Born in Tokyo, Toru Takemitsu resolved to become a composer early in his life, after the end of World War Two. In 1948 he began to study composition with Yasuji Kiyose, though he remained basically self-taught. His debut came at the age of twenty with the piano piece Lento in due movimenti. He displayed a very profound interest also in many non-musical art forms, such as modern painting, literature (particularly poetry), theatre and film. In 1951, together with other composers and artists from the most divergent disciplines, he founded the ‘Experimental Workshop’, a mixed-media group which soon became known for its avant-garde activities.
Takemitsu first gained public recognition as a composer in the late Fifties, with his Requiem for strings (1957). His interest in different artistic fields and his self-taught status deeply influenced his avant-garde style. He was using tape recorders to create musical collages out of ‘real’ sounds (musique concrŹte) as early as 1950. In the early Sixties two new influences established themselves in Takemitsu’s music: traditional Japanese music (e.g. November Steps for biwa, shakuhachi and orchestra) and nature (e.g. Arc I, A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden). At the expo 1970 World Exhibition in Osaka, he was musical director of a theatre project ‘Space Theatre of Street Pavilion’.
Whereas the influence of Schönberg and Berg were noticeable in the works of his early period, the French style of composition, particularly that of Debussy, has remained the basis for his works thereafter. Takemitsu was also very receptive towards other music (jazz, chanson, pop tunes) and, being an ardent film fan, he has also composed film music (Ran, Dodes’ka-Den). Although at home in the electronic media and film music, his most characteristic works are perhaps for chamber ensemble and large orchestra. Takemitsu was first and foremost an instrumental composer and, as an adherent to a musique concrŹte, he used – even in his electronic pieces – solely natural sounds instead of electronic ones.
He lectured on composition at Yale University and was also invited by other universities in the United States, as well as in Canada and Australia as a lecturer and composer-in-residence. His many honours include the unesco-imc Music Prize (1991) and the Grawemeyer Award (1994).

Selected works: Requiem for strings (1957), Water Music for tape (1960), Piano Distance for piano (1961), Ring for flute, guitar and lute (1961), Corona, graphic work for one or more pianos (1962), Corona II, graphic work for 22 string instruments (1962), Coral Island for soprano and orchestra, setting to verse by Makoto Ooka (1962), Arc for strings (1963), Arc part I for piano and orchestra (1963–66, rev. 1976), Kwaidan for tape (1964), Arc part II for piano and two orchestras (1964–66, rev. 1976), Eclipse for biwa and shakuhachi (1966), Munari by Munari for one percussionist (1967–72), Cross Talk for two bandoneons and tape (1968), Crossing for guitar, harp, piano (celesta), vibraphone, vocal ensemble and two orchestras (1970), Toward for tape (1970), Eucalypts I for flute, oboe, harp and strings (1970), Eucalypts II for flute, oboe, and harp (1971), Voice for solo flute (1971), Stanza II for harp and tape (1971), Cassiopeia for one percussionist and orchestra (1971), Voyage for three biwas (1973), Autumn for biwa, shakuhachi and orchestra (1973), Folios for guitar (1974), Garden Rain for two groups of wind instruments (1974), Gitimalya for marimba and orchestra (1974), Quatrain for clarinet, violin, cello, piano and orchestra (1975), Marginalia for orchestra (1976), A Flock Descends into Pentagonal Garden for orchestra (1977), Quatrain II for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano (1977), Water Ways for eight instruments (1978), Les Yeux clos for piano (1978), Twill by Twilight for orchestra (1988).