Electronic Music Pioneer Isao Tomita Dies

Tomita was the first musician in Japan to utilize the Moog synthesizer, and wasrenowned for composing works specifically for the new instrument. In the ’70s and ’80s he was considered a guru of the electronic music genre, and not just among fellow synthesizer artists, but also pop artists. Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder went out of their way to meet him.

His most characteristic album was probably Snowflakes are Dancing, released in 1974, a collection of electronic rearrangments of classical music standards.

Tomita recorded it and played all the instruments. He was one of the first electronic artists to top the classical album charts, and the first Japanese artist to be nominated for a Grammy award. In all, he was nominated seven times.

In Japan, his influence went even deeper as a composer for television and feature films. Japan’s most famous manga artist, Osamu Tezuka, the author of “Astro Boy,” commissioned him in the 1960s to write the score for his animated TV series, “Jungle Emperor Leo,” which many believe Disney appropriated for “The Lion King.”

He also worked closely with prolific film director Yoji Yamada. He worked right up until his death, and gained a lot of attention four years ago when he premiered a new work that employed virtual singer Hatsune Miku in front of a real orchestra.