SAKAI, Kenji

Kenji Sakai was born in Osaka. Having studied at Kyoto City University of Fine Arts and Music, he respectively studied composition, piano, electronics and analysis at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris then Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève and at Ircam. He was a member of the French Academy in Madrid for 2012-2013 then a fellow of the French Academy in Rome (Pensionnaire de la Villa Médicis) for 2015-2016. His works were premiered by prestigious orchestras, ensembles and soloists. He served as the composer in residence at the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra in the season 2017 – 2019.
He gains several awards: First Prize in Toru Takemitsu Composition Award (2009),　Queen Elisabeth International Grand Prize (2012), Akutagawa Composition Award (2013) and Rome Prize. He is also awarded by Commissioner for Cultural Affairs in Japan. He is Associate Professor of Kyoto City University of Fine Arts and Music.