Soichi Konagaya
Biography
Soichi Konagaya (b. 16 March 1949, Kamakura, Kanagua Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese composer, arranger, and band clinician.
Konagaya began his career as a composer while still a student at the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, from which he graduated in 1973. While there, he composed Letter V and Letter S, which were commissioned by percussionist Sumire Yoshihara. This marked his debut as a composer. He went on to become a CBS studio arranger, writing extensively for an array of wind and percussion media.
During the last several decades, Konagaya has undertaken numerous challenging commissions by some of the world’s most renowned soloists and performing groups. He has also been commissioned to write music for the famous All Japan Band Competition. In 1996, he was awarded the Academy Prize of the Bandmasters Academic Society of Japan for his compositions and arrangements. Currently Konagaya is an Honorary Director of the Japan Band Clinic, Director of the Bandmasters Academic Society and a member of the 21st Century Band Music Committee.
Works for Winds
- A, for Shakuhachi and symphonic band (1974)
- Bel Tempo per i Sassofonisti (2012)
- Celebration Overture (Konagaya) (1995)
- Children’s Street
- Dance for Band (1987)
- Dance for Breeze and Blaze (1989)
- Fanfare and March “Renaissance” (1989)
- Grand March (1997)
- Hymn for the Winter Universiade (1991)
- Illusion for Murasaki-Shikibu (1996)
- Japanese Tune (1985)
- March "The Nine" (1991)
- Six Sticks (2010)
- Star Puzzle March (1993)
Resources
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Soichi Konagaya." Accessed 14 February 2015.