Isao Matsushita
ISAO MATSUSHITA (1951, Tokyo) studied composition at the city’s National University of Fine Arts and Music, with Hiroaki Minami (1973 – 1977) and Toshiro Mayuzumi (1977 – 1979). He continued his studies with Isang Yun at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin from 1979 to 1986. His honours include First Prize in the Mönchengladbach Competition (1985, for Toki-no-ito – Threads of Time) and the Irino Prize (1986). His music has been performed in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, the United States and Japan, including at the Winter Olympics in Nagano (1998). As a conductor, he served as Music Director of the Ensemble Kochi in Berlin from 1982 – 1986 and again in Tokyo since 1999. He has also served as Music Director of Camerata Nagano since 1990 and the Bunkyo Civic Orchestra in Tokyo since 1993. He has worked as a guest conductor with orchestras in Germany and Japan. Isao Matsushita is also active as an animateur of musical life. He organized concerts for the Asian Arts Festival of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan in 1999 and served as executive chairman of the Asian Music Week in Yokohama (2000), the Nagano Music Festival (2000) and the Asian Music Festival in Tokyo (2003). In addition, he has served as vice-president of the Japan Federation of Composers since 1997 and as chairman of the Asian Composers League from 1999 – 2004. He has taught composition at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music since 1987 and has been an associate professor of Asian contemporary music and other subjects at its Performing Arts Centre since 2003.
Works (selection): Boufuri – Mosquito Larva, kyogen (traditional comic theatre) opera (1995), A Midsummer Night's Dream, kyogen opera after William Shakespeare (1995), Shinano-no-kuni – Zenkoji Story, opera (1997), Minasoko-no-kan (traditional ballet) for noh dancer and small orchestra (2002), Diffusion for large orchestra (1976), Alabaster for 3 orchestras (1977 – 1979), But All Can Hear (B-A-C-H) for marimba (1985), Go-un – Five Buddhist Aphorisms for cello and ensemble (1985), Hingashi-no for shakuhachi, shamisen a 13-string koto (1987), Aki-no-mai 2 for 3 shakuhachi, shamisen, biwa (lute), futozao (wide-necked lute), 2 13-string koto, kokyu a 4 Japanese percussion (1989), Legacy of a Dream (symphonic poem) for large orchestra (1989), Sea Space for 13-string koto, violin and piano (1990), Go-un kai-kuh – Sounds and Lights for variable Asian ensemble and light installation (1991), Grand Atoll for 4 saxophones and large orchestra (1992), Hi-ten-yu for wadaiko (Japanese drums) and large orchestra (1994), Dhammapada 1 for harp, violin, percussiona and ikebana (flower arrangement, 2001), Dhammapada 2 for harp, violin, percussion and kohdoh (perfume ritual, 2002), Dhammapada 3 for harp, violin, percussion and tea ceremony (2002), Dhammapada 4 for harp, violin, percussion and calligraphy (2003), Kisaragi-ni (To February) for nohkan (bamboo flute) and small orchestra (2003), Togakushi Story, ballet (2004), Mantra of Flame for four percussions (2004), Gassho (A Prayer), symphony with a text from Buddhist sutras for shomyo and small orchestra (2004), Minaduki no oto (Sounds of June) for vibraphone (2005), Time for Prayer, concerto for two violins and orchestra (2005).