Composer of the Month
Spring Semester 2026: Japanese Composers and Pianists
During the spring semester, we will be learning about Japanese composers and pianists. This will not be a complete or in-depth study, but rather an introduction to some Japanese music and musicians. Our goal is to help students discover new sounds and styles and become thoughtful, curious listeners.
Japanese piano music often sounds different from music written in Europe or America. Many Japanese composers are inspired by nature, quiet, and simple, expressive melodies. Instead of thick chords and constant sound, their music often leaves space for the listener to pause and reflect.
Traditional Japanese music uses pentatonic scales, which can give the piano music a calm or mysterious sound. Even in modern pieces, you may hear flowing lines, gentle rhythms, and careful attention to tone color.
Mt. Fuji - Photo by David Edelstein on Unsplash
What to listen for
Simple melodies that sound calm, gentle, or thoughtful
Moments of silence or space between notes
Nature-inspired sounds, such as flowing water or quiet movement
Changes in tone color—how the music shifts from light to full
Joe Hisaishi (b.1950)
Joe Hisaishi is a Japanese composer and pianist best known for his music for films. He was born in Nagano, Japan, and grew up watching hundreds of movies with his father, which sparked his love for storytelling through music.
His birth name is Mamoru Fujisawa, and Joe Hisaishi is his professional name. In addition to studying the violin and piano, he also worked as a music engraver, helping him develop a strong understanding of written music.
Joe Hisaishi has composed music for many films, most notably through his long collaboration with animator and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. One of his most popular pieces is “Merry-Go-Round of Life,” the theme from Howl’s Moving Castle, which is often performed and arranged for piano.
Vocabulary
Music Engraver
A person who prepares written music so it is clear and accurate for musicians to read and perform.
Tone Color (Timbre)
The unique sound quality of music—what makes one sound bright, warm, light, or dark, even when playing the same note.
Professional Name
A name a musician uses in public or in their career instead of their birth name.
“It still starts the same way — with a piano. I use technology but don’t really rely upon it. I think it should be part of the process, not the entire process.”
What is a pentatonic scale?
A pentatonic scale is a scale made of five notes, specifically the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th notes of what we consider a standard scale. In Western music, pentatonic scales are often heard in folk songs, spirituals, and blues, such as “Amazing Grace.” Many children’s songs, like “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” also use the pentatonic scale.
For example, if you play “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the piano using only the white keys C, D, E, G, and A (skipping F and B), you are using a pentatonic scale. This makes it easy to hear how pentatonic notes create simple, open melodies.
Pentatonic scales are also common in traditional Japanese music, where they often sound calm, open, or mysterious.
Hayato Sumino (b. 1995)
Hayato Sumino was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1995. He began studying piano at age three with his mother, a classically trained piano teacher. He performed in many concerts and competitions, but ultimately did not study piano at the university level. Instead, he earned a master’s degree in engineering, specifically focusing on the intersection of music and technology.
His professional career gained international attention in 2021 when he competed in the International Chopin Piano Competition. Although he did not win a prize, his performances drew 45,000 online viewers, setting a record for the competition’s livestream audience. Since then, he has performed at prestigious venues around the world. He is also known online as the YouTuber Cateen, where his creative piano videos have attracted more than 1.5 million subscribers.
“What I always want to do is to show the connection between traditional classical music and the modern world we live in now.”
What to listen for
When you listen to Hayato Sumino, notice how he blends classical music with improvisation. Sumino greatly admires George Gershwin, and frequently brings his own fresh take on iconic Gershwin pieces like Rhapsody in Blue.
What is improvisation? Instead of playing only the written notes, a performer creates new musical ideas on the spot. Listen for how Hayato adds to original music. Does it distract or enchance the original?
Hayato Sumino playing the cadenza from Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin
Sumino plays a melodica in the cadenza of the piece to the surprise and delight of the audience.
Yuja Wang planning the cadenza from Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin
Wang plays the same cadenza without the melodica. Both pianist add their own special touch to the piece.