Biography
Joe Hisaishi, a composer, conductor and pianist, has established himself as a formidable force in contemporary music for his delicately crafted symphonic and solo works, as well as his globally successful film music. Hisaishi is greatly in demand as a conductor performing with the most notable symphony orchestras across the globe. With nearly 40 solo albums and over 100 film scores to his name, he is one of the most celebrated composers of our time.
Hisaishi’s recent symphonic engagements have seen him conducting the Toronto and Chicago Symphony orchestras, Royal, Helsinki, and Rotterdam Philharmonic orchestras and Wiener Symphoniker. Alongside his film music works, he conducts classical repertoire from the likes of, Ravel, Reich, Mussorgsky, Brahms and Pärt, and his own symphonic compositions such as DA•MA•SHI•E and The East Land Symphony. Hisaishi also had a successful week-long residency with Seattle Symphony Orchestra where he led three sold-out concerts, as well as curating and conducting a chamber concert dedicated to contemporary music from his peers and a panel discussion with young audience members. After a successful debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 2023, Hisaishi returned to Los Angeles Philharmonic for the world premiere of his Harp Concerto, commissioned by the orchestra and performed by their own harpist, Emmanuel Ceysson.
In 2025, Hisaishi made debut performances with Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra and at the BBC Proms with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra where his work The End of the World was programmed with Steve Reich’s Desert Music. Further ahead in the 25/26season, Hisiashi returns to Philadelphia, Chicago and Toronto Symphony orchestras, and will premiere his new work Concerto for Orchestra with various high-level orchestras across the globe including National Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
