After his graduation from Kunitachi College of Music, saxophonist Masato Kumoi went abroad to pursue graduate studies at Northwestern University, where he studied with Frederick Hemke. A decorated soloist, he won prizes at the 51st Japan Music Competition and the 39th Geneva International Music Competition. In 1984 he gave his recital debut at the Tokyo Metropolitan Hall. In 2017, he performed Debussy’s Rapsodie with Jun Märkl and the Kunitachi College of Music Orchestra, and in 2018, he was invited to the North American Saxophone Alliance, where the Kumoi Quartet was featured in a performance and a masterclass. Mr. Kumoi performed in the Saito Kinen Festival in Matsumoto in 2005 and 2014. In 2020, he performed Ballade by Henri Tomasi with Masahiko Enkoji and the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra. He has released numerous solo CDs such as Simple Songs (noted as “Specially Selected” by Record Geijutsu Magazine), Tone Studies (again, “Specially selected” by Record Geijutsu Magazine) and Musique Française pour Saxophone Alto et Piano. He leads the Masato Kumoi Saxophone Quartet, one of Japan’s most revered saxophone ensembles. Currently he teaches at Kunitachi College of Music, Soai University and Nagoya University of The Arts.