Kitarō

Masanori Takahashi (高橋 正則, Takahashi Masanori; born February 4, 1953), professionally known as , is a Japanese musician, composer, record producer, and arranger noted for his electronic-instrumental music, and is often associated with and regarded as one of the most prominent musical acts of new-age music. He won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for Thinking of You, with a record 16 nominations in the same category. He received a Golden Globe Award for the original score to Heaven & Earth (1993).

Early life: 1954–76 Masanori Takahashi was born in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, and is a graduate of Toyohashi Commercial High School. Kitarō, which is his boyhood name meaning "man of love and joy", a practicing Buddhist himself, was born in a family of Shinto-Buddhist farmers. After graduating his parents were first opposed to the idea of their son having a musical career. In an effort to maneuver him towards their vision, they made arrangements for him to take a job at a local company. In response, he silently did not show up for the job, eventually convincing them that he should work on something he loved. After graduating, and learning to play drums and bass, he met the German electronica and former Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze. Schulze produced two albums for the band and gave Kitaro some tips for controlling synthesizers.

Solo career: 1977–1993 Back in Japan, Kitaro started his solo career in 1977. The first two albums Ten Kai and Daichi were released in 1978 and 1979. He performed his first symphonic concert at the "Small Hall" of the Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Silk Road The Silk Road: The Rise And Fall Of Civilizations is an NHK Tokushu documentary series that first aired on 7 April 1980, with sequels being broadcast over a 10-year period. It took a total of 17 years from conception to complete what many consider a landmark in Japan's broadcasting television history. The intention of the program was to reveal how ancient Japan was influenced by the Silk Road trade route. The documentary was narrated by Ishizaka Koji with music composed by Kitaro, who insisted that the show be broadcast in stereo. The music was composed mainly using a Minimoog, miniKORG 700, and Maxikorg DV800. The score received a Galaxy Award, and the series of soundtracks sold millions of copies. The success created from the program brought Kitaro international attention.

He entered into a worldwide distribution arrangement with Geffen Records in 1985–1986. Kitaro also produced an album Scenes (1992) released by Shrapnel Records with former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman.

Impressions of the West Lake In 2007, Kitaro composed the music for Impression West Lake, a large-scale opera, directed by the renowned Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. The opera reflects Hangzhou city's history and culture through music and dance. In 2009, Domo Records released the original soundtrack album Impressions of the West Lake which was nominated for the Grammy in Best New Age Album category. in Xi'an, China for the opening event of Daming Palace National Heritage Park in September, in Aichi, Japan, for the Thousand Drums Event at COP10 for the Convention on Biological Diversity in October. From March to April, 2011, he was on a tour titled The Silk Road – East & West, visiting Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. He donated part of the CD sales and concert profits to Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Relief. For the same purpose he participated in the 2011 edition of Musicians United for Safe Energy. In the mid-1990s, he married Keiko Matsubara, a musician who played on several of his albums. Along with Keiko's son, the couple lived in Ward, Colorado, on a 180-acre (72.85 hectare) spread and composed in his 2500-square-foot (230 m2) home studio "Mochi House" (it is large enough to hold a 70-piece orchestra). Around 2005, they relocated to Sebastopol, California. Kitaro subsequently divorced Keiko (she was visibly absent from the performances during 2020-2021 period). On 24 February 2022, he married Brazil-born, ethnically Japanese artist Franci Shimomaebara in a private ceremony attended by friends and relatives. They had met in 1990, and after becoming friends worked together on The Wind, which was featured on Kitarō's Grammy-nominated 2003 album, Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 1. In 2012 they collaborated on the album Symphony of my Dreams where Franci recorded vocal renditions of some of Kitarō's famous pieces, including Silk Road.

Discography

Studio albums Tenkai (aka Astral Voyage, 1978) Daichi (aka Full Moon Story, 1979) Oasis (1979) Ki (1981) Silver Cloud (aka Cloud, 1983) Toward the West (1985) Tenku (1986) The Light of the Spirit (1987) Kojiki (1990) Dream (1992) Mandala (1994) Peace on Earth (1996) Cirque Ingenieux (1997) Gaia-Onbashira (1998) Thinking of You (1999) Ancient (2001) An Ancient Journey (2002) Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 1 (2003) Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 2 (2005) Spiritual Garden (2006) Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 3 (2007) Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 4 (2010) Final Call (2013) Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 5 (2017)

Tours 1986: "Japan Tour" (17 cities) 1987: "1st North American Tour" (24 cities, 26 shows) 1989: "1st Europe Tour" (15 cities, 16 shows) 1990: "Kojiki World Tour" U.S., Japan, Europe (39 cities, 41 shows) 1992: "Dream World Tour" U.S., Japan, Asia 1992: "Her Majestry Queen" Sirikit Birthday Anniversary Concert, in Bangkok, Thailand 1994: "The Kitaro Mandala World Tour" Latin America Tour (4 cities, 6 shows) 1994: "The Kitaro Mandala World Tour" The USA Tour (32 shows) 1995: "Southeast Asia tour" (4 cities, 9 shows) 1995: "Kitaro Enchanted Evening Tour" (22 cities, 22 shows) 1997: "Kitaro's Peace on Earth Holiday Tour" in USA (5 cities, 5 shows) 1998: "Europe Tour" (13 cities) 1999: "Kitaro 1999 New Millennium World Tour in USA" (21cities) 1999: "Kitaro 1999 New Millennium World Tour in South America" 2000: "Kitaro Asia 2000" in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong 2002: "The Silk Road Tour in USA" (6 cities) 2002: "The concert for 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and China" in China (2 cities) 2004: "Asia Tour 2004" (7 cities, 8 shows) 2007: "Love & Peace World Tour 2007" in Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand 2008: "Love & Peace World Tour 2008" in Athens 2009: "Love & Peace Planet Music Tour 2009" in Malaysia, Singapore, India, Japan, Hong Kong 2009: "31st Harmony Festival" in Santa Rosa, California 2009: "Silk Road Arts Festival" in Hong Kong, China 2010: "Love & Peace Planet Music Tour 2010" in Singapore 2010: "Zacatecas Cultural Festival" in Mexico 2010: "Opening Ceremony for 32nd Harmony Festival" in Santa Rosa, California 2010: "Opening Event of Daming Palace National Heritage Park" in Xi'an, China 2010: "Thousand Drums Event at COP10 for Convention on Biological Diversity" in Aichi, Japan 2010: "Asian Art Museum" in San Francisco, California 2011: "Silk Road East & West Tour" in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore and Malaysia 2011: "Closing Ceremony for 33rd Harmony Festival" in Santa Rosa, California 2011: "Opening Ceremony for Musicians United For Safe Energy (MUSE) Benefit Concert" in Mountain View, California 2012: "Festival International Farosor 2012" in Montevideo, Uruguay 2014: "Symphonic World Tour|Symphonic World Tour 2014"

Awards

1985: Hong Kong Film Awards nomination for Homecoming

1987: Grammy nomination for The Field

1990: Grammy nomination for Kojiki

1992: Grammy nomination for Dream

1994: Grammy nomination for Mandala

1999: Grammy Award winner for Thinking Of You

2002: Grammy nomination for Ancient

2003: Grammy nomination for An Ancient Journey

2004: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 1

2006: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai Volume 2

2008: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai Volume 3

2009: Grammy nomination for Impressions Of The West Lake

2011: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai Volume 4

2013: Grammy nomination for Final Call

2014: Grammy nomination for Symphony Live In Istanbul

2017: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 5