Saito Kinen Orchestra

The Saito Kinen Orchestra (Japanese: サイトウ・キネン・オーケストラ) is unique among the symphonic ensembles of the world: it forms annually, with a rotating membership, to memorialize the great Japanese teacher Hideo Saito. It was co-founded by conductor Seiji Ozawa, one of Saito's students. Hideo Saito (1902-1974) was one of the first Japanese musicians to undergo extended training in the West, studying cello at the Leipzig Music Academy from 1922 to 1927. Returning to Japan, he served as principal cellist of the New Symphony Orchestra (now the NHK Symphony Orchestra) and became an extrem...