Taro Takeuchi was born in Kyoto, Japan. After completing his degrees in law and music in Tokyo, he came to England to study lute and early guitar with Nigel North at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Since leaving college, he has been in great demand as soloist and ensemble player, and has toured most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, USA and Japan. 　　As a continuo player he has worked with The Parley of Instruments, The English concert, The Royal Opera House, The Orchestra of Age of Enlightenment, Berliner Philharmonic, as well as Sir Simon Rattle, Rachel Podger and Nigel Kennedy. He has made numerous recordings for Deux-Elles, EMI, Hyperion, Harmonia Mundi, BBC and others. 　　Taro Takeuchi plays all types of lutes and early guitars, and specializes particularly in double strung early guitars, including 5-course Baroque guitar, English guitar (guittar) and 6-course Spanish guitar. His solo recordings 'FOLIAS!', 'The Century that Shaped the Guitar'. 'Afettuoso' and 'Lovely Nancy' were received with critical acclaim and high praise. Taro presently lives in London, where he has an excellent collection of original early guitars as well as authentic traverse flutes, which he enjoys playing as a hobby. He is a member of The Lute Society and The Consrtium for Guitar Research at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.