Part concert, part podcast, and even part hands-on workshop, WASO’s The Music of Joe Hisaishi was a refreshingly fun, down-to-earth celebration of the iconic Japanese composer.
Photo by Aaron Claringbold
Hosted by Art of the Score podcasters Andrew Pogson and Professor Dan Golding, and conducted by maestro Nicholas Buc, the night was not only a delight to the senses, but also highly educational. Guest pianist Aura Go brought some much needed elegance and charm to the proceedings, balancing the night’s playful, podcast-like informality with her insightful take on Hisaishi’s characteristic style through her masterful yet whimsical piano playing.
A highlight of the evening included Buc’s witty arrangement of a very “Hisaishi-fied” Waltzing Matilda, in the minimalist style Hisaishi is known for. There was also a fun, hands-on demonstration of “phasing” — a minimalist technique of layering the same pattern of rhythm but offset in time to create a shifting, hypnotic sound — another device used by the composer. The audience was divided into 3 groups, and each group clapped a set rhythm in canon, before we were eventually joined by the orchestra to create an enchanting tune. A truly special moment.
I do admit I raised my eyebrow at another portion of the night – after telling us about another collaboration between Hisaishi and Japanese alcohol makers Suntory, Andrew Pogson claimed it was “only fair” to mention well-known Australian alcohol maker Victoria Bitter. Cue the iconic theme song from the ad as those born pre-1990 remember it. Context was only provided later when Buc asked Go how she would “Hisaishi” it up, which she attempted to do, seemingly at the spur of the moment. She then proceeded to make the VB ad almost elegant and pretty!
Yet another unforgettable snippet came directly after the intermission, where Nicholas Buc jumped between the conductor’s podium to play the piano and back again conducting, showcasing his multiple talents. When asked by the hosts why he was working above his pay grade, he joked that he may have told Aura Go that the intermission was 30 minutes long instead of 20, just so he could do that.
Overall, balance was a key theme of the evening. There was a well-curated balance of more well-known pieces from Hisaishi’s collaborations with Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli fame, (Kiki’s Delivery Service Suite, My Neighbour Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle to name a few), to his lesser known gems (Kikujiro: Summer, Nausicaä of The Valley of the Wind: Fantasia). I came away with a much greater appreciation for the composer, and of the breadth of his work.
Kudos to WASO, Buc, Go and Art of the Score for maintaining the fine balance between rigour and whimsy, education and entertainment, and accessibility and sophistication. They didn’t just perform Joe Hisaishi’s music – they explained why it endures.
Check out WA Symphony Orchestra’s calendar of events here.