Toshio Hosokawa
Japanese composer. He was born in Hiroshima and studied composition at the Hochschule der Künste (Isang Yun) and concurrently at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg (Klaus Huber). In 1980 he took part for the first time in the International Summer Courses in New Music in Darmstadt, where he has been a regular guest ever since. His work includes orchestral compositions, solo concertos, chamber and film music, and also compositions for traditional Japanese Instruments. A typical feature of his works is the combination of elements of western and eastern musical culture. Hosokawa’s most important compositions include the orchestral works Circulating Ocean and In die Tiefe der Zeit, the oratorio Voiceless Voice in Hiroshima, the piano concerto Lotos under the Moonlight and the opera Vision of Lear. He is the holder of many awards (Irino Prize, Rheingau Preis, Duisburger Preis, Arion Music Prize and Kyoto Music Prize). In the role of composer in residence he has appeared at festivals in Venice, Munich, Lucerne, Rome, Warsaw, Helsinki, Avignon and Salzburg. Hosokawa has collaborated with conductors such as Kazushi Ono, Kent Nagano, Sir Simon Rattle and Robin Ticciati. Currently he teaches at Tokyo College of Music and Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima.