Artist Bio:
Joji Hirota was born in North Japan. At the age of 11, he began a lifelong study of percussion and has been composing from the age of 13. He studied at the Kyoto City University of Arts. In 1972 he was invited by Stoma Yamashita to be the musical director and percussionist of the Red Buddha Theatre. In 1977 he became the musical director and percussionist for the Lindsay Kemp Dance Company. Hirota toured extensively throughout Europe, Mexico, Canada and the U.S.A., South America and Japan.
He has released four solo albums, Sahasuhara, Wheel of Fortune, Rain Forest Dream, and The Gate.
In 1991, The Lindsay Dance Company won the Time Out Award for best dance company for their production of "Onnagata for which Hirota wrote and performed the music.
Hirota has also been working for WOMAD since 1986, as a solo percussionist.
In 1991, a new group, Trisan was formed with Joji, Guo Yue and Pol Brennan. The group toured Europe, Canada and Japan. In November 1992, Trisan recorded their first album, which obtained the No.1 nomination by Tower Records New York in 1993 for best contemporary instrumental music. In 1993, the group toured the U.S.A.
Joji started to play the Japanese drums in his early 20s.
In 1992, Joji went to Hokkaido, where he encountered the impressive Hokkai Daiko. He was trained by Mr Itto Ohba, great master of Japanese Taiko Drumming who is the founder of the group based in Noboribetsu Hokkaido, and his son Kazuoki. Their style is the most important influence on Hirota's drumming music.
An album called Red Ribbon with Guo Yue was released in September 1994.
In the same year, Hirota composed and performed for the Triangle Theatre Company for the production of "Tributaries".
He composed and performed for the Mulan Theatre company in "The Modern Kyogen" in London and Singapore.
He appeared at the WOMAD festival in Estonia, and at the Dranorter Folk Festival in Belgium, Jazz Cafe London.
In 1995, he toured intensively in Italy, Belgium, and Spain and also performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with the South Bank Gamelan Players.
In the autumn of that year, Joji composed and recorded again for Anglia TV (Survival) with Anthony Phillips.
From October to January, he performed at the Young Vic Theatre for "The Jungle Book"
In February 1996, he went to the Brugge Festival again, and in March traveled to Singapore to work with the MU-LANG Theatre Company who performed "Modern Kyogen".
He performed in the UK, Germany, Norway and Italy, and at the South Bank for the Rhythm Sticks Festival.
He also worked for JAH WOBBLE for his Italian Tour.
He appeared at various Festivals such as Rimini Music Festival in Italy and at the Leper Festival in Belgium.
In 1998, the album "Taiko to Tabla" with Peter Lockett was released in November, for which they had a seven-week tour in Belgium and Holland.
As a WOMAD artist he performed in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa.
His most recent album, The Gateis a solo CD released in July 1999.
Following the release of The Gate, Joji performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the WOMAD festival in Revermead, Reading and also with the Seattle Creative Orchestra in the USA.
From the end of 1999 towards the year 2000, Joji worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company as a solo percussionist and as a co-composer for its production of "Macbeth" eventually performing in various places in the UK, Japan, and the USA as well as recording for the film version broadcast on Channel 4.
In July 2000, Joji played at the Hanover, Germany EXPO 2000.
In August, He performed at the Edinburgh Festival with the String Quintet and Harp.
In December, he composed and recorded for Anglia TV with Anthony Phillips for Anglia TV's new "Survival "documentary series.
During 2001, as part of Japan UK Festival, Joji performed numerous concerts all over the UK with a new Group Tozai" (Violin: M. Kino, Piano: R. Fujisawa, Shakuhachi: H. Kato) and also with his Taiko Group.
In July, he also played at the WOMAD festival in Reading with the London Metropolitan Orchestra String Ensemble.
In July 2002, Joji released the Japanese version the CD The Gate from EMI Japan, followed by the tour in Sapporo, Esashi and Tokyo, Japan, with LMO String Ensemble.
In 2003, Joji composed the music "The Waterfall of Time Suites" for the project with artist Elizabeth Ogilvie and the Scottish Flute Trio. In April and May, they performed at St. Mary Cathedral, Glasgow.
In February 2004, Joji Hirota received a commendation from Ambassador Orita for his contribution to the introduction of Japanese culture in UK through the medium of Taiko drumming and other musical activities.
In April 2004, the 2nd Taiko to Tabla album was released by ARC record. Joji has composed music for an animation film based on a story 'Crossing the snow' written by Kenji Miyazawa to be showcased at the World Summit of Television for Children in Rio de Janeiro in April 2004. —Courtesy Calabash Music
