Biography
Conductor
Joe Hisaishi
Joe Hisaishi is a composer, conductor, and pianist. His recent symphonic engagements have included the Los Angeles Philharmonic (where he is composer in focus), Philadelphia Orchestra (where he is composer in residence), Royal Philharmonic (where he is composer in association), Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, and Vienna Symphony. He is also music direct or of the Japan Century Symphony and made his San Francisco Symphony debut in September 2024.
Renowned for his long-standing collaboration with Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki, Hisaishi has won international awards for his scores. His popular soundtracks for Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Ponyo, among others, capture his sensitive and imaginative amalgamation of symphonic and minimalist genres. Many of these iconic works have been brought to huge live audiences in his recent performances in Madison Square Garden, Paris’s La Defense, Munich’s Olympic Hall, and the Tokyo Dome.
A Deutsche Grammophon exclusive artist, Hisaishi has released the titles Merry-Go-Round of Life and A Symphonic Celebration, bringing fresh excitement to his Studio Ghibli masterpieces. Joe Hisaishi in Vienna features the world premiere recordings of two of his compositions—ymphony No.2 and Viola Saga—and his most recent recording, Joe Hisaishi Conducts, includes the music of Reich alongside his The End of the World.
Hisaishi has collaborated with artists including Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, Nadia Sirota, Phillip Glass, David Lang, and Terry Riley. Since 2014, he has been presenting his eponymous Music Future concerts in Tokyo, bringing together the works and talents of these notable collaborators. He holds a young composers’ competition every year to inspire and empower young composers, and the winning composition makes its world premiere at his Music Future concerts.
Renowned for his long-standing collaboration with Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki, Hisaishi has won international awards for his scores. His popular soundtracks for Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Ponyo, among others, capture his sensitive and imaginative amalgamation of symphonic and minimalist genres. Many of these iconic works have been brought to huge live audiences in his recent performances in Madison Square Garden, Paris’s La Defense, Munich’s Olympic Hall, and the Tokyo Dome.
A Deutsche Grammophon exclusive artist, Hisaishi has released the titles Merry-Go-Round of Life and A Symphonic Celebration, bringing fresh excitement to his Studio Ghibli masterpieces. Joe Hisaishi in Vienna features the world premiere recordings of two of his compositions—ymphony No.2 and Viola Saga—and his most recent recording, Joe Hisaishi Conducts, includes the music of Reich alongside his The End of the World.
Hisaishi has collaborated with artists including Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, Nadia Sirota, Phillip Glass, David Lang, and Terry Riley. Since 2014, he has been presenting his eponymous Music Future concerts in Tokyo, bringing together the works and talents of these notable collaborators. He holds a young composers’ competition every year to inspire and empower young composers, and the winning composition makes its world premiere at his Music Future concerts.
