7岁那年,小泽征尔开始学习钢琴,其中师从有着“巴赫专家”之称的丰增登(Noboru Toyomasu)就达十年之久。怀着成为钢琴家的憧憬,16岁的小泽征尔进入桐朋学园大学音乐部(Toho Gakuen School of Music)。当他在体育活动中折断了两根食指之后,丰增登建议他改为从事指挥这一行当,并将他推荐给了日本大提琴家、指挥家藤斋秀雄(Hideo Saito)。从1951到1958年,小泽征尔一直作为藤斋秀雄的助手及勤杂工与其一同工作,以便支付学费。据说工作内容涵盖了从编排乐曲到修剪草坪的每一项事务,最终以获得指挥和作曲一等奖的优异成绩从桐朋学园大学音乐部毕业。小泽征尔后来认为藤斋秀雄是对他音乐发展影响最为重大的三位大师之一,其他两位音乐家分别是德国指挥家查尔斯·明希以及奥地利指挥家赫伯特·冯·卡拉扬。
1958年: Toho Gakuen School of Music: 1st Prize in conducting and composition
1959年: International Competition of Orchestra Conductors, Besançon, France
1960年: Koussevitzky Prize for Outstanding Student Conductor, Tanglewood
1981年: Grammy for "Best solo instrument performance with orchestra"
1992年:Hans von Bülow Medal (given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra)
1994年:Inouye Award, Japan
1994年:Inauguration of Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, the BSO's summer home in Massachusetts, where he also taught for the International Academy of Young Musicians
1997年: Musician of the Year (Musical America)
1998年: Conducted Beethoven's Ode to Joy at Nagano Winter Olympics opening ceremony
1998年:Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur (France), for the promotion of French composers
2001年: Member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts of the Institut de France (Given by French President Jacques Chirac)
2001年: Person of Cultural Merit, Japan
2002年: Doctor honoris causa, National University of Music Bucharest, Romania
2002年: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class (Given by Austrian President Thomas Klestil)
2002年:Les Victoires de la Musique Classique (French CD prize)
2003年: Mainichi Art Award and Suntory Music Prize
2004年:Honorary Doctorate from the Sorbonne University of France
2008年: Order of Culture, Japan
2009年:Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria
2011年: Praemium Imperiale, Japan
2011年:Order of Friendship (Russia)
2012年: Tanglewood Medal awarded, In Honor Of Tanglewood 75th Season, BSO begins new tradition with first-ever medal awarded to Seiji Ozawa, BSO Music Director Laureate,Tanglewood