Sayaka Katsuki, also known as SAYAKA 香月さやか, is a well-known Japanese violinist. She is currently the only violinist in Japan with a solid education in latin violin, and is also active in other genres such as classical, jazz, and pop music.
In 2001, while studying latin violin in Cuba, she performed a concert with some members of the Orquesta Aragon at the Napoleonic Museum in Havana. The following year, she returned to Cuba on invitation of Eliadez Ochoa (Buena Vista Social Club). She performed at the International Son Festival in Santiago de Cuba as a member of Japanese son group, Sones de Oriente. They recorded two songs for the festival's commemorative album, which were highly acclaimed by the Cuban national newspaper.
In New York, in 2003, she recorded several songs for On To the Street, the second album by Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (dr) and Robby Ameen (dr). During 2004 to 2005, she has toured with Yanni as a first asian soloist. They performed at fifty location around the world including Radio City Hall in New York. This tour had been introduced on Mexican newspapers, American and Canadian mucic magazines, TV shows in the US. Her talent was appreciated as “the very new violinist!". This tour CD and DVD had been released with its title "Yanni Live! The concert Event"in 2006.
Her latin group “Chakala” ‘s debut album had been released in November 2006.
In 2008, she appeared in a movie "Gelatin Silver Love" directed by a famous commercial photographer, Kazumi Kurigami as a violinist. She wrote four songs for this movie such as So-la, …
She released her first major album "Palma Habanera" from a new jazz label, Blue in Green/Universal in July 2009.
Apart from collaborating in and outside of Japan with such musicians as Manolito y su Trabuco, Omara Portuondo(vo), Maraca(fl), Hank Jones(p), Giovanni Hidalgo(perc), Dave Valentin(fl), Italuba , Shuichi"Ponta"Murakami(dr) and Gen Ogimi(perc, ex. Orquesta de la Luz
Gelatin Silver, Love (2009)
In 2001, while studying latin violin in Cuba, she performed a concert with some members of the Orquesta Aragon at the Napoleonic Museum in Havana. The following year, she returned to Cuba on invitation of Eliadez Ochoa (Buena Vista Social Club). She performed at the International Son Festival in Santiago de Cuba as a member of Japanese son group, Sones de Oriente. They recorded two songs for the festival's commemorative album, which were highly acclaimed by the Cuban national newspaper.
In New York, in 2003, she recorded several songs for On To the Street, the second album by Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (dr) and Robby Ameen (dr). During 2004 to 2005, she has toured with Yanni as a first asian soloist. They performed at fifty location around the world including Radio City Hall in New York. This tour had been introduced on Mexican newspapers, American and Canadian mucic magazines, TV shows in the US. Her talent was appreciated as “the very new violinist!". This tour CD and DVD had been released with its title "Yanni Live! The concert Event"in 2006.
Her latin group “Chakala” ‘s debut album had been released in November 2006.
In 2008, she appeared in a movie "Gelatin Silver Love" directed by a famous commercial photographer, Kazumi Kurigami as a violinist. She wrote four songs for this movie such as So-la, …
She released her first major album "Palma Habanera" from a new jazz label, Blue in Green/Universal in July 2009.
Apart from collaborating in and outside of Japan with such musicians as Manolito y su Trabuco, Omara Portuondo(vo), Maraca(fl), Hank Jones(p), Giovanni Hidalgo(perc), Dave Valentin(fl), Italuba , Shuichi"Ponta"Murakami(dr) and Gen Ogimi(perc, ex. Orquesta de la Luz