So Matsukawa

Conductor

Slide 1

“…I was deeply impressed by his refined musical sensibilites, his extensive knowledge and technique, as well as his firm but collegial interaction with the other participants…”

Michalis Economou

Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra, Music Director
City of Athens Symphony Orchestra, Chief Conductor

Slide 2

“…he has been showing since the beginning of the first round, a very good understanding and knowledge of the scores, skills to explain your intentions and a very good intuition of how to get the problems solved, both with singers and with orchestra… “

Frédéric Chaslin

Conductor, Composer and Pianist
President Jury CONSTANTIN SILVESTRI International Conducting Competition, 2nd Edition

Slide 3

“…His gesture is broad, but very direct, with a well-controlled embodiment in the same time proving a deep theoretical knowledge of scores.
He is also a very polite person who knows how to relate very well both with the orchestra, the choir and with the soloists…”

Ion Iosif Prunner

Choir Conductor of the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra
President of the Constantin Silvestri Foundation

ABOUT

Berlin-based conductor So Matsukawa currently serves as Assistant Conductor to Robin Ticciati at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival. After assisting on Káťa Kabanová in the summer of 2025, he returns in 2026 for the new production of Tosca, where he will conduct the cover performance. He has also worked with Ticciati at the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, leading the offstage ensembles in performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and the concert performance of Tristan und Isolde in 2024. In addition of these collaborations, he was invited to join Ticciati and the London Philharmonic Orchestra as Assistant Conductor on their tour to Japan.

In 2025 So conducted the New Year’s Concert presented by the Deutsch–Japanische Gesellschaft Berlin and returned to his native Japan in October to lead several concerts with different groups amongst them the Charlotte String Ensemble.

Prior to relocating to Berlin, he conducted family concerts with the Kansai City Philharmonic Orchestra in Osaka, the 25th Anniversary Persona Symphonic Concert with the Grand Philharmonic Tokyo at Sumida Triphony Hall and the Kyoto Junior Orchestra summer concert 2022 at the Ukyo Fureai Bunka Kaikan. In addition he held the assistant conductor position with the Kioi Hall Chamber Orchestra in 2021 and 2022.

A prizewinner at several European conducting competitions—including the Constantin Silvestri International Conducting Competition (Bucharest, 2024)—So also won First Prize at the 2024 Conducting Competition organized by the Brass Band Conductors’ Association in Manchester, subsequently conducting the award concert in London. He began his musical studies at the Toho Gakuen School of Music for Children in Tokyo, studying piano and solfège before taking up the tuba at age 12. His deep connection to the instrument and to brass ensemble playing remains an important part of his musical identity, which is concentrating on symphonic and operatic repertoire, contemporary music, and choral works.

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So Matsukawa

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