(b Kobe, 4 Feb 1933). Japanese composer. He was a pupil of Ikenouchi. While in the USA (1952-61) he was impressed by Cage, whose ideas he put into practice on his return to Japan. He performed with Cage, Tudor and others in the USA, 1966-7, writing Appearance and Music for Living Space, among other works, for their concerts.
Toshi Ichiyanagi is one of Japan's most imaginative composers. Inspired by the avant garde works of John Cage, Ichiyanagi has consistently found new ways to express his musical vision. His 1960 composition, "Kaiki," combined Japanese instruments, sho and koto, and western instruments, harmonica and saxophone. His 1967 piece, "Extended Voices" was written for a chorus accompanied by Moog and Buchla synthesizers. "Orchestral Space," recorded in 1978 by the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa, was composed for electronic modulators, magnetic tape and orchestra. Ichiyanagi's most eccentric piece might be "Music For Piano #5: Fluxvariation," featuring darts thrown into the back of a piano. Ichiyanagi, who studied in New York at the Julliard School of Music and the New School for Social Research, was the recipient of the Serge Koussevitzky prize at the Berkshire Music Camp. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide
One of his most notable works is the 1960 composition, Kaiki, which combined Japanese instruments, shō and koto, and western instruments, harmonica and saxophone. Another work Distance (1961) requires the performers to play from a distance of three meters from their instruments. Anima 7 (1964) states that chosen action should be performed "as slowly as possible."
Ichiyanagi was married to Yoko Ono from 1956 to 1963.[1]
^Japan, An Illustrated Encyclopedia, Kodansha International, Tokyo, 1993, p. 1155 mentions that she married him in 1956, but does not say until when they were married.