Kenjiro Ezaki
Kenjiro Ezaki (Japanese: 江崎健次郎) was born on 27 October 1926 in Tainan (Taiwan). He studied at the Nihon University in Tokyo from 1953 to 1957 under Yoritsune Matsudaira and later under Vladimir Ussachevsky at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. During his early years he received two composition prices: The first prize at Music Composition of Japan in 1956 and a first prize at the ISCM World Music Days in 1962 where his composition "Beating" was performed.
After his return to Japan Kenjiro Ezaki founded his own electronic music studio and was member of a composer group called „Group Design" which focussed on electronic and computer music. Other members of this group were Norihiko Wada, Satoshi Sumitani or Komei Hayama. Kenjiro Ezaki was also a member of the GROUP 20.5, a circle of Japanese composers of avantgarde music which was founded by Hifumi Shimoyama. It is said that Kenjiro Ezaki composed the first Japanese fully computer-based composition which was premiered at the Expo '70 in Osaka.
In my possession is the autograph manuscript of the Symphonic poem "Japanese scenery" for orchestra. The work was completed in June 1958 according to the manuscript. That means this is the earliest known composition by Kenjiro Ezaki.
In addition to the autograph manuscript I own also a few printed scores by Kenjiro Ezaki. These are:
- Moving pulses, for 3 voices and percussions (1961), published by Ongaku-no-Tomo Sha as "contemporary japanese music series 4"
- Discretion, for female voice (1962), published by Ongaku-no-Tomo Sha as "contemporary japanese music series 4"
- Trio for violin, cello and piano (1964), published by Ongaku-no-Tomo Sha as "contemporary japanese music series 59"
The scores from "Japanese scenery", "Moving pulses" and "Discretion" (composed within 4 years) show the rapid evolution in score notation from traditional to graphic:
