The , previously known as the , designed to promote Western music in Japan, has been given by the Suntory Music Foundation since their establishment in 1969. The award is presented annually to individuals or groups for the greatest achievement in the development of Western or contemporary music in Japan during the previous year.
The current prize is 7,000,000 yen (approximately US $70,000). A Suntory Music Award Commemorative Concert is held annually in Suntory Hall to introduce and popularize the work of the recipient.
Recipients No.YearRecipientNotes1 1969 Michio Kobayashi (小林 道夫), pianist, harpsichordist and conductor 2 1970 Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, cellist 3 1971 Reiji Mitani (三谷 礼二), opera producer 4 1972 Takashi Ogawa (小川 昂), theorist and critic 5 1973 International Christian University Organ Committee 6 1974 Kazuyoshi Akiyama, conductor 7 1975 Yoshinobu Kuribayashi (栗林 義信), baritone Ginji Yamane (山根 銀二), critic 8 1976 Yasushi Akutagawa, composer and conductor New Symphony Orchestra (新交響楽団) 9 1977 Toshiko Tsunemori (常森 寿子), soprano 10 1978 Teizō Matsumura, composer 11 1979 Sumire Yoshihara (吉原 すみれ), percussionist Special award: Mari Iwamoto String Quartet (巖本真理弦楽四重奏団)12 1980 Kappa Senoo (妹尾 河童), scenic designer Special award: Hideo Edo (江戸 英雄), president of the 1st Japan International Music Competition13 1981 Minao Shibata, composer 14 1982 Yūzō Toyama, conductor Special award: Kiyoshi Hara, Representative of The Symphony Hall Construction Group15 1983 Keisuke Suzuki (鈴木 敬介), opera producer 16 1984 Kiyomi Toyoda (豊田 喜代美), soprano 17 1985 Telemann Institute Japan Chamber Orchestra and Chorus Telemann Institute Japan website18 1986 Mitsuko Uchida, pianist Hiroshi Wakasugi, conductor 19 1987 Hiroyuki Iwaki, conductor 20 1988 Yasuko Hayashi (林 康子), soprano 21 1989 Masahiro Arita (有田 正広), early music performer 22 1990 Tōru Takemitsu, composer 23 1991 Tadaaki Otaka, conductor 24 1992 Shigeo Neriki (練木 繁夫), pianist 25 1993 Midori Gotō, violinist Special award: Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor26 1994 Takayoshi Wanami (和波 孝禧), violinist 27 1995 Nobuko Imai, violist 28 1996 Takahiro Sonoda, pianist Jōji Yuasa, composer 29 1997 Tokyo Symphony Orchestra Special award: Toshiro Mayuzumi, composer30 1998 Hikaru Hayashi, composer 31 1999 Akira Miyoshi, composer 32 2000 Taijiro Iimori (飯守 泰次郎), conductor Taijiro Iimori website33 2001 Toshi Ichiyanagi, composer 34 2002 Seiji Ozawa, conductor Kaori Kimura (木村 かをり), pianist 35 2003 Ichiro Nodaira (野平 一郎), composer Ichiro Nodaira website36 2004 Akira Nishimura, composer 37 2005 Hidemi Suzuki, cellist and conductor 38 2006 Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus (東京混声合唱団) Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus website 39 2007 Toshio Hosokawa, composer サントリー音楽賞、細川俊夫氏に決まる. The Asahi Shimbun. 5 March 2008.40 2008 Yumi Koyama (小山 由美), mezzo-soprano 2008年度 サントリー音楽賞&佐治敬三賞 決定. ぶらあぼ. 21 April 2009.41 2009 Kazushi Ōno, conductor 第41回サントリー音楽賞に大野和士. ぶらあぼ. 13 April 2010.42 2010 Yoshio Watanabe (渡邊順生), harpsichordist サントリー音楽賞に渡邊順生. ぶらあぼ. 25 April 2011.43 2011 not awarded 44 2012 Mihoko Fujimura, mezzo-soprano 第44回「サントリー音楽賞」にメゾソプラノの藤村実穂子. ぶらあぼ. 21 March 2013.45 2013 Masaaki Suzuki and the Bach Collegium Japan サントリー音楽賞に鈴木雅明さんとBCJ. The Asahi Shimbun. 31 March 2014.第45回 サントリー音楽賞 受賞記念コンサート 鈴木雅明とバッハ・コレギウム・ジャパン. ぶらあぼ. 14 July 2015.46 2014 Junichi Hirokami and the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra サントリー音楽賞 広上淳一さんらに. Mainichi Shimbun. 2 April 2015.18日、サントリー音楽賞受賞記念コンサート 広上淳一と京響「今や日本屈指のオケ」. Sankei Shimbun. 8 September 2017.47 2015 Toppan Hall 第47回（2015年度）サントリー音楽賞は「トッパンホール」に決定. CDJournal. 17 March 2016.48 2016 Yu Kosuge, pianist 小菅 優が第48回サントリー音楽賞を受賞. ぶらあぼ. 27 April 2017.49 2017 Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra サントリー音楽賞・佐治敬三賞 贈賞式. ぶらあぼ. 18 July 2018.50 2018 Ken Takaseki (高関健), conductor 高関 健が第50回サントリー音楽賞を受賞. ぶらあぼ. 15 April 2019.51 2019 Hisako Kawamura (河村尚子), pianist 河村尚子が第51回サントリー音楽賞を受賞. ぶらあぼ. 13 April 2020.52 2020 Masahiro Miwa (三輪眞弘), composer 第52回サントリー音楽賞と第20回佐治敬三賞を三輪眞弘がW受賞. ぶらあぼ. 19 March 2021.53 2021 Yoshimichi Hamada (濱田芳通), direction, recorder, cornet 濱田芳通が第53回サントリー音楽賞受賞. ぶらあぼ. 5 April 2022. 54 2022 Michiyoshi Inoue, conductor 井上道義が第54回サントリー音楽賞を受賞. ぶらあぼ. 30 March 2023.55 2023 Jō Kondō, composer 近藤譲が第55回サントリー音楽賞を受賞. ぶらあぼ. 28 March 2024.56 2024 Kazuki Yamada, conductor 山田和樹が第56回サントリー音楽賞を受賞. ぶらあぼ. 24 March 2025.山田和樹が語る第56回サントリー音楽賞受賞の喜び. ぶらあぼ. 26 June 2025.57 2025 Shunske Sato, violinist and conductor 佐藤俊介（ヴァイオリン/指揮）が第57回サントリー音楽賞を受賞. ぶらあぼ. 24 March 2026.
References
Further reading Robert Ryker. "Suntory Foundation bears patron's heavy burden". The Japan Times. 6 September 1998. p 13. Robert Ryker. "Young prize-winners strut their stuff". The Japan Times. 19 April 1998. p 13.
External links Suntory Music Foundation – Suntory Music Award