Takahiro Watanabe

Graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Music at the Tokyo University of the Arts. Performed with the Geidai Philharmonia at the introductory concert for new graduates of the Tokyo University of the Arts. Then studied in Switzerland. Graduated from the Zurich Conservatory and the Winterthur Conservatory. Second prize winner at the 10th Wind and Percussion Competition. He received the Japan Airlines Prize at the 3rd International Oboe Competition in Tokyo and the Promotion Prize at the Markneukirchen International Competition in 1992. In 1996 he won second prize at the Hans Schäuble Competition in Lausanne. From 1997 solo oboist with the Loh Orchestra Sondershausen/Theater Nordhausen and since 2003 solo English horn with the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt, a position he still holds today.

He received lessons from Akio Nishino, Yuji Saito, Yoko Kojima, Yoshiaki Obata, Thomas Indermühle, Louise Pellerin, Winfried Liebermann and Dominique Wohlenweber.

In September 2001 he was the soloist at the German premiere of the English horn concerto by Pēteris Vasks with the Loh Orchestra Sondershausen, and in May 2014 he performed this work again as a soloist at the subscription concert of the Brandenburg State Orchestra in Frankfurt.

In 2010 he took part in the Stockhausen Summer Courses, where he performed “Kreuzspiel” and received a prize for his interpretation of the seventh piece “Balance” from “Klang”. In November of the same year he was invited to the St. Petersburg Festival of Contemporary Music with these works.

Since his recital debut in Tokyo in 2001, he has regularly given solo performances and chamber music concerts in Tokyo and the surrounding area, as well as in Berlin.

Since 2003 he has lived in Berlin.

Since 2003 he has lived in Berlin.