Performance
Solo, chamber music, wind orchestra, orchestral collaborations, and family concerts.
BIOGRAPHY & CAREER
Sadahito
Kunisue
Saxophonist · Educator
ARTIST PROFILE
Sharing the joy
of music across
generations.
Sadahito Kunisue was born in Takamatsu, Kagawa, in 1978 and is based in Yokohama, Kanagawa. After graduating from Takamatsu High School, he studied at Tokyo University of the Arts and completed its graduate master’s program in instrumental music.
His career embraces solo performance, chamber music, wind orchestra, educational concerts, and imaginative family productions. He values a clear, refined sound and performances that make the character of each work immediately accessible.
Kunisue studied saxophone with Toru Nishiu, Nobuya Sugawa, Tomoko Ishida, Kazuhiro Ninomiya, and Kazuo Tomioka, and chamber music with Kinichi Nakamura.
MASTERCLASSES
Advanced Studies
He participated in masterclasses given by Arata Sakaguchi, Fumitaka Maezawa, Hitoshi Nakamura, Eugene Rousseau, Jean-Yves Fourmeau, and Otis Murphy.
FIELDS
Areas of Work
An overview of his work as a performer and educator.
Recording
Two solo albums and numerous recordings with long-standing ensembles.
Education
University teaching, private instruction, ensemble coaching, and clinics throughout Japan.
Community
Regional concerts and cultural outreach as Takamatsu Tourism Ambassador.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Selected Milestones
A chronological overview of awards, performances, recordings, and teaching.
- Born in Takamatsu, Kagawa, in 1978 and began playing the saxophone at age ten.
- Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts and completed its master’s program in instrumental music.
- Won First Prize at the 4th Competition for Young Musicians in 2000, Third Prize at the 22nd Japan Wind and Percussion Competition in 2005, and the 3rd Blue Polaris Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in 2006.
- Founded Quatuor B in 2007 and began working with Trio YaS-375 and Saxaccord in 2008.
- Received the Kagawa Prefecture New Artist Award and released his first solo album, The Last Country, in 2010.
- Began teaching at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in 2012.
- Appointed Takamatsu Tourism Ambassador in 2013.
- Quatuor B’s SAXOPHONE RENAISSANCE（サクソフォーン・ルネッサンス） was selected as a Record Geijutsu Recommended Recording in 2013.
- Joined Spiel Chamber Ensemble and began teaching at Kyoto City University of the Arts in 2014.
- Performed and gave masterclasses with Quatuor B in Strasbourg, Taiwan, Vienna, Zagreb, and other international locations.
- Released Trio YaS-375’s Night on the Galactic Railroad and Quatuor B’s Premier Quatuor（プルミエ・クワチュール） in 2017.
- Released his second solo album, CROSS, and Saxaccord’s first album, Russian Masterpieces, in 2018.
- Continues a wide-ranging career in solo, chamber, wind-ensemble, school, and family concerts throughout Japan.
- Released Quatuor B’s à cordes（ア・コルド） and Saxaccord’s second album, Symphonie fantastique, in 2022.
- Joined the faculty of Showa University of Music in September 2025.
- Promotes the culture and attractions of his hometown as Takamatsu Tourism Ambassador.
RECORDING HISTORY
Selected Recordings
Solo albums and recordings made with Kunisue’s ensembles, shown in release order.
Saxofox（サキソフォックス）
サキソフォックスのお気にいり
Sadahito Kunisue
The Last Country
First solo album
Quatuor B
To “B” Continued
Saxofox（サキソフォックス）
サキソフォックスのとっておき
Quatuor B
SAXOPHONE RENAISSANCE
Saxofox（サキソフォックス）
サキソフォックスのおまちかね
Quatuor B
Premier Quatuor
Trio YaS-375
銀河鉄道の夜
Spiel Chamber Ensemble（シュピール室内合奏団）
シュピール・シュタール・シュプール！
Sadahito Kunisue
CROSS
Second solo album
Saxaccord
ロシアン・マスターピース
Saxofox（サキソフォックス）
サキソフォックスのクリスマス
Quatuor B
à cordes
Saxaccord
幻想交響曲
Saxofox（サキソフォックス）
サキソフォックスのうでまくり
ENSEMBLES
Ensembles
From saxophone quartets and chamber ensembles to wind orchestras and family concerts, explore the character and history of each group.
01Saxophone Quartet
→Quatuor B
Kunisue plays soprano saxophone, shaping the upper voice with clarity, color, and expressive flexibility.
02Family Concert Saxophone Quartet
→Saxofox（サキソフォックス）
Kunisue is a friend player of Latour. He attends Saxofox concerts to cheer Latour on.
03Saxophone Octet
→Saxaccord
Kunisue plays baritone saxophone, providing resonance, momentum, and a firm foundation for the ensemble.
04Two Saxophones and Piano
→Trio YaS-375
Kunisue performs on instruments from soprano to baritone, creating a wide palette of colors with Yamada and Koyanagi.
05Piano, Trumpet, Saxophone & Composer-Arranger
→ensemble AIRS
Kunisue plays saxophone, blending its many colors with piano and trumpet to bring Ishikawa’s music to life.
06Six-Member Instrumental Ensemble
→Gakki Danshi（楽器男子）
Kunisue plays soprano saxophone, bringing brilliance and melodic focus to the ensemble.
07Chamber Wind Ensemble
→Spiel Chamber Ensemble（シュピール室内合奏団）
Kunisue joined the ensemble in 2014 and plays soprano saxophone, connecting the woodwind and brass colors at the heart of the ensemble.
08Professional Wind Orchestra
→BRASS EXCEED TOKYO
Kunisue participates as tenor saxophonist, supporting each project with a flexible sound and sensitive ensemble playing.
EDUCATION
Teaching
At Kyoto City University of Arts, Kunisue teaches individual lessons, wind ensemble, and saxophone ensemble. At Senzoku Gakuen College of Music and Showa University of Music, he teaches individual lessons.
Review sessions, lesson recitals, and student concerts connect day-to-day study with performance experience.