IFUKUBE, Akira

Akira Ifukube was born in 1914 on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Growing up on the cold and mountainous island, Ifukube became fascinated with music at an early age. In his youth he was well acquainted with Japanese folk song and the traditional music of the Ainu, northern Japan’s indigenous population.
This interest in music led the young Ifukube to teach himself to play the violin.
Ifukube began writing original compositions at the age of 18. In1933 he wrote his first published work, Piano Suite.
After high school, Ifukube studied forestry at Hokkaido Imperial University. He composed in his spare time. His first orchestral work, Japanese Rhapsody (1935),won the Tcherepnin Prize at a competition in Paris. After the international success of Japanese Rhapsody, Ifukube went on write several more orchestral works such as Ballata Sinfonica (1943), Sinfonia Tapkaara (1955, revised 1979), Ritmica Ostinata for Piano and Orchestra (1961), Lauda Concertata for Orchestra and Marimba (1976) and Symphonic Ode ‘GOTAMA THE BUDDHA ’-in Pali language- (1989).
In 1980 Ifukube was awarded the Japanese Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon. In 1987 he received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class. In 2003 he was recognized as a Person of Cultural Merit. Akira Ifukube died at the age of 91 on February 8, 2006 in Tokyo.
Erik Homenick