Koji Sakurai
Koji Sakurai | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Native name | 櫻井 弘二 |
| Born | May 12, 1968 Musashino, Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | Mandopop, Musical theater, Classical music |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, arranger, music director |
| Years active | 1993–present |
Koji Sakurai (櫻井 弘二 (Sakurai Kōji); born May 12, 1968) is a Japanese composer, arranger, and music director based in Taiwan. A former employee at NHK.[1], he relocated to Taipei in 1993. He is widely recognized for his influential work in Mandopop during the 1990s, particularly his collaboration with singer Chang Yu-sheng, and for serving as the music director for the 2009 World Games and the 2017 Summer Universiade opening ceremonies. In 2025, he was appointed as the Resident Composer for the Ju Percussion Group[2]
Early life and education
Sakurai was born in Musashino, Tokyo. He was deeply influenced by the electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra and the works of Ryuichi Sakamoto during his youth. He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating in 1990 with a major in Music Synthesis.[1]
Career
Sakurai moved to Taiwan in 1993 at the invitation of producer Rio Li. He became a pivotal figure in the development of Mandopop, forming a close creative partnership with Chang Yu-sheng. He arranged Chang's experimental album Karaoke, Taipei, Me (1994) and the award-winning Mouth is Stronger than the Heart (1997).[3]
Following Chang's death, Sakurai continued to work in musical theater, serving as the music director for Kiss Me Nana (1997, 2018), the first original rock musical in the Chinese-speaking world[4]. In May 2025, the Ju Percussion Group officially named him their Resident Composer, following a two-decade-long collaboration.
Selected works
Musical theater
- Kiss Me Nana (1997, 2019 Revival) – Music Director, Arranger[4]
- The Night Train to the Star (2005) – Composer
Storytelling Concert
- Deep Lake Man (2022, 2025 Revival) – Composer[5]
- Sketches from the Journey - The Joy and Sorrow of Life (2024, 2025) – Composer
Orchestral and percussion works
- MJO EFX (2016) – For Ju Percussion Group
- Undaunted Spirit (2024) – Double Concerto for Violin and Percussion[6]
Major event music direction
- Opening Ceremony of the 2009 World Games (Kaohsiung) – Music Director[1]
- Opening Ceremony of the 2017 Summer Universiade (Taipei) – Music Director
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Motomura, Daisuke; Toyoda, Karen (2024-12-11). "Interview with Musician Koji Sakurai". Radio Taiwan International (in 日本語). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ Ling, Mei-hsueh (2025-05-19). "Ju Percussion Group Appoints Koji Sakurai as Resident Composer". Liberty Times (in 中文). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ Chen, Wei-ren (2022-08-27). "Interview with Koji Sakurai: Music in Taiwan and Chang Yu-sheng". The News Lens (in 中文). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lin, Tsai-yun (2019-01-10). "Inheritance of Taiwan's Original Musicals: From the Remake of "Kiss Me Nana"". Liberty Times (in 中文). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ "How to tell a ghost story with music: Interview with Koji Sakurai". National Taichung Theater (in 中文). 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ Chao, Ching-yu (2024-04-16). "Koji Sakurai's "Undaunted Spirit" Premieres with Ju Percussion Group". Central News Agency (in 中文). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
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