Katsukiko SATO, Baritone

Born in Hita, Oita Prefecture, and currently based in Tokyo. 

Katsuhiko Sato began studying piano at the age of three. He graduated at the top of his class in Piano from the Music Department of Oita Prefectural Art Midorigaoka High School. Upon graduating from high school, he changed his major to Vocal Music. He graduated at the top of his class from the Vocal Music Course of the Music Department at Oita Prefectural College of Arts and Culture, and subsequently graduated from the Department of Vocal Music at Tokyo University of the Arts. Upon graduation, he received the Douseikai Award for his outstanding academic performance. He completed the Master’s Program in Opera at the Graduate School of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts, and graduated from the 24th class of the New National Theatre Opera Studio. 

He won First Prize at the 36th Sogakudo Japanese Song Competition, where he also received the Nakada Yoshinao Prize and the Kinoshita Memorial Prize (Gold Medal). 

He was a scholarship recipient of the Maki Tobe Foundation in the 2019 and 2020 academic years, and of the Munetsugu Angel Fund / Japan Federation of Musicians Domestic Scholarship Program for Emerging Performers in the 2025 and 2026 academic years. He is currently a recipient of the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ FY2026 Overseas Study Program for Emerging Artists. 
With the support of the ANA Scholarship from All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., he undertook short-term studies at the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna in Bologna and the Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan. During this period, he studied with Sergio Bertocchi, Paolo Spadaro, Michele D’Elia, Luciana D’Intino, Vincenzo Scalera, and Umberto Finazzi. 
His operatic roles include Marco and Pinellino in G. Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Leporello and Masetto in W. A. Mozart’s Don Giovanni, John Sorel in G. C. Menotti’s The Consul, Guglielmo in W. A. Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and the Marquis de la Force in F. Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, all performed in productions by the New National Theatre Opera Studio. He also performed the title role in W. A. Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro at the 70th Geidai Opera Regular Performance, Jim in J. Parra’s American Dream in its Japanese premiere presented by Opera Lab Japan, and Marco in G. Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi with TIVAA. 

As a concert soloist, he has performed in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and has appeared at music festivals including the Argerich Music Festival in Beppu. His wide-ranging activities also include performing the premieres of works in the composition category of the Sogakudo Japanese Song Competition, participating in the recording project for the school song of Oita Prefectural Takada High School, and performing fanfares at Kawasaki Racecourse. 

He is also actively engaged in recital performances. In 2019, he gave his first recital in his hometown of Hita, Oita Prefecture, at Patria Hita. In 2025, he held his first recital in Tokyo at Keyaki Hall in Yoyogi-Uehara. To date, he has given four recitals. 
He has studied voice with Osamu Miyamoto, Yoshiaki Gyoten, Eijiro Kai, Hiroshi Mochiki, and Akihiro Oka. He has studied Japanese art songs with Kazuko Nagai and Chiharu Hanaoka. 

He has also participated in master classes led by Paul Farrington, Rie Hamada, Kathleen Kelly, Luciana Serra, and Carlo Colombara. 

バリトン 佐藤 克彦 

大分県日田市出身。東京都在住。

3歳からピアノを専攻して学ぶ。
大分県立芸術緑丘高校音楽科ピアノ専攻を首席で卒業。高校卒業と同時に専攻を声楽に転向。大分県立芸術文化短期大学音楽科声楽コースを首席で卒業。東京藝術大学音楽学部声楽科卒業。卒業時の成績により同声会賞を受賞。東京藝術大学大学院音楽研究科修士課程オペラ専攻修了。新国立劇場オペラ研修所 第24期 修了。

第36回 奏楽堂日本歌曲コンクール 第一位 受賞。
併せて「中田喜直賞」「木下記念賞 (金メダル)」受賞。
2019・2020年度 公益財団法人 戸部眞紀財団奨学生。
2025・2026年度 宗次エンジェル基金 / 公益社団法人 日本演奏連盟 新進演奏家国内奨学金制度 奨学生。
文化庁「令和8年度 新進芸術家海外研修制度」研修員。

全日本空輸株式会社より「ANAスカラシップ」を受け、ボローニャ(Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna)、ミラノ(Accademia Teatro alla Scala)にて短期研修を積む。
この間、Sergio Bertocchi, Paolo Spadaro, Michele D'elia, Luciana D'intino, Vincenzo Scalera, Umberto Finazzi 各氏に指導を受ける。
 
オペラではこれまでに、「新国立劇場オペラ研修所公演」にて G.プッチーニ《ジャンニ・スキッキ》マルコ役 / ピネッリーノ役、W.A.モーツァルト《ドン・ジョヴァンニ》レポレッロ役 / マゼット役、G.C.メノッティ《領事》ジョン・ソレル役、W.A.モーツァルト《コジ・ファン・トゥッテ》グリエルモ役、F.プーランク《カルメル会修道女の対話》ド・ラ・フォルス侯爵役、「第70回 藝大オペラ定期公演」にて W.A.モーツァルト《フィガロの結婚》タイトルロール役、「Opera Lab Japan」にて J.パーラ《アメリカン・ドリーム》ジム役 (日本初演公演)、「TIVAA」にてG.プッチーニ《ジャンニ・スキッキ》マルコ役を演じる。

コンサートでは、L.v.ベートーヴェン《第九》のソリストを務める他、「別府アルゲリッチ音楽祭」等の音楽祭にも出演。他に、奏楽堂日本歌曲コンクール作曲部門での初演演奏担当や大分県立高田高校の「校歌収録事業」への参加や、川崎競馬場での「ファンファーレ演奏」など、活動は多岐に渡る。

自身のリサイタル活動にも力を入れており、2019年、故郷・大分県日田市 (パトリア日田) にて初のリサイタルを開催、2025年には、東京・代々木上原(けやきホール)にて東京での初のリサイタルを開催した。これまでに、4回のリサイタルを開催。

これまでに声楽を、宮本修、行天祥晃、甲斐栄次郎、持木弘、岡昭宏の各氏に師事。
日本歌曲を、永井和子、花岡千春の両氏に師事。
他に、Paul Farrington, 浜田理恵, Kathleen Kelly, Luciana Serra, Carlo Colombara 各氏によるマスタークラスを受講。

photo by YUKI KAWASHIMA