Yoshihiro Kanno

YOSHIHIRO KANNO born in Tokyo graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music with the Masters Degree in 1980. In 1979 he won the Prince Pierre of Monaco Musical Composition Award for his String Quartet. In 1994 his Les Temps de MiroirsLHorizontale du Vent for ryuteki sho and electronic music became the recommended work of International Music Council sponsored by UNESCO. His work for ballet Mandala after being premiered in Tokyo in 1987 was performed at the Edinburgh International Festival in 1988 and toured New York and Washington D.C. in 1991. Among his recent works the work for Gagaku orchestra Moon Phase was performed in Tokyo Germany and Spain and the work for Japanese traditional ensemble A Lunar Note was performed in Tokyo and several cities in the United States. Kannos compositions are founded on three genresthe Western orchestral music the Japanese traditional instruments and the computer music. Employing the various elements freely and unboundedly he has composed a number of pieces based on Japanese idioms and traditions. Kannos main works include: Mandala orchestra piece for ballet 1987 commissioned by the Matsuyama Ballet Company Tapestry I with Voices of Shomyo electronic sound 1988 commissioned by the Computer Music Festival in Zurich Hoshoji To Kuyo restored instruments from the 8th century 1988 commissioned by the National Theatre of Japan Earth TremorWind RhymeJapanese traditional instruments 1990 commissioned by the National Theatre of Japan Spherical Penitence ShomyoBuddhist monk chorus 1992 commissioned by the National Theatre of Japan City of Sand in a Labyrinth for soprano synthesizer piano and two percussions 1991 commissioned by the Interlink Festival The Remains of the Light I piano 1992 Procession of Fire computer music with Noh instruments 1993 commissioned by the International Computer Music Conference A Mythical Implosion orchestra 1995 commissioned by theNHK Symphony Orchestra SaigyoProcession of Light Gagaku Shomyo ancient instruments 1995 commissioned by the National Theatre of Japan A Voice The PulsarEnsphere Shomyo with computer music 1996 commissioned by the DENON. Moon Phase Gagaku 1998 commissioned by the Reigakusha Gagaku Ensemble A Lunar Note Japanese instruments 1998 commissioned by thePro Musica Nipponica A Cluster of Stars II cello and piano 1998 recorded by Torleif Thedeen and Noriko Ogawa.