Kazuki Yamada receives the 56th Suntory Music Award

The Suntory Foundation for the Arts has announced Kazuki Yamada as the recipient of the prestigious 56th Suntory Music Award for 2024. Presented annually since 1969, the award honours individuals or ensembles who have made significant contributions to the development of Western-style music in Japan.

Yamada is recognised for a series of outstanding performances in Japan over the past year, as well as for his inspiring leadership as Music Director of the Philharmonic Chorus of Tokyo. He now joins an esteemed list of past laureates including Mitsuko Uchida, Toru Takemitsu, and Seiji Ozawa.

Kazuki Yamada’s musical presence in Japan remains strong: not only will he continue his close collaborations with Japanese ensembles, but he will also be in Japan this June for a much-anticipated tour with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, where he serves as Music Director. Speaking about the orchestra, Yamada shares:
“The musicians of CBSO and I have a family-like relationship. I have too good a time working with them every day.”