Masakazu Ito

Masakazu Ito is recognized as one of today’s premiere guitarists, acclaimed by musicians, composers, conductors, and critics for his mastery of the instrument and its repertoire.

Following his professional solo debut in Tokyo in 1987, Ito won top prizes in seven major international guitar competitions, including the Andres Segovia International Guitar Competition, the Tokyo International Guitar Competition, and the Guitar Foundation of America International Guitar Competition. A performance of Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo with the National Repertory Orchestra marked his concerto debut in 1990.

The Japanese government invited Ito to perform solo concerts in honor of two historic milestones – 150 years of US/Japan diplomatic relations in 2003, and the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in 2015.

Most recently, Ito traveled extensively in Spain giving solo guitar concerts and clinics in November 2019 and May 2022. The highlight of both tours was being a featured solo artist during the Andres Segovia International Guitar Festival in Segovia’s birth place, Linares.

Ito currently serves on the music faculty at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, where he is the musical director and conductor to lead the Colorado School of Mines Philharmonic Orchestra.

Masakazu Ito will also hold a “GUITAR: EVOLUTION OF INSTRUMENT & TECHNIQUE” outreach class on Wednesday, September 20 at 5:30pm at Casper College.

Partial funding is from Natrona School District No. 1 and the Wyoming Community Foundation – Casper Area.