TARO IWASHIRO: 60th SINFONIA
Music composed and conducted by Taro Iwashiro
Performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Violin: Kyoko Takezawa
Cello: Hitomi Niikura
Piano: Yuko Mifune
Soprano: Maki Mori
Master of ceremonies: Shinobu Matsumoto
Special guest: Koichi Sato
August 24, 2025
Bunkamura Orchard Hall
Tokyo, Japan
PART 1: A YEAR OF ANTICIPATION
It was just over a year ago that composer Taro Iwashiro announced – through a rather novel way I might add – that he would be putting on a concert at Shibuya’s Bunkamura Orchard Hall to celebrate his 60th birthday.
That day finally came last weekend and what a celebration it was.
Performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra with special guest soloists under the baton of Iwashiro himself, TARO IWASHIRO: 60TH SINFONIA focused on Iwashiro’s greatest hits for film and TV as well as projects that held great personal significance to him.
Select pieces were preceded with short pre-recorded video messages from some of his most famous colleagues and collaborators from actor Ken Watanabe to Korean director Bong Joon Ho.
Sadly, Iwashiro revealed that this would be his final concert due to years of severe back pain. He did appear physically uncomfortable at times during the concert, so all we can really do is hope that he recovers someday and that it does not affect his ability to compose music.
PART 2: MUSIC THAT GETS UNDER YOUR SKIN
Before I dive into a review of the concert, I must again sing the praises of Iwashiro’s music as I feel he just does not get the recognition and adulation he so richly deserves.
What I love most about Iwashiro’s music is its ability to go from full-blown classicism to easily accessible melodies that expertly capture the feelings of the characters on screen.
He is also a master at creating themes that are seemingly understated yet slowly get under your skin – once you realize the beauty or power of those themes, you just can’t get them out of your head.
It is for these reasons and more that I continue to be bewildered that he is not more popular or appreciated.
With this concert review, I certainly hope to contribute to changing all that.
PART 3: CONCERT SET LIST
A “Best of TARO” double CD album was released a few weeks before the concert, and as suspected, many of the orchestral arrangements on that double album were performed at the concert.
Here is the final concert set list:
– FIRST HALF –
- Video message: Kazumasa Oda (singer-songwriter)
- IT’S: “Tammy in Love”
- HAKUSEN NAGASHI: “Medley”
- Video message: Yutaka Takenouchi (actor)
- WITH LOVE: “Once in a Blue Moon”
- AOI: “Time of Destiny”
- YOSHITSUNE: “Legend to Myth”
- OTOBUMI: “Our Thoughts, Our Wishes”
– SECOND HALF –
- Video message: Bong Joon Ho (director)
- MEMORIES OF MURDER: “Memories of Murder”
- AGRI: “Wonderful Days”
- BLOOD AND BONES: “Chapter IV Adagio Molto Cantabile”
- Video message: Ken Watanabe (actor)
- FUKUSHIMA 50: “Home Country Forevermore”
- FUKUSHIMA 50: “Dear 50”
- THE SIMULATION 1941: DEFEAT IN THE SUMMER: “The Simulation 1941”
- SPIRITUAL SONGS: “Brightness of Soul, together with F”
- Video message: John Woo (director)
- RED CLIFF: “The Red Cliff 2025”
A video message from renowned actor Koji Yakusho was also shown, but despite my best efforts I just cannot remember it’s exact placement in the program… please let me know if you do!
PART 4: THE FIRST HALF
IT’S
“Tammy in Love”
– Piano: Yuko Mifune
The concert kicked off with “Tammy in Love,” a piece Iwashiro composed for his 1994 debut album, IT’S. The “Tammy” in the title is the nickname of Iwashiro’s first love, and this love is more than evident in this gorgeously romantic piece.
The music vividly captured the hesitancy of first-time lovers, their yearning to be together always, and the inevitable surrender to love in its purest form.
HAKUSEN NAGASHI
“Medley”
– Piano: Yuko Mifune
Next came a lovely medley from HAKUSEN NAGASHI, a romantic coming-of-age story centred around seven boys and girls in their final year at high school.
This was another winning theme full of warmth and sentimentality. Yuko Mifune’s sensitive performance on the piano perfectly complimented the piece, leaving us all in a state of bliss as the piece came to a slow and satisfying end.
WITH LOVE
“Once in a Blue Moon”
– Piano: Yuko Mifune
Arguably one of his most well-known themes in Japan, “Once in a Blue Moon,” from the TV drama WITH LOVE, was given a rapturous performance by Mifune and the orchestra.
While I was a bit disappointed that Iwashiro himself did not perform the piano part as he did at his “talk and music” event last year, it was still wonderful hearing the orchestra and pianist bring Iwashiro’s dreamy love theme to life.
AOI
“Time of Destiny”
– Piano: Yuko Mifune
– Soprano: Maki Mori
Until this point in the concert more than half of the brass section had been waiting off stage, but they were now quietly filling the stage and their seats as Iwashiro prepared to conduct “Time of Destiny” from AOI, an NHK* TV Taiga drama series about samurai.
* NHK = Nippon Hoso Kyokai or Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Epic, soaring, and speaking of an older, more honorable time, I don’t think any piece in Iwashiro’s oeuvre better demonstrates his compositional mastery and talent at writing big and memorable themes.
The classical piano parts during the piece sounded stupendous live, with soprano Maki Mori joining to give added depth to Iwashiro’s theme. The use of full choir really would have lifted the performance to another level, but alas, it was not to be.
YOSHITSUNE
“Legend to Myth”
Another NHK TV Taiga drama, YOSHITSUNE was represented with music of huge scope that was perfectly fitting for a historical epic about sparring clans and family conflicts. The piece here was full of intrigue and anticipation, nobility and grandeur. It also featured some arresting sounds from the percussion section.
