Isao Tomita facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Isao Tomita
Isao Tomita in 1977
Background information
Native name	冨田 勲
Born	(1932-04-22)22 April 1932 Tokyo, Empire of Japan
Died	5 May 2016(2016-05-05) (aged 84) Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Ambient, classical, electronic, synth-pop, proto‑trance, space music
Years active	1950–2016
Labels	RCA Victor

Isao Tomita (冨田 勲, Tomita Isao, 22 April 1932 – 5 May 2016), often known simply as Tomita, was a Japanese composer. He was a true pioneer in the world of electronic music and space music. Tomita was famous for creating amazing music using analog synthesizers.

He didn't just copy sounds. He used synthesizers to make brand new sounds. These new sounds helped make his electronic versions of classical music even better. Many of his albums are electronic versions of famous classical pieces. He even received four Grammy Award nominations for his 1974 album, Snowflakes Are Dancing. This album was based on music by Claude Debussy.

About Isao Tomita

Early Life and Music Career (1932–1968)

Isao Tomita was born in Tokyo, Japan. He spent his early childhood in China with his father. When he returned to Japan, he studied music. He learned about orchestration and composition. This was while he was a student at Keio University in Tokyo.

After graduating in 1955, Tomita became a full-time composer. He wrote music for television shows, movies, and plays. For example, he composed the theme music for Japan's Olympic gymnastics team. This was for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Australia.

In 1965, Tomita wrote music for the Japanese cartoon Kimba the White Lion. He also scored the Japanese movie Gulliver's Travels Beyond the Moon. In 1966, he created a special musical piece based on Kimba the White Lion. Later, in 1991, a video was made to go with this music. He also helped create music for the TV show Mighty Jack in 1968. In the same year, he helped start a company called Group TAC.

Exploring Electronic Music (1969-1979)

In the late 1960s, Tomita became very interested in electronic music. He was inspired by other artists like Wendy Carlos. He also learned about Robert Moog's work with synthesizers. Tomita bought a Moog III synthesizer. He started building his own music studio at home.

He soon realized that synthesizers could do more than just copy other instruments. They could create completely new sounds! His first electronic album was Electric Samurai: Switched on Rock. It came out in Japan in 1972. This album had electronic versions of popular rock and pop songs. It even used computer-generated speech instead of a human voice.

In 1974, Tomita released Snowflakes Are Dancing. This album featured his electronic versions of Claude Debussy's classical pieces. It became a huge success around the world. The album helped make synthesizer music popular. It was the best-selling classical music album that year.

Snowflakes Are Dancing used many cool effects. It had sounds that made you feel like you were in a big space. It also had realistic string sounds and early attempts to sound like a symphony orchestra. Tomita used effects like reverberation and flanging. The album also had a special 3D audio effect if you listened with four speakers.

A big achievement was its polyphonic sound. This means many notes could play at the same time. Back then, synthesizers couldn't do this easily. Tomita created this by recording each musical part separately. He would record one part, then another, and then mix them together. It took him 14 months to make the album!

Tomita also used analog music sequencers. These helped him change the pitch and effects of sounds. He also used the Mellotron, which made amazing choir-like sounds. His unique whistle sounds were later copied in other electronic instruments.

His version of "Arabesque No. 1" became famous. It was used as the theme for the astronomy TV show Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer in the United States. In Japan, parts of his "Rêverie" were used for TV show openings.

After Snowflakes Are Dancing, Tomita released more classical albums. These included The Firebird (1976) and Pictures at an Exhibition (1976). He also released The Planets (1976) by Gustav Holst. This album added a cool science fiction "space theme". However, Gustav Holst's daughter, Imogen Holst, didn't like this new interpretation of her father's work.

In 1978, his album Kosmos featured the Star Wars theme. During this time, Tomita also composed music for Japanese TV and films. This included the Zatoichi TV series and the science fiction film Catastrophe 1999.

Amazing Outdoor Concerts (1980-2000)

In 1984, Tomita released Canon of the Three Stars. This album gave classical pieces new names related to space. For example, the main song was his version of Pachelbel's Canon. He even created "The Plasma Symphony Orchestra". This was a computer process that used sounds from stars and constellations!

Tomita became famous for his outdoor "SoundCloud" concerts. These concerts had speakers all around the audience. This created a "cloud of sound" that surrounded everyone. In 1984, he performed a huge concert in Austria. It was called Mind of the Universe. He mixed music live in a glass pyramid. About 80,000 people came to watch!

He performed two more special concerts two years later. One was to celebrate the Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday. Another was in Sydney, Australia, in 1988. This concert celebrated Australia's 200th anniversary as a unified country. It included a massive fireworks display. There were also Japanese cultural performances on barges in Sydney Harbour. His last SoundCloud concert was in Nagoya, Japan, in 1997. Famous artists like Ray Charles and Dionne Warwick performed there.

In the late 1990s, he composed a big musical piece. It was for orchestra and synthesizer. It was called The Tale of Genji. This was inspired by an old Japanese story from the 11th century. Symphony orchestras performed it in Tokyo, Los Angeles, and London.

Later Years and Legacy (2001–2016)

In 2001, Tomita worked with The Walt Disney Company. He composed background music for the AquaSphere entrance. This is at the Tokyo DisneySea theme park near Tokyo. In 2002, he created music for the film The Twilight Samurai. This film won an award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

Tomita also explored new audio formats like DVD-Audio. This allowed him to create music with many sound channels. He released new versions of The Tale of Genji and The Tomita Planets 2003. His version of "Clair de lune" was used in the movie Ocean's 13 in 2007.

In 2012, Tomita performed "Symphony Ihatov" in Tokyo. He directed the Japan Philharmonic orchestra. A choir also performed. A special guest was Hatsune Miku. She is a digital avatar, like a virtual singer, created by a Japanese company.

In 2015, some of his songs from Snowflakes are Dancing were in the movie Heaven Knows What. In the same year, Tomita won the Japan Foundation Award. This award honors people who help promote understanding between Japan and the rest of the world.

Isao Tomita passed away on May 5, 2016, in Tokyo. He had heart disease for many years.

His Lasting Influence

Tomita is seen as a true pioneer in electronic music. His influence reached far beyond Japan. In 1984, Stevie Wonder said Tomita was one of the artists he admired most. In 1987, Michael Jackson even visited Tomita's home studio!

Tomita's music was also featured in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. His song "Rise of the Planet 9" played during the cauldron lighting. His arrangement of Debussy's "Moonlight" played when the Olympic torch was put out.

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Isao Tomita para niños

• Hideki Matsutake, Tomita's assistant and supporting member of Yellow Magic Orchestra
• "Atimot ot Edo", a song title and anadrome of "Ode to Tomita"