Joe Hisaishi (born 1950 as Mamoru Fujisawa) is a Japanese composer, conductor and pianist who rose to international prominence through his film scores for Studio Ghibli. Since his first collaboration with director Hayao Miyazaki in 1984, he has composed the music for virtually every Ghibli feature, including My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Drawing on American minimalism, European classical tradition and Japanese melody, he has won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Music eight times and has over a hundred film scores and solo albums to his name.
Hisaishi announces 43 concerts for his world tour in 2026, with performances in North America, Europe and Asia, including the world premiere of his Concerto for Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.
As part of the world tour, Hisaishi performs on October 2 and 4, 2026 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, where he conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with film music from Studio Ghibli and Takeshi Kitano.
Hisaishi made his debut at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, where he conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with, among others, a symphonic suite from The Boy and the Heron.
Hisaishi signed with Deutsche Grammophon and released the album A Symphonic Celebration, recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; the album reached the classical charts in the US, Japan and France.
Hisaishi received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score for his soundtrack to the Studio Ghibli film The Boy and the Heron.
