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Ryuichi Sakamoto
Combining electronic music, piano and film scoring with Yellow Magic Orchestra and an Oscar-winning soundtrack.
B-2 Unit · Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
- Born
- 17 January 1952
- Birthplace
- Tokyo, Japan
- Died
- 28 March 2023
More people
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto was a Japanese composer and musician. His career moved from electronic pop to film scores, ambient sound and spare piano compositions.
Early life
Early piano
Began piano lessons as a child and developed an interest in both classical and popular music.
Music studies
Studied composition and ethnomusicology at Tokyo’s national arts university.
Career
- 1978
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Co-founded the electronic group while beginning a solo recording career.
- 1983–1990s
Film music
Scored Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, The Last Emperor and The Sheltering Sky.
- 2000s–2023
Later experimentation
Collaborated with electronic musicians and released reflective works including async and 12.
Selected work
B-2 Unit
Included Riot in Lagos, an influential electronic composition.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Composed the film’s score and also acted in it.
The Last Emperor
Shared the score with David Byrne and Cong Su, winning an Oscar in 1988.
Beyond work
Environmental activism
Supported forest conservation and opposed nuclear power.
Screen appearances
Acted alongside David Bowie in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and appeared in The Last Emperor.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Institutional source ↗Photo: KAB America. CC BY 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
