Viola student Takehiro Konoe (1997) has won a special prize at the final of the 4th Tokyo International Viola Competition: the Suntory Foundation for Arts Prize of 100,000 Japanese yen. He also won a carbon bow donated by Nakazen Music, Aichi.

Takehiro Konoe studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam Sweelinck Academy for young talents. Currently he studies with Nobuko Imai and Francien Schatborn in the bachelor’s degree programme at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Previously he won the National Viola Competition and the Princess Christina Competition.