Joji Yuasa

Joji Yuasa (湯浅譲二, Yuasa Jōji?, born August 12, 1929) is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music.

Biography
Born in Kōriyama, Fukushima, he is self-taught as a composer.

In 1951 or 1952, together with the composer Tōru Takemitsu and other contemporary artists and musicians, he founded Jikken Kobo (Experimental Workshop), an organization dedicated to the exploration of new directions in the arts, including multimedia.

From 1981 to 1994 he was a music researcher and professor at the University of California, San Diego, where he is currently a professor emeritus. He has also served as a guest professor at the Tokyo College of Music since 1981, and a professor for the postgraduate course of the College of Arts at Nihon University since 1993.

On March 3, 2007, the Music From Japan ensemble will present a concert entitled "The World of Joji Yuasa" at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City, which will be preceded by a pre-concert lecture by the composer. The concert will include early and recent works by the composer, as well as a new composition commissioned by Music From Japan.

He lives in Encinitas, San Diego County, California.


Major works
Cosmos Haptic for piano
Interpenetration for two flutes
Projection Esemplastic for White Noise
Triplicity for double bass
Projection for String Quartet
Utterance for mixed chorus
Chronoplastic for orchestra
On the Keyboard for piano
Projection on Basho's Haiku for mixed chorus and vibraphone
Not I, but the Wind... for alto saxophone
Domain for flute solo
Clarinet Solitude for clarinet solo
Interpenetration No. 2 for two percussionists
Observations on Weather Forecasts for baritone and trumpet
A Perspective for Orchestra
Revealed Time for viola and orchestra
Cosmos Haptic II for piano
Mutterings for soprano (or mezzo-soprano) and 7 players
Scenes from Basho
Terms of Temporal Detailing - A Homage to David Hockney - for bass flute
Eye on Genesis II for orchestra
Piano Concertino
Viola Locus for viola
Violin Concerto - In Memory of Toru Takemitsu -
Reigaku - In Memoriam Isang Yun - for alto flute

Film score
Funeral Parade of Roses
The Funeral
Owls' Castle