Suntory Music Award

The Suntory Music Award (Japanese: サントリー音楽賞, Santorī ongakushō), previously known as the Torii Music Award (鳥井音楽賞, Torii ongakushō), designed to promote Western music in Japan, has been given by the Suntory Music Foundation since their establishment in 1969. The award is presented annually to individuals or groups for the greatest achievement in the development of Western or contemporary music in Japan during the previous year.

The current prize is 7,000,000 yen (approximately US $70,000). A Suntory Music Award Commemorative Concert is held annually in Suntory Hall to introduce and popularize the work of the recipient.

Recipients

No.	Year	Recipient	Notes
1	1969	Michio Kobayashi (小林道夫), pianist, harpsichordist and conductor
2	1970	Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, cellist
3	1971	Reiji Mitani (三谷礼二), opera producer
4	1972	Takashi Ogawa (小川昂), theorist and critic
5	1973	International Christian University Organ Committee
6	1974	Kazuyoshi Akiyama, conductor
7	1975	Yoshinobu Kuribayashi (栗林義信), baritone Ginji Yamane (山根銀二), critic
8	1976	Yasushi Akutagawa, composer and conductor New Symphony Orchestra (新交響楽団)
9	1977	Toshiko Tsunemori (常森寿子), soprano
10	1978	Teizō Matsumura, composer
11	1979	Sumire Yoshihara (吉原すみれ), percussionist
11	1979	Special award: Mari Iwamoto String Quartet (巖本真理弦楽四重奏団)
12	1980	Kappa Senoo (妹尾河童), scenic designer
12	1980	Special award: Hideo Edo (江戸英雄), president of the 1st Japan International Music Competition
13	1981	Minao Shibata, composer
14	1982	Yūzō Toyama, conductor
14	1982	Special award: Kiyoshi Hara, Representative of The Symphony Hall Construction Group
15	1983	Keisuke Suzuki (鈴木敬介), opera producer
16	1984	Kiyomi Toyoda (豊田喜代美), soprano
17	1985	Telemann Institute Japan Chamber Orchestra and Chorus	Telemann Institute Japan website
18	1986	Mitsuko Uchida, pianist Hiroshi Wakasugi, conductor
19	1987	Hiroyuki Iwaki, conductor
20	1988	Yasuko Hayashi (林康子), soprano
21	1989	Masahiro Arita (有田正広), early music performer
22	1990	Tōru Takemitsu, composer
23	1991	Tadaaki Otaka, conductor
24	1992	Shigeo Neriki (練木繁夫), pianist
25	1993	Midori Gotō, violinist
25	1993	Special award: Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor
26	1994	Takayoshi Wanami (和波孝禧), violinist
27	1995	Nobuko Imai, violist
28	1996	Takahiro Sonoda, pianist Jōji Yuasa, composer
29	1997	Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
29	1997	Special award: Toshiro Mayuzumi, composer
30	1998	Hikaru Hayashi, composer
31	1999	Akira Miyoshi, composer
32	2000	Taijiro Iimori (飯守泰次郎), conductor	Taijiro Iimori website
33	2001	Toshi Ichiyanagi, composer
34	2002	Seiji Ozawa, conductor Kaori Kimura (木村かをり), pianist
35	2003	Ichiro Nodaira (野平一郎), composer	Ichiro Nodaira website
36	2004	Akira Nishimura, composer
37	2005	Hidemi Suzuki, cellist and conductor
38	2006	Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus (東京混声合唱団)	Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus website (in Japanese)
39	2007	Toshio Hosokawa, composer
40	2008	Yumi Koyama (小山由美), mezzo-soprano
41	2009	Kazushi Ōno, conductor
42	2010	Yoshio Watanabe (渡邊順生), harpsichordist
43	2011	not awarded
44	2012	Mihoko Fujimura, mezzo-soprano
45	2013	Masaaki Suzuki and the Bach Collegium Japan
46	2014	Junichi Hirokami and the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra
47	2015	Toppan Hall
48	2016	Yu Kosuge, pianist
49	2017	Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra
50	2018	Ken Takaseki (高関健), conductor
51	2019	Hisako Kawamura (河村尚子), pianist
52	2020	Masahiro Miwa (三輪眞弘), composer
53	2021	Yoshimichi Hamada (濱田芳通), direction, recorder, cornet
54	2022	Michiyoshi Inoue, conductor
55	2023	Jō Kondō, composer