Jo Kondo is one of the most important Japanese composers of our days. Born in Tokyo in 1947, Jo Kondo graduated from the Composition Department of Tokyo University of Arts in 1972.
He spent a year in New York on a scholarship from the John D. Rockefeller III Fund in 1977-78. In 1979 he taught as Guest Lecturer at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, invited by the Canada Council, and, in 1986 he resided in London as a British Council Senior Fellow. In 1987 he was Composer-in-Residence at Hartt School of Music, Hartford, Connecticut, USA, and taught at Dartington International Summer School in England. At present he is Professor of Music at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo, and also teaches at Tokyo University of Arts and Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima.
His numerous works have been widely performed in Japan, North America and Europe and recorded on Hat Art, ALM, Fontec, Deutsche Grammophon and other labels. He has received commissions from numerous organizations, and his music has been featured at many international music festivals (like Maggio Musicale Fiorentino).
Performers associated with his music include the Ives and Nieuw Ensembles in the Netherlands, the London Sinfonietta, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Arditti Quartet, the Balanescu Quartet and many others.
Most of his works are now available first time in holograph reproductions by University of York Music Press (UYMP) which is the sole publisher of Kondo's work.
Web: http://www.harrassowitz.de/top_offers/0307so01.html (2005)