Biography

Hailed as “poetic and colorful,” pianist Yuta Sugano is known for his performances that not only display great facility of the hands, but come straight from the heart, integrating his experience in performance practice and piano technology. He as appeared as a soloist in Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, and the United States. 
Currently based in Metro Detroit, Yuta Sugano serves as an artist-in-residence at Steinway Detroit and curates the “Essential Repertoire” concert series at Steinway Hall. He was recently appointed director of Steinway Jr. Artist Competition.He is regularly invited to perform at concert series such as the Pleyel Concert Series at the historic Scarab Club in Detroit, Saturdays with Classics at Steinway Detroit, Tuesday Musicale of Detroit concerts, special events at the residence of the Consul General of Japan in Detroit, and UEmpower Foundation. 
As a part of his “Committed to Community” initiative, he maintains a full performing schedule, appearing in nearly 100 performances a year throughout Southwest Michigan. Venues range from schools, hospitals, houses of worship, to retirement communities.
His solo CD “Romanticism in 1828”, published in 2013 by Rose Planet label in Japan, has won glowing reviews from multiple critics and media outlets.Yuta Sugano has collaborated with many orchestral musicians, including members from the New York Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, LA Phil, and Japan National Orchestra. Locally, he frequently works with other pianists such as the Mack Sisters, Cliff Monear, and Kazimierz Brzozowski to reach diverse audience with their creative programming.
Yuta began his piano studies at the age of five, and by age eleven he made his concerto debut performing with the Kansai Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra in Japan. He has since been a recipient of numerous prizes and scholarships including Meiko Miyazawa Award, Yamaha President’s Award (Japan), Glenn E. LeClair Graduate Piano Award (USA), and Zodiac Music Academy’s Chamber Musician Award (France). 
Yuta Sugano is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy. As a recipient of the Conservatory Dean Scholarship Yuta attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music and received his Bachelor of Music degree. He earned his Master’s degree in Music from the University of Michigan on a full merit scholarship, and Doctor of Music Art degree with a cognate field in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Kansas, where he served as a graduate teaching assistant.
Former teachers and mentors include Kazuko Akiya, Yoshikazu Nagai, Arthur Greene, Steven Spooner, and Meiko Miyazawa. While at the University of Michigan, Yuta also studied historical performance practice and the fortepiano extensively with renowned fortepianist, Penelope Crawford.
When he is not performing, Yuta enjoys all things piano. He apprenticed with the piano technology department while at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. There he was trained to tune, service, and rebuild keyboard instruments including the harpsichord, fortepiano, as well as the modern piano. At the University of Michigan, he worked as an assistant piano technician, overseeing the practice room pianos. He has served as guest artist and speaker at the yearly C. F. Theodore Steinway Technical Academy at Oberlin Conservatory since 2009.
As a member of the Music Teachers National Association, Yuta has appeared as presenter and performer at both state and national conferences. He is currently on the faculty at the Arts Academy at the Steinway Gallery of Detroit and is a visiting lecturer of piano and music theory at the Illumine Star Academy in Ontario, Canada.