Kitarō

Masanori Takahashi was born in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, and is a graduate of Toyohashi Commercial High School. Kitarō, which is his boyhood name meaning "man of love and joy", a practicing Buddhist himself, was born in a family of Shinto-Buddhist farmers. After graduating his parents were first opposed to the idea of their son having a musical career. In an effort to maneuver him towards their vision, they made arrangements for him to take a job at a local company. In response, he silently did not show up for the job, eventually convincing them that he should work on something he loved. After graduating, and learning to play drums and bass, he met the German electronica and former Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze. Schulze produced two albums for the band and gave Kitaro some tips for controlling synthesizers. ==Solo career: 1977–1993==

Back in Japan, Kitaro started his solo career in 1977. The first two albums Ten Kai and Daichi were released in 1978 and 1979. He performed his first symphonic concert at the "Small Hall" of the Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Silk Road The Silk Road: The Rise And Fall Of Civilizations is an NHK Tokushu documentary series that first aired on 7 April 1980, with sequels being broadcast over a 10-year period. It took a total of 17 years from conception to complete what many consider a landmark in Japan's broadcasting television history. The intention of the program was to reveal how ancient Japan was influenced by the Silk Road trade route. The documentary was narrated by Ishizaka Koji with music composed by Kitaro, who insisted that the show be broadcast in stereo. The music was composed mainly using a Minimoog, miniKORG 700, and Maxikorg DV800. The score received a Galaxy Award, and the series of soundtracks sold millions of copies. The success created from the program brought Kitaro international attention. He entered into a worldwide distribution arrangement with Geffen Records in 1985–1986. Kitaro also produced an album Scenes (1992) released by Shrapnel Records with former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman. ==1994–present==

Domo Records Since his 1994 debut for Domo Records, and the Grammy-nominated Mandala, Kitaro has released 24 studio albums. Among them, the live An Enchanted Evening (1995), Gaia-Onbashira (1998), and Ancient (2001) were all Grammy nominated. In 1999, Thinking of You won the Grammy for Best New Age Album. Kitaro and Randy Miller's soundtrack album The Soong Sisters (2000) received Best Original Music Award from the Hong Kong Film Award (1998), as well as the Taiwan Golden Horse Film Festival and Award (1997). Impressions of the West Lake In 2007, Kitaro composed the music for Impression West Lake, a large-scale opera, directed by the renowned Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. The opera reflects Hangzhou city’s history and culture through music and dance. In 2009, Domo Records released the original soundtrack album Impressions of the West Lake which was nominated for the Grammy in Best New Age Album category. in Xi'an, China for the opening event of Daming Palace National Heritage Park in September, in Aichi, Japan, for the Thousand Drums Event at COP10 for the Convention on Biological Diversity in October. From March to April, 2011, he was on a tour titled The Silk Road – East & West, visiting Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. He donated part of the CD sales and concert profits to Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Relief. For the same purpose he participated in the 2011 edition of Musicians United for Safe Energy. In 2012 he released Let Mother Earth Speak, a collaboration album with Native American activist Dennis Banks. ==Personal life==

From around 1983 to 1990, Kitarō was married to Yuki Taoka, daughter of Kazuo Taoka. They have a son. In the early 1990s, he moved from Japan to the United States. In the mid-1990s, he married Keiko Matsubara, a musician who played on several of his albums. Along with Keiko's son, the couple lived in Ward, Colorado, on a 180-acre (72.85 hectare) spread and composed in his 2500-square-foot (230 m²) home studio "Mochi House" (it is large enough to hold a 70-piece orchestra). Around 2005, they relocated to Sebastopol, California. Kitaro subsequently divorced Keiko (she was visibly absent from the performances during 2020-2021 period). On 24 February 2022, he married Brazil-born, ethnically Japanese artist Franci Shimomaebara in a private ceremony attended by friends and relatives. They had met in 1990, and after becoming friends worked together on The Wind, which was featured on Kitarō's Grammy-nominated 2003 album, Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Volume 1. In 2012 they collaborated on the album Symphony of my Dreams where Franci recorded vocal renditions of some of Kitarō’s famous pieces, including Silk Road. ==Discography==

