was a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

conductor and composer. He was known for writing original compositions specifically for concert band, as did Toshio Akiyama and Ichitaro Tsujii, but has also written many works for the flute.http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2002.pdf http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2004.pdf http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2006.pdf http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2009.pdf http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2011.pdf

Biography

Born in Hiroshima, Japan, as the son of an opera singer, he was in his second year at music school when he was drafted into the Second Unit, Hiroshima Transport Corps of the Japanese army, age 19. This took him to Hiroshima, where he worked on sonar due to his good hearing (but poor sight). He was there when the city was obliterated by the atomic bomb in 1945, being only 1.5 km from the epicenter of the blast and suffering horrendous injuries which were still being treated 60 years later. He is thus a

Hibakusha ''Hibakusha'' ( or ; ja, 被爆者 or ; "person affected by a bomb" or "person affected by exposure o radioactivity) is a word of Japanese origin generally designating the people affected by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at th ...

. After the war he studied at

Tokyo University of the Arts or is the most prestigious art school in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, and Kitasenju and Adachi, Tokyo. The university has trained renowned artists in the fields of painting, scul ...

under Saburō Moroi, graduating in 1949. Later, in 1965-66 he had the opportunity to study further at the Juilliard School of Music, in New York, under

Vincent Persichetti Vincent Ludwig Persichetti (June 6, 1915 – August 14, 1987) was an American composer, teacher, and pianist. An important musical educator and writer, he was known for his integration of various new ideas in musical composition into his own wo ...

and

Václav Nelhýbel Václav Nelhýbel (September 24, 1919 – March 22, 1996) was a Czech American composer, mainly of works for student performers. Life and career He was born the youngest of five children in Polanka, Czechoslovakia. He received his early mu ...

. He was professor of

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography *Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include v ...

, music theory and flute at

Tokoha Gakuen University is a private university in the Aoi ward of Shizuoka City is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in both population and area. It has been populated since prehistoric times. the city had ...

,March music notes, Norman E. Smith, Program Note Press, 1986, page 235 lecturer in flute and woodwind ensemble at Tokyo University of the Arts, and director of 'Tokyo Wind Symphony Orchestra' :ja:東京吹奏楽団. He was active in WASBE, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles and the Japanese Bandmasters Association. He also was musical director from 1979 to 1994 of the "International Youth Musicale" in

Shizuoka, Japan is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northeast ...

, and took part as adjudicator in many international music competitions. He himself won numerous awards, such as the Composition Prize of the

Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

(1956),

NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...

Presidential Composition Prize (1956; both at the National Arts Festival), and

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

fellowship for Creative Artist (1966-1967). He has written

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

, solo and ensemble pieces including many for

wind band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

, and published many works for and about this format. Despite initially being reluctant to take up the atomic bombing as a theme in his music, he eventually felt he had a "mission as an A-bomb victim" and in 1975 composed the first in a series of "Prayer music", the "Dirge" which was requested by and dedicated to the city of Hiroshima and has since been played every year on 6 August at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony. As of 2012 he was still composing pieces in this series, and has said "I have made it a personal commitment to continue creating compositions in tribute to all the victims of the atomic bomb". He lived in

Chigasaki is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 242,798 and a population density of 6800 people per km². The total area of the city is . Geography The city is located on the eastern bank of the Sagami ...

, with his dog. He had two sons from his wife Taeko Koide, and enjoyed gardening. Some of his children and grandchildren have worked or attended university in the U.S.A. and his own works have also been published in America.

Selected works

Orchestral works

* 1955 ''Suite for Orchestra'' * 1956 ''Suite Warabe-Uta'' for choir and orchestra * 1957 ''Symphony on the thematic material inspired by Japanese folk songs'' * 1997 ''Prayer music No.1 "Dirge"'' * 2010 Piccolo Concerto

Wind Band Works

* 1963 ''March lay of Hope'' * 1966 ''March Forward for Peace'' * 1966 ''Warabe-Uta for Symphonic Band'' * 1969 ''March Expo' 70 (March Progress and Harmony)'' * 1969 ''The Sketch of Pastoral Scenery'' * 1970 ''Harmony with Progress'' march - reworking of EXPO March * 1971 ''Fantasy for Symphonic Band'' for the 1971 music festival in

Uster Uster (High Alemannic: ''Uschter'') is a town and the capital of the Uster District in the Swiss canton of Zürich. It is the third largest town in the canton of Zürich, with almost 35,000 inhabitants, and is one of the twenty largest towns i ...

