Kazuki Kuriyama Official Site

栗山和樹オフィシャルサイト

Born in Kobe, JAPAN. Precociously musical from an early age, He studied the piano at the age of four, the trombone from twelve. He formed the Jazz Orchestra at the age of fifteen, and began arranging for his own band.
He received his Master degree in composition from Kunitachi college of music, Tokyo, was awarded the 1st Prize “Arima -prize” when he graduated. He won the Japanese government grant and studied computer music at Stanford University.

He is one of the energetic film-composer in Japan. He has composed many TV drama series, include the most well-known TV drama ” NHK TV sage Hojo-Tokimune”, The latest series “Imotakonankin” of 46-yaers history NHK morning TV drama show, Japanese animated films, and Japanese motion pictures which include “The wives of Yakuza”, “Dr. Kanzo_Shohei Imamura film” with Yosuke Yamashita which was invited by Festival International Du Film De CANNES.
Those works has unique Asian flavor sound that hired with miracle Asian vocalists like Namjiliin Norovbanzad (Mongolian marvelous singer), Keisuke Ohta (Japanese Ethnic vocalist & violinist). Also the combination with modern synthesizers sound and traditional orchestra sound is his achievement in Japan.

He also has worked as an arranger with classical/Jazz background and skills. He arranged 12 works for the Japanese pianist Yosuke Yamashita collaborated with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, The Orchestra des Concerts Lamoureax Paris, NHK symphony and Tokyo philharmonic Orchestra. He recorded with many other European Orchestras like Warsaw philharmonic orchestra as an arranger/musical director.
The 30years-long musical program NHK “Meikyoku-Album” has been hired many Japanese talented orchestra-arrangers more than 20 years.

Joetsu city government for the celebration for Korean/Japan friendship year commissioned his first symphony. The 2nd symphony commissioned by Hokkaido Musicians Union which world premiered by Sapporo symphony orchestra in 2003.
He won the Asian Composers League Competition with “Dual Phrase” which the unique instrumentation piece, performed by two energetic strings-quartets. Two electro-acoustic pieces has performed at the international musical occasions. “Be Careful!” was invited by the International Computer Music Festival Rome, and “Hachiku for shakuhachi and computer” was selected by the International Computer Music Conference in San Francisco.