Masaru Kawasaki (川崎 優, Kawasaki Masaru, 19 April 1924 – 29 November 2018) was a Japanese conductor and composer.^[1][2] He was known for writing original compositions specifically for concert band, as did Toshio Akiyama and Ichitaro Tsujii,^[3] but has also written many works for the flute.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

Biography

Born in Hiroshima,^[9] Japan, as the son of an opera singer, he was in his second year^[10] at music school when he was drafted into the Second Unit, Hiroshima Transport Corps^[10] of the Japanese army, age 19.^[11] This took him to Hiroshima, where he worked on sonar due to his good hearing (but poor sight).^[11] He was there when the city was obliterated by the atomic bomb in 1945,^[11] being only 1.5 km from the epicenter of the blast and suffering horrendous injuries which were still being treated 60 years later.^[10][12] He is thus a Hibakusha.^[10]

After the war he studied at Tokyo University of the Arts under Saburō Moroi,^[6] 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 and Václav Nelhýbel.^[10]

He was professor of composition, music theory and flute at Tokoha Gakuen University,^[13] lecturer in flute and woodwind ensemble at Tokyo University of the Arts,^[13] and director of 'Tokyo Wind Symphony Orchestra' ja:東京吹奏楽団.^[10]

He was active in WASBE, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles and the Japanese Bandmasters Association.^[13]

He also was musical director from 1979 to 1994 of the "International Youth Musicale" in Shizuoka, Japan,^[13] 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 (1956),^[7] NHK Presidential Composition Prize (1956; both at the National Arts Festival),^[8] and UNESCO fellowship for Creative Artist (1966-1967).^[6]

He has written opera, solo and ensemble pieces including many for wind band, and published many works for and about this format.^[10]

Despite initially being reluctant to take up the atomic bombing as a theme in his music,^[11][12] he eventually felt he had a "mission as an A-bomb victim"^[12] and in 1975^[12] composed the first in a series of "Prayer music",^[12] the "Dirge" which was requested by^[11] and dedicated to the city of Hiroshima^[12] and has since been played every year on 6 August at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony.^[11][12] As of 2012 he was still composing pieces in this series,^[8] and has said "I have made it a personal commitment to continue creating compositions in tribute to all the victims of the atomic bomb".^[11]

He lived in Chigasaki, with his dog.^[10] He had two sons from his wife Taeko Koide, and enjoyed gardening.^[13] Some of his children and grandchildren have worked or attended university in the U.S.A.^[11] and his own works have also been published in America.^[6][12]

Selected works

Bibliography

• Wolfgang Suppan, Armin Suppan: Das Neue Lexikon des Blasmusikwesens, 4. Auflage, Freiburg-Tiengen, Blasmusikverlag Schulz GmbH, 1994, ISBN 3-923058-07-1
• 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, ISBN 0-918048-08-7
• 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., ISBN 0-948875-20-8
• Hitoshi Matsushita: A checklist of published instrumental music by Japanese composers, Tokyo: Academia Music Ltd., 1989. 181 p., ISBN 4-870170-39-6
• Norman E. Smith: March music notes, Lake Charles, La.: Program Note Press, 1986, ISBN 978-0-9617346-1-9
• 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. ISBN 0-8497-5401-1
• Japanese composers and their works (since 1868), Tokyo: 1972

References

External links

• Official home page (English)
• Short video interview at age 90 (in Japanese)
• Recording of Dirge at the Hiroshima Peace Ceremony
• Published flute and ocarina works
• Organ arrangement of Dirge (sheet music)