Yoshikazu Fukumura, the conductor, received national recognition in Japan for conducting the NHK TV concert series 'Music of the World' in 1970.
Historical Context
During World War II, musical fashions in Japan shifted from banned American jazz to Chinese, Indonesian, and Latin-American pop tunes.
Composer Biography
Mayuzumi's early musical education included playing double bass in an amateur orchestra and studying music theory with neo-Classical composer Taro Nakamura.
Composer Biography
After the war, Mayuzumi played piano in a jazz band to earn money for his schooling, while continuing his studies with Tomojirō Ikenouchi and Akira Ifukube.
Composer Biography
During wartime, Mayuzumi's studies at the Tokyo Music School were often interrupted by air raids, leading his professor, Qunihico Hashimoto, to take him into his home for lessons.
Composer Biography
Toshiro Mayuzumi, one of the most important Japanese composers of the 20th century, was born in Yokohama, a city relatively free from Japanese traditions.
Performer Biography
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, featured on this recording, is recognized as Asia's foremost classical orchestra, attracting over 200,000 music lovers annually.