, Switzerland * 1973 Scherzando ''Suite for Symphonic Band'' for the 1974 Uster music festival *# Prologue *# Pastorale *# Intermezzo *# Perpetual mobile *# Epilogue * 1973 Fantasia on folk themes for wind band - to commemorate the 30th anniversary of publisher Ongaku no Tomo * 1974 ''Three little Fantasy on the thematic material inspired by Japanese children's song'' *# Rabbit *# Evening grow *# Wild goose * 1975 ''Dirge: Prayer Music for Band No. 1'' * 1976 ''Poem for Symphonic Band'' * 1976 ''Poetic Tune'' * 1977 ''Elegy: Prayer Music for Band No. 2'' - first performed in

* 1978 ''Fireworks Music on Festival'' - first performed in

Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...

* 1979 ''Romantic Episode'' for the 1981 Uster music festival * 1982 ''Romance for Trumpet and Symphonic Band'' * 1982 ''Cupid March'' * 1983 ''Jugenparade'' * 1986 ''Jugend Parade'' march * 1986 ''Song of Hiroshima: Prayer music No.3 for Symphonic Band'' * 1989 ''Der Alte im Märchenland'' * ''Fantasy in Folk Song Style''

Stage Works

* 1957 ''The Fountain of Hawk'' Opera about a young

Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and ' ...

actor; for soprano, tenor, baritone, choir and piano

Vocal/Choral Works

* 1956 ''The Sea'' for massed choirs * 1966 ''Mugon ka (Song Without Words)'' * 1968 ''Tanpopo (Dandelion)'' * 1973 ''Kozue (Treetop)'' * 1973 ''Singing from the Bottom of my Heart'' for massed choirs * 1975 ''Paean of Ocean Exposition'' * 1977 ''Cherry Blossoms of Japan'' for massed choirs; text by Maria Hodgson * 2006 ''Love You Dearly'' * 2006 ''Daddy’s Lullaby''

Chamber Music etc.

* 1958 ''Sonate nr. 1'' for Flute and Piano * 1961 Sonata No.2 for Flute and Piano * 1963 ''Essay on a Day'' for Flute and Piano * 1965 ''String quartet primo'' * 1965 ''String quartet in two movements'' *# Allegro *# Adagio ma non troppo * 1972 ''Two Movements for flute'' * 1973 ''Two Pieces for Flute'' *# Andantino *# Lento * 1975 ''Warabe-Uta'' for Flute and Piano *# Lullaby *# Zui Zui Zukkorobashi *# Sunset *# Rabbit *# Grip your hand and open your hand *# When this day breaks *# Pass by *# Wild Goose * 1984 ''Cantabile'' for piano * 1985 ''Uta-Vocalize Japanesque'' for Flute and Piano * 1988 ''Nine Dodecaphonic Pieces'' for two flutes - exercises for twelve-tone music playing * 1990 ''La Lagrima'' for Flute and Piano * 1991 ''Three Lyric Pieces'' for Flute and Piano *# Lullaby *# Aria *# serenade * 1992 ''In the Depth of Night'' for Flute and Cello * 1994 ''He Kisses the Flute'' for Flute, Soprano and Piano * 1995 ''Fantastic Composition'' for Flute and Piano * 1996 ''Invitation to the Rhythm'' for Flute, Percussion and Piano * 1998 ''Pretty Violinist'' for Viol and Piano * 2001 Theme and Variations on 'Nel cor Piu non mi Sento' (flute/piano) * 2002 A Ballad for Solo Bass Clarinet * 2003 Omnibus Piece (flute/piano) * 2004 Flowing Tune "The Reverie" (flute/piano) * 2004 String Trio "La improvvisazione", first performed in Cremona * 2005 ''Longing'' (Akogare) (flute/piano) * 2006 ''La Preghiera'' (Inori), Prayer Music No. 4 for viola solo * 2006 ''Matins'' (Akatsuki no Inori), Prayer Music No. 5 for flute/piano * 2006 12 Pieces for piano in the Relaxed Mood (Kutsurogi no Piano) * 2010 ''Vespers'' (Yuube no Inori), Prayer Music No. 6 for flute/piano * 2012 ''Iku hoshi shimo sugiru to mo'', Prayer Music No.7 for flute/piano

