Joe Hisaishi

“Japanese orchestras are generally playing at quite a high level on the first day of rehearsal, but they don't improve very much from there.”

“I don't want the World Dream Orchestra to be like a dessert whose taste is instantly forgotten as soon as you leave the restaurant.”

“I don't think that because l'm a composer I only have to compose music.”

“I don't want to work with directors who use music only to accentuate sound effects. I want to work with people who give music the value it deserves.”

“I've largely focused on Japan my whole career, so I was interested to see how my music would be received by people of different backgrounds, religions and cultures.”

“When I discovered minimal music I felt I could create my vision - it was totally different to traditional music.”

“I actually don't like playing the piano or conducting the orchestra.”

“Usually, I concentrate on work for a certain time, and finish when I clear a standard I set myself. But with 'Mononoke,' the production was so drawn out, it took forever to finish to my satisfaction.”

“Synthesizers can be programmed with more imagination than a real, 'human' performance. It's a joyful thing.”

“When I am on stage I am locked away in energy and in concentration. I hear and I think about nothing but the music and I can only relax when it is over.”

“I have to think in terms of musical tempo. Let's say someone comes into a room and slowly sits down or someone rushes into the room and rushes to sit down. That's how to work out the tempo of the music you produce.”

“Writing songs is a solo activity, so, if I put my mind to it, I can do it.”

“I was originally a minimalist, so that's my foundation.”

“What I place most importance on is trying to create more opportunities to showcase the music, in a way that new listeners will be able to understand and feel passionate about.”

“With streaming, everything is focused on singles. That means an artist's depth doesn't have the chance to shine through.”

“Since 'Mononoke' has such a dramatic story, I played up the drama, emphasizing the power of a magnum opus.”

“A lot of people that come to the concerts are in their 20s. I think they come to listen to something new, and I want to be able to provide that.”

“I consider myself a part-time worker when it comes to the piano, but you need to play regularly to stay sharp.”

“You don't get music in your daily life, do you? Even in a movie, it's unnatural to have music. I always feel it's unnatural. But I want to make it not unnatural, to construct reality in another sense.”