Yasunori Imamura studied lute with Eugen Müller-Dombois and Hopkinson Smith at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, where he received his soloist’s diploma. He subsequently focussed on interpretation and thoroughbass with Ton Koopman and Johann Sonnleitner, and composition with Wolfgang Neininger. Today, Imamura is recognised as one of the prominent figures of the lute, as a soloist as well as a continuo player.

He is professor of lute at the Conservatoire et Académie Supérieure de Musique, Strasbourg, as well as at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Frankfurt am Main, and regularly gives masterclasses across Europe and the Far East.

His solo recordings have been awarded numerous accolades, including a Diapason d’Or for Weiss: Lute Sonatas, Vol. 1 (Claves) in 2006, and a Crescendo ‘Joker’ for the second volume in the series in 2008. He received the Cultural Achievement Award from the Canton of Solothurn (Switzerland) in 2010.

Besides his activities as a soloist, Yasunori Imamura has collaborated as a continuo player with artists including Cecilia Bartoli, Teresa Berganza, Núria Rial, Marc Minkowski, Michael Schneider, Maurice Steger, Martin Gester and Alan Curtis, and has made over 150 recordings. In 1997 he founded Fons Musicae, performing throughout Europe and the Far East. To date, the ensemble has made six recordings, and has received various international awards and commendations.

www.yasunoriimamura.com