Taro Ishida (composer)


Taro Ishida is a Japanese composer and music producer who specializes in gagaku, a type of classical Japanese music. He is best known for arranging the soundtrack for the Hollywood series Shogun, which was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Music Composition and Main Title Theme Music.
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Early life and education

Taro Ishida was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and later moved to Japan. He studied Chinese literature at Sophia University before enrolling at the Tokyo University of the Arts, where he studied composition, electronic music, and related fields, including gagaku, a form of traditional Japanese court music. He completed a master's degree and began working as a professional composer during his studies.

Career

In 2016, Ishida was appointed music director for the projection mapping event "Haruka" in Fukushima, following in the footsteps of renowned artists Ryuichi Sakamoto and Otomo Yoshihide. In 2018, he founded Drifter Inc., with the aim of musical innovation within the realm of Gagaku.
He has created music for institutions:Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, the Pompidou Centre, and the Mori Art Museum, including corporate clients: NHK, UNIQLO, and HONDA.
In 2021, Ishida launched the Gagaku project "Donburako" with artists Oorutaichi and members of the Reigakusha Ensemble, focusing on reimagining ancient Japanese music for contemporary audiences.

Recent work

In 2024, Ishida served as the overall music arranger for the FX historical drama series Shōgun, produced by and starring Hiroyuki Sanada. He arranged the in-series cues and coordinated recordings of Japanese traditional music in Japan, working with the Los Angeles–based composing team including Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, and Nick Chuba.
The series' score and main title theme were nominated at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series and Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.
The Shōgun score was also nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

Discography

Albums

Grandfinale Night Flower Tokoyo Shōgun: Original Soundtrack – arranger

EPs

  • ''Asobi''

Singles

  • "Toyohara Station Song"
  • "Drifters"
  • "Because You Were There"

Notable collaborations

  • Contributed to Oorutaichi's special band project "Hotokeno", where he arranged the song "Beloved Ones."

Selected projects

  • "Is Anyone There?" at the Pompidou Centre
  • "Japan's Most Beautiful Island - Ōmi Island"
  • Soundtrack for "SHOGUN"