National Jul 28, 2020
Artists suspending performances amid the novel coronavirus epidemic will have the chance to teach aspiring professionals and beginners.
Music Sep 4, 2016
Takashi Niigaki emerges from the ashes of a scandal with a symphony to call his own
by Chiho Iuchi
On Feb. 6, 2014, composer Takashi Niigaki faced a crowd of reporters at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo and took a deep and apologetic bow. He had just revealed that he was ghostwriter for Mamoru Samuragochi, who was celebrated as "Japan's Beethoven" before ...
Film Jun 1, 2016
There’s a real story behind the ‘Fake’ documentary
by James Hadfield
Everybody loves a good scandal, and they don't come much riper than the tale of Mamoru Samuragochi. The public unmasking of "Japan's Beethoven" — a celebrated "deaf" composer who turned out to be neither completely deaf nor the main author of his work — ...
TV | CHANNEL SURF Mar 1, 2015
'Omokuri Kantoku'; 3/11 commemoration; CM of the week: Aoki Suits
The word "omokuri" in the title of the variety show "Omokuri Kantoku" (Fuji TV, Sun., 9 p.m.) is a combination of the words "omoshiroii" (interesting) and "creator." The program invites several people famous in other fields to "direct" television shows based on their own ...
National Mar 7, 2014
'Deaf' composer Samuragochi says he's sorry for deceiving
by Mizuho Aoki
A month after the shocking revelation by his ghostwriter, the supposedly "deaf" composer Mamoru Samuragochi apologized Friday for deceiving people with his lies. However, the 50-year-old from Hiroshima Prefecture flatly denied composer Takashi Niigaki's claim that he is not deaf, saying he is preparing to ...
Editorials Feb 9, 2014
What are fans of the supposedly deaf composer Mamoru Samuragochi to make of the revelation that another composer has ghostwritten more than 20 classical music scores credited to Samuragochi for the past 18 years?
National Feb 7, 2014
Hiroshima will take back award given to native son Samuragochi
In the wake of the revelation that native son Mamoru Samuragochi did not compose musical scores for which he was credited, the city of Hiroshima has decided to take back an award it gave to him in 2008. It came to light this week that ...