Atsushi
Sakai Composition & musical conception

Atsushi Sakai is a gambist, cellist and conductor and works in the fields of early music, contemporary music and jazz. As a continuo player, he accompanies baroque ensembles such as Les Talens Lyriques and Le Concert d'Astrée, with whom he has realised numerous concerts and recordings. Recitals and chamber music projects have taken him to renowned stages with Christophe Rousset and Marion Martineau, among others. His recordings for the viola da gamba, which have been released on the Aparté label (Forqueray, Couperin and Marais), are considered a reference today. He is co-founder of the Quatuor Cambini-Paris - one of the few string quartets to play on period instruments. Conducting engagements have taken him to the Opéra de Lille, Opéra Comique, the Grand Théatre de Luxembourg and the Opéra de Dijon, among others. As a composer, he regularly receives commissions, including for the Festival Aspects in Caen, Festival D'aujourd'hui à demain in Cluny and Les Ateliers du Violoncelle. In the jazz scene, he is active as an improviser and performs with Christophe Monniot, David Chevallier and Guillaume Roy, among others. He is a member of the ensemble Quatuor Ixi, whose latest CD ‹Temps Suspendu› was awarded a Choc by Jazz Magazine. In 2021, Atsushi Sakai wrote part of the music for ‹Dido and Aeneas› at the Grand Théâtre de Genève and is also committed to this production of the contemporary dance company Peeping Tom at Theater Basel in the 24/25 season.