Akira Ifukube: A Biography

Born in Kushiro, Hokkaido, in 1914. He grew up exposed to the traditional performing arts of the Ainu people and folk songs from various regions sung by pioneers. He also enjoyed playing the guitar and violin, and began to study composition self-taught from around the age of 13.

Subsequently, while majoring in forestry at Hokkaido University, he developed his musical activities. In 1933, he composed his only piano solo piece, "Piano Suite," and in 1934, he formed the "New Music League" in Sapporo with Fumio Hayasaka, Atsushi Miura, and others, bringing a new breath of fresh air to the music scene, which had been dominated by German music.

After graduating from university in 1935, he continued to compose while working in forestry in Hokkaido as a forest officer. In the same year, his first orchestral work, "Japanese Rhapsody," won first prize in the Tcherepnin Award. Furthermore, in 1938, "Piano Suite," which he had written during his university years, was selected for the Venice International Festival of Contemporary Music, instantly bringing him global attention. His compositional style was strongly nationalistic, characterized by melodies rooted in traditional Japanese music and powerful ostinato (a technique of repeating a fixed musical pattern).

"Symphonie Concertante for Piano and Orchestra," released in 1941 during the Pacific War, incorporated modern compositional techniques symbolizing scientific civilization, achieving an unusually avant-garde sound. In "Symphonic Ballad," composed in 1943, Ifukube's unique North Asian and Eurasian nostalgia was expressed, becoming a guiding principle for his subsequent compositions. This work won first prize in the Victor Orchestra Contest, and the recorded album was awarded the Minister of Education Award.

After the war, in 1946, Ifukube moved to Tokyo and dedicated himself to music professionally. He taught at Tokyo Music School (now Tokyo University of the Arts) and Tokyo College of Music, fostering many composers such as Yasushi Akutagawa, Toshiro Mayuzumi, Akio Yashiro, Minoru Miki, Maki Ishii, and Teizo Matsumura. He also actively composed for film and ballet, leaving behind over 300 film scores, including the theme for "Godzilla," "Zatoichi," and "The Burmese Harp."

Other works include "Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra" (1951), "Symphonia Tapkaara" (1954), and "Ritmica Ostinata for Piano and Orchestra" (1961). His writings include "Introduction to Music" and "Orchestration." He received numerous awards, including the Medal with Purple Ribbon, the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class, the Japan Cultural Design Award, and recognition as a Person of Cultural Merit. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 91.