"I have always been a big Miyazaki fan but until recently, I did not know about Joe Hisaishi, the composer of the soundtracks for Miyazaki’s iconic movies"--winter Johnson, 6th grade
I have always been a big Miyazaki fan but until recently, I did not know about Joe Hisaishi, the composer of the soundtracks for Miyazaki’s iconic movies. I love Hisaishi’s music because he creates pieces that work so well with scenes. Even if you listen to the scores by themselves, they tell their own stories.
Mamoru Fugisawa (Joe Hisaishi) was born in Nakano, Japan in 1950. He started learning violin at the early age of four. Fugisawa began attending the Kunitachi College of Music in 1969 and worked with less famous artists as a music engraver (the printer job for sheet music). In 1974, he composed the music for the anime Gyatoruzu, and some other titles such as Academy of Ninja and Full Throttle.
Around 1975, he had his first performance. Six years later he released his first album MKWAJU, and a year later his second album, Information. As he got more well-known, he came up with an alias based on the American composer Quincy Jones. “Quincy” pronounced "Kuinshī" in Japanese, can be written the same as Hisaishi in kanji, and Joe from Jones. This is how he became known as Joe Hisaishi, instead of Mamoru Fugisawa.
Hisaishi has been collaborating with Miyazaki, a Studio Ghibli producer, for multiple decades and has created the soundtracks for every single one of his movies. Despite Miyazaki's Spirited Away making over 30 billion yen and 380 million dollars, and Princess Mononoke grossing 20.18 billion yen, Hisaishi is yet to win an Oscar or even be nominated for one.
Hisaishi’s is so influential, and brings you into a whole different world. For instance, the popular song “One Summer’s Day” makes me feel like I'm laying in a grassy field and staring at the sky as the sun sets, because of its very mellow but also dramatic tone. Or, in contrast, the song “Merry Go Round of Life” makes me feel like I'm walking through a bustling, yet calm town.
Mamoru Fugisawa (Joe Hisaishi) was born in Nakano, Japan in 1950. He started learning violin at the early age of four. Fugisawa began attending the Kunitachi College of Music in 1969 and worked with less famous artists as a music engraver (the printer job for sheet music). In 1974, he composed the music for the anime Gyatoruzu, and some other titles such as Academy of Ninja and Full Throttle.
Around 1975, he had his first performance. Six years later he released his first album MKWAJU, and a year later his second album, Information. As he got more well-known, he came up with an alias based on the American composer Quincy Jones. “Quincy” pronounced "Kuinshī" in Japanese, can be written the same as Hisaishi in kanji, and Joe from Jones. This is how he became known as Joe Hisaishi, instead of Mamoru Fugisawa.
Hisaishi has been collaborating with Miyazaki, a Studio Ghibli producer, for multiple decades and has created the soundtracks for every single one of his movies. Despite Miyazaki's Spirited Away making over 30 billion yen and 380 million dollars, and Princess Mononoke grossing 20.18 billion yen, Hisaishi is yet to win an Oscar or even be nominated for one.
Hisaishi’s is so influential, and brings you into a whole different world. For instance, the popular song “One Summer’s Day” makes me feel like I'm laying in a grassy field and staring at the sky as the sun sets, because of its very mellow but also dramatic tone. Or, in contrast, the song “Merry Go Round of Life” makes me feel like I'm walking through a bustling, yet calm town.