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Yoshimura, Hiroshi 1940 - 2003

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  • Author: Sudoh, Eiko

  • Last updated:April 25, 2018
  • Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

    Hiroshi Yoshimura, born in Yokohama in 1940, was a pioneer of Japanese environmental music. After graduating from Waseda University's Faculty of Letters, Department of Art, Yoshimura, who taught himself composition, aimed for "music as environment" and "music close to air," and engaged in various cross-genre creations such as sound design, graphic design, sound objects, and performances.

    In particular, in collaboration with TOA Corporation, he undertook many sound design projects for public spaces, including the stereophonic sound installation in Yokohama City General Sports Park (Yokohama City, 1997) and the sound signs for the Kobe Municipal Subway Kaigan Line (Kobe City, 2001). He also dedicated himself to workshops on environmental sound at museums and other venues. He served as a part-time lecturer at Kunitachi College of Music's Department of Music Design and Chiba University's Faculty of Engineering, Department of Industrial Design.

    Most of his works remain as CDs, featuring sound design for public spaces or synthesizer compositions, but a rare work for which performance scores exist is his only piano collection, "The Book of Silence" (Shunjusha, 2003). This collection, written by Yoshimura who had no piano at home but longed for one, became his final work, filled with an eye for environmental sounds and respect for the piano's timbre. He passed away in 2003 at the age of 63.

    Author: Sudoh, Eiko
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    Author : Sudoh, Eiko

    Last Updated: April 25, 2018
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    Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

    Born in Yokohama in 1940, Hiroshi Yoshimura was a leading musician in environmental music in Japan. After graduating from Waseda University (Department of Arts), he studied composition by selfeducation. He made various creations combining the genres such as sound design, graphic design, sound objects and performances with the aim of “music as environment” and “music close to air”.

    He worked on many sound designs for public spaces particularly in joint construction with TOA Corporation, such as Stereophonic Work at Yokohama Municipal Sports Park (Yokohama City, 1997) and Sound Sign in Kobe Municipal Coastline Subway (Kobe City, 2001). Also at museums, he gave many workshops with the theme of environmental sounds to the citizens. He was also a part-time lecturer at the Kunitachi College of Music (Department of Music Design) and Chiba University (Department of Industrial Design).

    Although most of his work is left as sound designs for public space, and as a CD made by the sound of a synthesizer etc, there is only one collection for his piano work titled “Tranquility book” (Shunjusha Publishing Company, 2003) which includes musical scores for performing. He did not have a piano at his home, but he was adored the sound of the piano. This collection is full of respect for the sound of the piano and environmental sounds. It is his last book. In 2003, he passed away at the age of 63.

    Writer: Sudoh, Eiko

    Works(1)

    Piano Solo

    pieces (1)

    Sheet Music 0

    Arrangement 0