Joe Hisaishi brings the magical sound of Studio Ghibli to Singapore

Joe Hisaishi—best known for shaping the musical identity of Studio Ghibli’s cinematic universe—is heading to Singapore for a live concert with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

This two-night performance on July 3-4 marks a rare opportunity to experience Hisaishi’s masterful work in person, as he conducts a world premiere of ‘Symphonic Suite The Boy and the Heron’—a full orchestral rendering of Hayao Miyazaki’s latest animated masterpiece.

The performance also includes the Asia premiere of his ‘Harp Concerto’, a new composition co-commissioned by the SSO alongside major orchestras in France and the United States.

The evening’s repertoire will be rounded out by Stravinsky’s Firebird Ballet Suite (1945) and Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2.

Emmanuel Ceysson, principal harpist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will also be joining the performance.

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Hisaishi’s sweeping, emotionally resonant scores have become the sonic backbone of legendary Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro.

In June 2023, he released ‘A Symphonic Celebration’ with Deutsche Grammophon, a 12-track collection of reimagined Ghibli compositions recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which included a newly arranged orchestral version of fan-favourite ‘Merry-Go-Round of Life’.

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His melodic storytelling and lush harmonies have inspired electronic music artists like Eric Phillips aka Kennebec, whose ambient-hip hop fusion album ‘Departure’ takes cues from Hisaishi’s emotionally rich cinematic style.

For more information and tickets, head here.

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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