Sapporo Symphony Orchestra

HISTORY
Sapporo Symphony Orchestra (Sakkyo) was founded in 1961 and has celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021. With a nickname “Sakkyo,” it is the only professional orchestra in Hokkaido gaining a high popularity, clear and powerful expression, that suits the vast island. The orchestra worked with Honorary Founding Conductor, Masao Araya, Peter Schwarz, Hiroyuki Iwasa, Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Max Pommer, Radmil Eliska, and Matthias Bamert and now the orchestra holds the Honorary Music Director, Tadaaki Otaka; Friendship Conductor, Junichi Hirokami; Resident Conductor, Kentaro Kawase; Principal Guest Conductor, Tatsuya Shimono (from April 2024) and Chief Conductor, Elias Grandy (from April 2025). The orchestra holds 74 members including concertmasters as of April 2025, and its concerts count to 120 annually within and outside Hokkaido. As for the oversea tours, the orchestra made the 50th anniversary Europe Tour in 2011, and visited 5 cities in Taiwan in 2015. Sapporo Symphony Orchestra aims to become the orchestra loved by the people of Hokkaido and will continue to express its musicianship towards the globe.
（As of April 2025）

Sapporo Symphony Orchestra © Photo by Yasuo Fujii

Originally founded as the Sapporo Citizen Symphony on July 1, 1961, it was renamed the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra in 1962. With a nickname “Sakkyo,” it is the only professional orchestra in Hokkaido gaining a high popularity, clear and powerful expression, that suits the vast island. The orchestra currently holds the Honorary Music Director, Tadaaki Otaka; Friendship Conductor, Junichi Hirokami; Resident Conductor, Kentaro Kawase; Principal Guest Conductor, Tatsuya Shimono and Chief Conductor, Elias Grandy (from April 2025). The number of concerts annually count to 120 within Hokkaido and Tokyo, the orchestra sets its base in Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara, the hall well known with its splendid acoustics, and Sapporo Cultural Arts Theater hitaru, a suitable theater for opera and ballet programs.

The founding principal conductor is Masao Araya (1914-1996), and from 1961 to 1968, he worked to establish a firm basis of the orchestra. The very first Sapporo Symphony Orchestra concert was held on September 6, 1961, “First Subscription Concert” conducted by Araya. Sapporo Symphony Orchestra bestowed “Honorary Founding Conductor” to Araya in 1997. Peter Schwarz became the Second Principal Conductor from 1969 to 1975 and during his time, the orchestra sound was refined further. The orchestra’s first oversea tour was with Schwarz, visiting U.S.A. and Germany. Hiroyuki Iwaki (1932-2006) then became Resident Conductor from 1975, Music Director/Resident Conductor from 1978 and from 1988 to 2006, assumed Conductor Laureate. Iwaki put more emphasis on works by Japanese composers, namely Toru Takemitsu. His music “Ran” a film directed by Akira Kurosawa made the orchestra known as one of the best orchestras in Japan. After Iwaki, Kazuyoshi Akiyama was named Music Advisor/Principal Conductor from 1988 to 1998, and he expanded the orchestra’s repertoire.

Tadaaki Otaka who was the Music Director until March 2015 (Honorary Music Director from April 2015) assumed the position of Resident Conductor from 1981 to 1986, Music Advisor/Principal Conductor from 1998 and the Second Music Director from 2004. He was with the orchestra for years summed up to 22 and highlights with Otaka include; the doubling subscription concerts, establishment of the exclusive Sakkyo Chorus (2005), the 40th anniversary of British Tour, the 50th European Tour, together with Korean and Taiwan Tours. Radomil Eliska (1931-2019), the maestro from Czech joined as the Guest Principal Conductor from April 2008, became Honorary Conductor in April 2015, was also among the topics of that time. Matthias Bamert inaugurated as the Chief Conductor from April 2018, and was unable to travel during the period of COVID. Fans greeted him highly when he finally appeared on the podium of the 60th celebration after 1 year and 6 month of absence.

The Sapporo Symphony Orchestra is making numbers of recordings in the Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara. With Otaka, the orchestra made recordings of Sibelius, Grieg, Dvorak, Elgar and Japanese composers. Following a recording of Beethoven Cycle, the orchestra and Otaka made 4 CDs of Sibelius Cycle starting from 2013 which took 3 years. Eliska’s popularity grew very rapidly nationwide and his CDs, especially on Czech music, were selected as the best album by music magazines. Max Pommer, Chief Conductor from 2015 to March 2018, made recordings of Mendelssohn’s “Lobgesang” and Bach Orchestral Suite, and his unique production gathered much attention. With Matthias Bamert, the orchestra made the recording of a CD “The Waltz” in March 2022.
（As of April 2025）