Masaaki Suzuki

Masaaki Suzuki (Japanese: 鈴木 雅明, Suzuki Masaaki) (Kobe, 29 April 1954) is a Japanese conductor, harpsichordist and organist.

Suzuki is the son of Christian parents who were both musicians. From the age of twelve he played organ during Sunday church services. In 1979 he obtained his diplomas in organ and conducting at the Tokyo University of the Arts. He then continued his studies in organ (Piet Kee), harpsichord (Ton Koopman) and improvisation (Klaas Bolt) at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. In 1980 he achieved Second prize in the harpsichord competition (basso continuo) and in 1982 Third prize for organ, both in the international competitions organized annually as part of the Festival Musica Antiqua.
From 1981-1983 he taught harpsichord at the Muziekhogeschool van Duisburg in Germany. Back in Japan he gave numerous concerts, both on organ and harpsichord. He also organized the concerts held at Shoin University for Women in Kobe, where a classical French organ built by Marc Garnier was installed in the chapel. From 2005 he was a teacher of organ and harpsichord at the Geijutsu Universiteit (Music Conservatory) in Tokyo. He founded and directed its Department of Early Music. On 1 July 2009 he became guest professor of choral conducting at the Yale Institute for Sacred Music and conductor of the Yale Schola Cantorum.
Suzuki is active as a conductor.