Paul Seiko Chihara was born in Seattle, Washington in 1938. He received
his doctorate degree (D.M.A.) from Cornell University in 1965 as a
student of Robert Palmer. Mr. Chihara also studied with the renowned
pedagogue Nadia Boulanger in Paris, Ernst Pepping in Berlin, and
Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony.
With Toru Takemitsu, he was composer-in-residence at the Marlboro Music
Festival in 1971. Chihara is currently on the faculty of U.C.L.A. and
was the first composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Chamber
Orchestra, Neville Marriner, Conductor.
Mr. Chihara's prize-winning concert works have been performed in most
major cities and arts centers in the U.S. and Europe. His numerous
commissions and awards include those from The Lili Boulanger Memorial
Fund, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Fulbright Fellowship, the Aaron
Copland Fund, and National Endowment of the Arts, as well as from the
Boston Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Los
Angeles Philharmonic, the New Japan Philharmonic, the Cleveland
Orchestra and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Active in the ballet
world; Mr. Chihara was composer-in-residence at the San Francisco
Ballet from 1973-1886. While there, he wrote many trailblazing works,
including Shin-ju (based on "the lover's suicide" plays by great
Japanese dramatist Chikamatsu), as well as the first full-length
America ballet, The Tempest.
In addition to his many concert works, Mr. Chihara has composed scores
for over 90 motion pictures and television series. he has worked with
such luminaries as directors Sidney Lumet, Louis Malle, Michael
Ritchie, and Arthur Penn. His movie credits include "Prince of the
City", "The Morning After" and "Crossing Delancy". His works for
television include "China Beach, Noble House "," Brave New World and
"100 Centre Street". Mr. Chihara also served as music supervisor at
Buena Vista Pictures (Walt Disney Co,). Also active in the New York
musical theater world, Mr. Chihara served as musical consultant and
arranger for Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, and was the
composer for James Clavell's Shogun, the Musical.