Works for flute choir or flute orchestra

* 1984 ''Crystal'' for flute orchestra * 1986 ''Romantic Episode'' for flute orchestra * 1987 ''March Cupid'' for flute orchestra * 1992 ''La Storia dei fiori'' for flute choir (flutes 1/2/3, alto flute, bass flute) *# Crocuc *# Don't-forget me not *# Sweet pea *# Sun flower * 1993 ''Two Pieces from Greek Myths'' for flute choir *# Seven maidens pursued by Orion *# Flowers born from the tears of Aphrodite * 1994 ''Yuki-Onna'' for flute choir * 1995 ''Fenice'' for flute choir * 1996 ''Per gli amanti'' for flute choir * 1997 ''Pinocchio'' for flute choir * 1998 ''Composition for Flute Choir No. 1 "Hymn for Celesta"'' *# Prologue *# Dialogue *# Celestial Serenade * 2000 ''Composition for Flute Choir No. 2 "Digital piano"'' *# A piece for Harpsichord in memory of Maestro Joaquin Rodorigo *# La Campana e il Canto * 2003 ''Romance for flute orchestra''

Bibliography

* Wolfgang Suppan,

Armin Suppan Armin Suppan (born 16 October 1959) is an Austrian brass musician and composer. Life Born in Graz, son of the musicologist Wolfgang Suppan, Suppan studied music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz as well as at the Hochschule ...

: ''Das Neue Lexikon des Blasmusikwesens'', 4. Auflage, Freiburg-Tiengen, Blasmusikverlag Schulz GmbH, 1994, * ''Works by Japanese composers 1991-1992'', Compiled by the Japan Federation of Composers, Tokyo: Japan Federation of Composers, 118 p. * ''Works by Japanese composers 1989-1990'', Compiled by the Japan Federation of Composers, Tokyo: Japan Federation of Composers, 112 p. * ''Works by Japanese composers 1983-1984'', Compiled by the Japan Federation of Composers, Tokyo: Japan Federation of Composers, 111 p. * Paul E. Bierley, William H. Rehrig: ''The heritage encyclopedia of band music : composers and their music'', Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press, 1991, * David M. Cummings, Dennis K. McIntire: ''International who's who in music and musician's directory - (in the classical and light classical fields)'', Twelfth edition 1990/91, Cambridge, England: International Who's Who in Music, 1991. 1096 p., * Hitoshi Matsushita: ''A checklist of published instrumental music by Japanese composers'', Tokyo: Academia Music Ltd., 1989. 181 p., * Norman E. Smith: ''March music notes'', Lake Charles, La.: Program Note Press, 1986, * Norman E. Smith, Albert Stoutamire: ''Band Music Notes.- Composer Information and Program Notes for over 600 Band Favorites'', Revised Edition, Neil A. Kjos Music Company, San Diego, CA, 1977, 1979, 1989. * ''Japanese composers and their works (since 1868)'', Tokyo: 1972

References

External links

Official home page (English)

Recording of ''Dirge'' at the Hiroshima Peace Ceremony

Published flute and ocarina works

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawasaki, Masaru 1924 births 2018 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century Japanese composers 20th-century Japanese male musicians 20th-century Japanese people 21st-century classical composers 21st-century conductors (music) 21st-century Japanese composers 21st-century Japanese people 21st-century Japanese male musicians Japanese classical composers Japanese conductors (music) Japanese male classical composers Japanese opera composers Male opera composers Musicians from Tokyo