Shunske Sato is a violinist, conductor, chamber musician, soloist and teacher – the diversity of his activities reflect 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.

He directs and appears as soloist with period ensembles as well as symphonic orchestras around the world, and has led several staged productions as well.

Resident in The Netherlands, Shunske has been a faculty member of the Amsterdam Conservatory since 2013, where he teaches historical violin. He also gives masterclasses and workshops with regularity.  

Shunske is regularly invited to guest direct ensembles such as the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the Residentie Orkest in the Hague and Orquestra Barocca de Sevilla. Upcoming highlights include performances with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (Norway), Philharmonic Baroque Orchestra (USA) and the Dutch Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. A tour of Biber’s Rosary Sonatas with dancers and recordings of the complete Violin Sonatas by Beethoven as well as Brahms’s Piano Trios on historical instruments with Hidemi Suzuki and Shuann Chai are also forthcoming.

Among the conductors with whom Shunske has collaborated both as soloist and concertmaster are Ivor Bolton, Richard Egarr, Philippe Herreweghe, Christopher Hogwood, René Jacobs, Kent Nagano and Hidemi Suzuki. Before historically informed practice became a part of Shunske’s activities, he performed extensively as soloist with renowned symphonic orchestras such as the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bavarian Radio Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and the NHK Philharmonic Orchestra.