Sapporo Symphony Orchestra (Sakkyo) was founded in 1961 and has celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021.  With a nickname “Sakkyo,” it is the only professional orchestra in Hokkaido gaining a high popularity, clear and powerful expression, that suits the vast island.  The orchestra worked with Honorary Founding Conductor, Masao Araya, Peter Schwarz, Hiroyuki Iwasa, Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Max Pommer, Radmil Eliska, and Matthias Bamert and now the orchestra holds the Honorary Music Director, Tadaaki Otaka; Friendship Conductor, Junichi Hirokami; Resident Conductor, Kentaro Kawase; newly inaugurated Principal Guest Conductor, Tatsuya Shimono (from April 2024) and appointed Chief Conductor, Elias Grandy (from April 2025). The orchestra holds 75 members including concertmasters as of April 2024, and its concerts count to 120 annually within and outside Hokkaido.  As for the oversea tours, the orchestra made the 50th anniversary Europe Tour in 2011, and visited 5 cities in Taiwan in 2015.  Sapporo Symphony Orchestra aims to become the orchestra loved by the people of Hokkaido and will continue to express its musicianship towards the globe.