;Studio albums • Tenkai (1978) • Daichi (1979) • Oasis (1979) • Ki (1981) • Silver Cloud (1983) • Toward the West (1985) • Tenku (1986) • The Light of the Spirit (1987) • Kojiki (1990) • Dream (1992) • Mandala (1994) • Peace on Earth (1996) • Cirque Ingenieux (1997) • Gaia-Onbashira (1998) • Thinking of You (1999) • Ancient (2001) • An Ancient Journey (2002) • Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 1 (2003) • Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 2 (2005) • Spiritual Garden (2006) • Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 3 (2007) • Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 4 (2010) • Final Call (2013) • Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 5 (2017) ==Tours==

• 1986: "Japan Tour" (17 cities) • 1987: "1st North American Tour" (24 cities, 26 shows) • 1989: "1st Europe Tour" (15 cities, 16 shows) • 1990: "Kojiki World Tour" U.S., Japan, Europe (39 cities, 41 shows) • 1992: "Dream World Tour" U.S., Japan, Asia • 1992: "Her Majestry Queen" Sirikit Birthday Anniversary Concert, in Bangkok, Thailand • 1994: "The Kitaro Mandala World Tour" Latin America Tour (4 cities, 6 shows) • 1994: "The Kitaro Mandala World Tour" The USA Tour (32 shows) • 1995: "Southeast Asia tour" (4 cities, 9 shows) • 1995: "Kitaro Enchanted Evening Tour" (22 cities, 22 shows) • 1997: "Kitaro's Peace on Earth Holiday Tour" in USA (5 cities, 5 shows) • 1998: "Europe Tour" (13 cities) • 1999: "Kitaro 1999 New Millennium World Tour in USA" (21cities) • 1999: "Kitaro 1999 New Millennium World Tour in South America" • 2000: "Kitaro Asia 2000" in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong • 2002: "The Silk Road Tour in USA" (6 cities) • 2002: "The concert for 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and China" in China (2 cities) • 2004: "Asia Tour 2004" (7 cities, 8 shows) • 2007: "Love & Peace World Tour 2007" in Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand • 2008: "Love & Peace World Tour 2008" in Athens • 2009: "Love & Peace Planet Music Tour 2009" in Malaysia, Singapore, India, Japan, Hong Kong • 2009: "31st Harmony Festival" in Santa Rosa, California • 2009: "Silk Road Arts Festival" in Hong Kong, China • 2010: "Love & Peace Planet Music Tour 2010" in Singapore • 2010: "Zacatecas Cultural Festival" in Mexico • 2010: "Opening Ceremony for 32nd Harmony Festival" in Santa Rosa, California • 2010: "Opening Event of Daming Palace National Heritage Park" in Xi'an, China • 2010: "Thousand Drums Event at COP10 for Convention on Biological Diversity" in Aichi, Japan • 2010: "Asian Art Museum" in San Francisco, California • 2011: "Silk Road East & West Tour" in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore and Malaysia • 2011: "Closing Ceremony for 33rd Harmony Festival" in Santa Rosa, California • 2011: "Opening Ceremony for Musicians United For Safe Energy (MUSE) Benefit Concert" in Mountain View, California • 2012: "Festival International Farosor 2012" in Montevideo, Uruguay • 2014: "Symphonic World Tour|Symphonic World Tour 2014" ==Awards==

• 1985: Hong Kong Film Awards nomination for Homecoming • 1987: Grammy nomination for The Field • 1990: Grammy nomination for Kojiki • 1992: Grammy nomination for Dream • 1994: Grammy nomination for Mandala • 1999: Grammy Award winner for Thinking Of You • 2002: Grammy nomination for Ancient • 2003: Grammy nomination for An Ancient Journey • 2004: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 1 • 2006: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai Volume 2 • 2008: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai Volume 3 • 2009: Grammy nomination for Impressions Of The West Lake • 2011: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai Volume 4 • 2013: Grammy nomination for Final Call • 2014: Grammy nomination for Symphony Live In Istanbul • 2017: Grammy nomination for Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Vol. 5 == See also ==