Joe Hisaishi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Hisaishi
久石 譲
Hisaishi in 2011
Born	Mamoru Fujisawa (1950-12-06) December 6, 1950 (age 74) Nakano, Nagano, Japan
Education	Kunitachi College of Music
Children	Mai Fujisawa
Musical career
Genres	Film score classical contemporary classical
Occupation(s)	Composer conductor arranger
Instruments	Piano keyboards violin
Years active	1974–present
Labels	Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Classics

Mamoru Fujisawa (Japanese: 藤澤 守, Hepburn: Fujisawa Mamoru, born December 6, 1950), known as Joe Hisaishi (久石 譲, Hisaishi Jō), is a famous Japanese composer, music director, conductor, and pianist. He is well-known for creating over 100 film scores and many solo albums since 1981. Hisaishi's music often mixes different styles, like minimalist, electronic, and classical sounds. He also arranges music for others.

He has worked closely with the famous director Hayao Miyazaki since 1984. Hisaishi has composed music for almost all of Miyazaki's animated films. He is also known for his music in films by director 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano, including A Scene at the Sea (1991) and Kikujiro (1999). Hisaishi also created music for the video game series Ni no Kuni. He learned from the anime composer Takeo Watanabe.

Life and Music Journey

Starting Out as a Musician

Joe Hisaishi was born Mamoru Fujisawa in Nakano, Nagano, Japan. He started learning the violin at age four using the Suzuki method. He also loved watching hundreds of movies with his father every year. In 1969, he went to the Kunitachi College of Music to study music composition.

In the 1970s, Hisaishi's music was influenced by Japanese pop, electronic, and New Age music. He also liked the Japanese electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra. He began with minimalist ideas and then started creating bigger orchestral pieces. His first album, MKWAJU, came out in 1981. His second album, Information, was released a year later. He also composed for early anime shows like Hajime Ningen Gyatoruz (1974).

As he became more famous, Mamoru Fujisawa chose the name Joe Hisaishi. He was inspired by the American musician Quincy Jones. The Japanese sounds for "Hisaishi" are similar to "Quincy," and "Joe" came from "Jones."

Music for Anime Films

In 1983, Joe Hisaishi was asked to create music for Hayao Miyazaki's animated film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. This was the start of a long and successful partnership. Many people compare their work together to that of director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams.

In 1985, Hisaishi opened his own music studio called Wonder Station. He then composed for Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) for Miyazaki's new Studio Ghibli. In the 1990s, he created music for other Ghibli films like Porco Rosso and Princess Mononoke. Hisaishi's music became a well-known part of early anime. He also composed for many other TV shows and movies. These included Oz no mahōtsukai (1982) and Totoro (1988). He also arranged theme songs for anime like Mahō Shōjo Lalabel (1980).

Hisaishi also started a solo music career. In 1989, he released his first solo album, Pretender.

Later Works and Global Recognition

In 1998, Hisaishi created the soundtrack for the 1998 Winter Paralympics. The next year, he composed music for a popular educational film series about the human body. He also wrote the music for the Takeshi Kitano film Kikujiro. The main song from this film, Summer, became one of his most famous pieces.

In 2001, Hisaishi composed music for another Kitano film, Brother. He also worked on Hayao Miyazaki's animated film Spirited Away. The opening song, One Summer's Day, became very popular. As of March 2024, it had over 62 million streams on Spotify. That same year, Hisaishi directed his first film, Quartet. He also wrote its music and script.

Hisaishi in Kraków, 2011

Miyazaki's film Howl's Moving Castle was released in Japan in November 2004. Its main theme, Merry-Go-Round, became Hisaishi's most successful movie score. As of March 2024, it had over 87 million streams on Spotify. In 2005, he composed for the Korean film Welcome to Dongmakgol. He also worked on the Korean TV series The Legend, released in 2007.

In 2006, Hisaishi released his album Asian X.T.C.. This album had a mix of different Eastern music styles. In 2007, he composed for Miyazaki's film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, which came out in 2008.

In 2008, Hisaishi created music for the Academy Award-winning film Departures. In August 2008, he held a special concert with the World Dream Symphony Orchestra. This concert celebrated 25 years of working with director Hayao Miyazaki. Over 1200 musicians performed, and the concert sold out the famous Nippon Budokan.

In 2010, he became a guest professor at the Japanese National College of Music. In 2013, he composed music for the NHK wildlife documentary Legends of the Deep: Giant Squid. On June 28, 2013, Hisaishi was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This group recognizes people who have made important contributions to movies.

In 2016, Hisaishi became the art director of the Nagano City Art Museum. In May 2018, he performed five sold-out concerts in California, USA. This was his first time performing in North America. He also wrote the soundtrack for the drama In This Corner of the World.

On February 21, 2020, the album Dream Songs: The Essential Joe Hisaishi was released. It featured 28 of his compositions. In 2022, Hisaishi worked on the Royal Shakespeare Company play My Neighbour Totoro. On March 30, 2023, Hisaishi signed a special recording deal with Deutsche Grammophon. He composed the soundtrack for the film Silent Love, which was released on January 26, 2024.

Awards and Achievements

Joe Hisaishi has won many awards for his music. He has won seven Japanese Academy Awards for Best Music. He also received the Newcomer Award from the Ministry of Education in 1997. In 2005, he won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for his music in Howl's Moving Castle.

In November 2009, the Government of Japan gave him the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon. This is a special award for people who have contributed to arts and culture. In November 2023, he received the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class.

Hisaishi was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for The Boy and the Heron (2023). In 2024, he received the Winsor McCay Award at the Annie Awards. This award recognized his amazing work and contributions to animation.

Selected Music Albums

See also

In Spanish: Joe Hisaishi para niños