OTOBUMI
“Our Thoughts, Our Wishes”
– Narrator: Koichi Sato
– Piano: Taro Iwashiro
Shinobu Matsumoto, master of ceremonies and wife of Iwashiro, then graced the stage to introduce the next piece from OTOBUMI, a project in which actors and other entertainers read aloud texts about the importance and wonder of life with Iwashiro’s original music playing in the background.
For this concert acclaimed actor Koichi Sato was called upon to provide a reading of “Our Thoughts, Our Wishes,” a text describing the challenges and unwavering determination of High School Student Peace Ambassadors to spread the message of world peace and call for an abolition of nuclear weapons.
Sato’s deep and calming voice, coupled with Iwashiro’s delicate performance on the piano, led us into the intermission with a strong sense of peace and hope for the future.
PART 5: THE SECOND HALF
MEMORIES OF MURDER
“Memories of Murder”
– Soprano: Maki Mori
A video message from Bong Joon Ho kicked off a somber and beautiful suite of music from his acclaimed film, MEMORIES OF MURDER. Soprano Maki Mori was again stunning here despite her part being sung in a purely classical style unlike the original soundtrack recording.
AGRI
“Wonderful Days”
– Violin: Kyoko Takezawa
How can anyone not love this theme?
Featured violinist Kyoko Takezawa took to the stage to offer a lovely performance of Iwashiro’s theme from AGRI, an NHK morning drama chronicling the life of a hairdresser.
Bouncy, exuberant and just dripping with charm, you just couldn’t help but smile during its performance.
BLOOD AND BONES
“Chapter IV Adagio Molto Cantabile”
– Violin: Kyoko Takezawa
Tragic, mournful and littered with shades of hope, the “Adagio Molto Cantabile” from the film BLOOD AND BONES was performed with stunning passion by Takezawa. While she was outstanding throughout the concert, she was especially good here and left no doubt that we had heard and witnessed something truly special.
FUKUSHIMA 50
“Home Country Forevermore”
– Violin: Kyoko Takezawa
– Cello: Hitomi Niikura
Two pieces from FUKUSHIMA 50 followed with the first being “Home Country Forevermore.” Featuring Takezawa on violin and Hitomi Niikura on cello, this was a beautiful piece that evoked images of a place full of hope, joy and peace. The two soloists played off each other so well here – but things were about to go up a few notches with the next piece.
FUKUSHIMA 50
“Dear 50”
– Violin: Kyoko Takezawa
– Cello: Hitomi Niikura
– Soprano: Maki Mori
Soprano Mori now joined Takezawa and Niikura for what was undoubtedly my favourite performance during the concert, “Dear 50” from FUKUSHIMA 50.
This was a strongly filmic piece that started slow but proceeded to build and build until it erupted with emotion as Takezawa’s violin statement segued into a spine-tingling theme of hope by Niikura on her cello.
The piece continued with Mori joining the soloists to evoke nothing but the greatest sense of hope and will to go forward.
THE SIMULATION 1941: DEFEAT IN THE SUMMER
“The Simulation 1941”
Receiving its Japan TV premiere only one week before the concert, THE SIMULATION 1941: DEFEAT IN THE SUMMER, is a drama based on a real-life institution called the Total War Research Institute that was tasked with simulating Japan’s chances of winning World War II.
A montage of video clips were shown from the drama as Iwashiro’s solemn score was performed by the orchestra. I’ll definitely need a few more listens to fully appreciate this one.
SPIRITUAL SONGS
“Brightness of Soul, together with F”
Next came “Brightness of Soul, together with F”, a deeply reflective piece that Iwashiro composed in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake that happened in 2011 and led to over 22,000 deaths or missing people.
RED CLIFF
“The Red Cliff 2025”
The concert concluded with a new and rapturous arrangement of Iwashiro’s iconic theme for the John Woo epic, RED CLIFF.
While slightly disappointed at first that the arrangement did not contain the erhu embellishments like on Iwashiro’s recent “Best of TARO” double album, the powerful brass calls that replaced them more than made up for it, giving the music tremendous size.
Another sublime moment in the suite came after an exciting action-packed section gave way to a stirring string-led performance of the main theme in all its heroic glory.
And with that the concert ended on an incredible high.
PART 6: A BIRTHDAY BATHED IN RED
Iwashiro’s wife and teenage daughter then came out on stage to congratulate and give him flowers as the audience roared in applause.
His daughter then took to the microphone and admitted that this was the first time she had listened to her father’s music and cried.
Everyone in the audience was now asked to get out the red towels that we had all been given upon entering the concert hall before the concert started. We were then called upon to twirl them in the air as a birthday tribute to Iwashiro.
(According to the Japanese Zodiac, one’s 60th birthday is a very special milestone marked by the colour red which is said to represent “good luck” and “new beginnings.”)
PART 7: CONCERT MERCH
In addition to receiving a red towel, every attendee was given a complimentary concert program that was full of detailed notes about the music being performed, the performers, and most importantly, a list of Iwashiro’s recommended Tokyo restaurants!
I had hoped there would be a signing session for Iwashiro’s latest album, but instead got the next best thing: pre-signed postcards and bookmarks with every CD and book purchase!
Concert flyers were also freely available in the lobby:
PART 8: THANK YOU!
As someone with less-than-perfect Japanese skills, I must extend my thanks to Arksquare for translating for me some of the things Iwashiro said during the concert.
Arksquare is a trusted online seller of soundtracks in Japan that also happens to stock a large selection of soundtracks by Iwashiro – check them out!
PART 9: OVER TO YOU
Did you go to this concert too? How did you like it?
And what did you think of my report? Feel free to comment below or reach out to me directly in the “Contact Me” section.
