Celebrity File Japan by Lint


英文		重要語句
■ Ryuichi Sakamoto has won international fame and respect as a musician and composer who effortlessly creates music in a variety of genres. One of the true "renaissance men" of music, he is also a famed film composer. He was born in Tokyo in 1952 and like many famous musicians, started playing music at a very young age. In 1963 he was studying composition and later entered Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music where he earned his BA in composition and later a masters degree in electronic and ethnic music.		composer　作曲家 effortlessly　楽々と genre　ジャンル BA　文学士号（Bachelor of Artsの略）
■■ He was soon working as a composer, arranger and studio musician with several big names in rock, jazz and classical. He became a producer and in 1978 released his first solo album and formed Yellow Magic Orchestra, a band that would realize worldwide fame, sell millions of albums and have enormous influence on what are today called rave, techno and healing music. The music they created showed Sakamoto's talents in many types of music.		enormous　ひじょうに大きい rave　レイブ（若者が集まって夜通し踊ること、その音楽） healing　癒しの
■■■ In 1983, he embarked on another challenge, composing music for movie soundtracks. Hollywood quickly took notice of this talented writer and over the years he has composed music for 18 films. Director Bernardo Bertolucci hired Sakamoto to compose the soundtrack for The Last Emperor and in 1987 the film won an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy as well as several other awards for best original soundtrack. He has also scored soundtracks for such directors as Oliver Stone and Brian De Palma. In 1992 the Olympic games were held in Barcelona and the world watched as Sakamoto's El Mar Mediterrani was played in the opening ceremonies.		embark on ...　…に乗り出す take notice of ...　 …に注意を払う score　…を作曲する
■■■■ During his career, he has also performed small acting parts in several films and collaborated with musicians like David Bowie, David Byrne, Iggy Pop and Robbie Robertson. In 1999, his opera Life debuted in Japan with seven sold-out performances in Tokyo and Osaka.		perform　…を演じる collaborate　共同制作する
■■■■■ Recently, he worked in Rio de Janeiro on an album called Casa with Brazilian bossa nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim. It might seem unusual for a classically trained musician from Japan to work on a bossa nova album in Rio, but not to Sakamoto. "This global view to the different cultures is just part of my nature. I want to break down the walls between genres, categories, or cultures. Instead of building walls or borders, I always try to combine different things. To me, it's challenging and exciting."		legend　伝説的人物 classically　規範どおりに work on ...　 …に取り組む combine　…を結合させる
■■■■■■ Sakamoto is also a man who isn't afraid to express his political beliefs. He is an outspoken opponent of a possible war in Iraq and uses his Website to promote his opposition to all wars. He also wrote a number one single called Zero Landmine that raised millions of dollars for landmine removal around the world.		outspoken　率直な opponent　反対者 landmine　地雷 raise　…〈寄付金〉を集める removal　除去

－written by Brock Spore

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