Miki, Minoru

Miki, Minoru, Japanese composer; b. Tokushima, March 16, 1930. He studied with Ifukube and Ikenouchi at the National Univ. of Fine Arts and Music in Tokyo (1951–55). He was a founder of the Nihon Ongaku Shüdan (Pro Musica Nipponia; 1964), an ensemble dedicated to performing new music for traditional Japanese instruments, and later served as its artistic director. He lectured at the Tokyo Coll. of Music. Miki was founder-director of UTAYOMI-ZA (1986), a musical-opera theater.

Works

dramatic:Opera: Mendori Teishu (A Henpecked Husband), chamber opera (1963); Shunkin-shō (Tokyo, 1975); An Actor’s Revenge (London, 1979); Toge no muko ni naniga aruka, choral opera (1983); Utayomizaru, musical-opera (1983); Joruri (St. Louis, 1985); At the Flower Garden, mini-opera (1985); Wakahime (1991); Orochi-den (1992); Shizuka and Yoshit-sume (1993); The Tale of the Genji (St. Louis, June 15, 2000). chamber musical:Yomigaeru (1992). Ballet: From the Land of Light (1987). orch.:Trinità sinfonica (1953); Sinfonia Gamula (1957); Symphony: Joya (1960); Marimba Concerto (1969); Jo-no-Kyoku, prelude for Shakuhachi, Koro, Shamisen, and Strings (1969); Convexity, concerto for 3 Groups of Sankyokup and a Japanese Drum (1970); Ha-no-Kyoku, koto concerto (1974); Hote for Japanese Orch. (1976); Symphony from Life (1980); Concerto Requiem for Koto and Japanese Instruments (1980); Kyu-no-Kyoku (Sym. for 2 Worlds; Leipzig, Nov. 12, 1981); 3 Pieces: 1, Marcfr 1930; 2, Awgwsf 2945; 3, September 1950 (1983); Japan, overture (1990); Z Concerto for Marimba, Percussion, and Orch. (1992); Ma/ (1992). chamber:Osabai for 12 Wind Instruments and Percussion (1955); Sextet for Wind Instruments and Piano (1965); Figures for 4 Groups for Various Instruments (1967–69); Ballades for Koto (3 vols., 1969, 1976, 1983); Tennyo for Koto (1969); Hakuyo for Violin and Koto (1973); Danses concertantes No. 1, 4 Seasons, for Ensemble of Japanese Instruments (1973–74), No. 2, Naruto-Hicho, for Ensemble of Japanese Instruments (1977), No. 3, A Tale ofHachiw, for Ensemble of Japanese Instruments (1981), and No. 4, Kita-no-Uta (1984); Yui I for Shõ and Piano (1982), II for Cello and Koto (1980–83), and III, Flowers and Water, for Shakuhachi, Koto, Shamisen, Harp, and String Quartet (1985); Marimba Spiritual for Marimba and 3 Percussionists (1984); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1986); Organ Nirvana for Organ (1988–89); String Quartet (1989). VOCAL: Paraphrase after Ancient Japanese Music for Soprano and Ensemble of 10 Japanese Instruments (1966); Matsu-no-Kyoko for Women’s Chorus and Ensemble of Japanese Instruments (1974); Sinfonia concertante per Wasan for Bass, Women’s Chorus, Nohkan, Koto, and Orch. (1976); Taro, cantata for 5 Soloists, Children’s Chorus, and 17 Japanese Instruments (1977); Awa Kitobun, I, II, III (1981); Beijing Requiem (1990).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire