Haruma Sato wins 1st place in the ARD Competition Cello Division!

When I was overjoyed to think that the Chinese had won the championship, a Japanese youth appeared and despaired.

1)

Haruma Sato, a native of Nagoya, a city known for producing many excellent string players, has been fascinated by stringed instruments since childhood, and he began to show interest in various stringed instruments, such as the cello and violin.

His music-loving parents say they met in college in an orchestra.

His father played the double bass, and his mother the violin, and their passion for music greatly inspired Haruma Sato.

2)

Haruma Sato first played the violin at the age of four. Still, after hearing the famous Japanese cellist Nobuko Yamazaki play the cello a few years later, he decided to become a cellist.

And since then, he has developed his passion and determination for playing the cello. However, Haruma was injured while practising the cello when he was young.

As a result, he experienced an emotional trauma that shattered his confidence and passion for his music.

3)

But he never gave up and worked hard to overcome his difficulties. And it was this experience that inspired him to develop perseverance and determination.

He travelled to Germany independently to improve his musical skills through constant practice.

There, he met his current mentor, Professor Jens Peter Maintz. Professor Maintz was not very interested when he first met him.

Dozens of people came to Berlin, the Mecca of stringed instruments, to take lessons from him, so I thought Haruma Sato would be one of them.

4)

But when I interviewed and heard him play, he realised I was wrong.

He talked about his shock when he first saw Haruma Sato and said that his mature mental strength, technique and perfection, which you wouldn't expect from a teenager, had the potential to become the best cellist in the world.

So he decided to participate in the ARD Music Competition 2019, one of the world's most prestigious cello competitions, under the professor's direct supervision.

5)

However, it was clear that Haruma Sato had the best potential in him, but since the first competition held in Munich in 1957, the winner of the Oriental cellist "Jing Zhao Zhao". It was such a tough competition that there was only one person who said,

On the contrary, the judges were so strict that he did not win the cello category from 1977 to 1994. Besides, many other competitors were superior to him.

6)

"Sihao He", who uses a high-quality cello worth tens of millions of dollars with financial support from the Chinese government, was a strong contender for this competition.

For several years, the Chinese government has provided generous financial support to many musicians to create elite musicians.

"Sihao He" received a particular order to succeed "Zhao Jing Jing Zhao" and go down in history. So, with the government's support in all aspects, such as hotel meals, transportation, and the management of musical instruments, he could prepare for the contest in a relaxed state.

On the other hand, Haruma Sato had to do everything independently.

7)

The most shocking thing for him was eating lunch at a street stall. He complained that he missed Japanese food so much that he had to go to a nearby Japanese restaurant or cook for himself.

He was also forced to stay in small, cheap hotels in the suburbs because of the high cost of hotels near the sea in Munich.

On the other hand, due to the significant temperature difference in Munich on the day of the competition, Haruma Sato caught a cold and felt unwell, so he had to carry the large and heavy cello himself.

8)

But Haruma Sato didn't lose his concentration despite the illness and difficulties. He calmed down and began his performance, thinking he was representing Japan.

With his overwhelming playing ability and excellent technique, he performed astonishingly in his competition.

His music was full of emotion and passion and captivated the audience.

9)

In the end, Haruma Sato won his competition, called the holy land of the cello. His musical talent and perseverance brought him brilliant results.

On the other hand, it is said that a man listening to his performance in the waiting room also applauded his mental strength and technique.

Sihao said he was not disappointed that I came third; it was an honour for him to play on the same stage as his best cellist.

10)

Haruma Sato has inspired children worldwide who want to become promising cellists by overcoming many obstacles and making his dreams come true.

After winning the tournament, Haruma Sato continues to demonstrate his talent on many international music stages.

His musical talent and passion continue to impress the world. We look forward to seeing Haruma Sato's success as he reaches greater heights.