed the projects he did with the European Union Baroque Orchestra and Juilliard415 (New York).