Karen Tanaka

The title Silent Ocean suggests serenity of the ocean, images of a pale blue and orange color sky blending the sound of the trumpet. It consists of three pieces. The first piece weaves the texture of...

Composer's NoteIn January 1999, I was asked by Tomoko Mukaiyama to write a new piano piece for her. Originally she requested that the piece should synchronize with techno music chosen by her which wou...

Crystalline' was commissioned by Tomoko Yazawa, who gave the first performance in 1988. The piece comprises of seven short sections. B flat and E are used as axes throughout the work. , and a glassy,...

Work for Two Violins, Viola, Cello and Double Bass with Five Strings.

The title Silent Ocean suggests serenity of the ocean, images of a pale blue and orange color sky blending the sound of the trumpet. It consists of three pieces. The first piece weaves the texture of...

Scored For String Quartet. Commissioned by the New Arts String Quartet, first performed in Tokyo November 1996. Quoting Tanaka: The title Metal Strings suggests speed metal rock music which I have bee...

At the grave of Beethoven was commissioned by the Brodsky Quartet, on the occasion of the bicentenary anniversary of Beethoven's opus 18. The title suggests admiration and a tribute towards Beethoven,...

Work for String Quintet. Commissioned by COMA, this work was written as part of Tate Postcard Collection project.

For Clarinet and Piano. Quoting Karen Tanaka: Always in My Heart was commissioned by the Japanese clarinetist, Yuji Murai. He told me he liked my piece for harpsichord, Jardin des herbes. In that piec...

Lost Sanctuary was commissioned by the NHK Symphony Orchestra. It was first performed by the NHK Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tadaaki Otaka, at the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo, on 18th July 2002....

Work for Orchestra, premiered by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Commissioned by Music for Japan for its 25th Anniversary Orchestral Concert. The title 'Guardian Angel' was inspired by a passage from the Old Testament Book of Exodus (23:20)

Work for Orchestra premiered by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in 1984.

Crystalline III was commissioned by Encounters in Canada. It was first performed by Eve Egoyan at the Glenn Gould Studio at the CBC, on 9th May 2000. Karen Tanaka: 'From the composition of Crystalline...

Work for Piano commissioned by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

Children of Light' is a set of twenty piano pieces composed for children to perform. The theme of 'Children of Light' is wild animals in danger, and environmental problems; each of the animals named i...

Commissioned by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

For Piano.

This work for piano and string ensemble was written as a homage to Maestro Luciano Berio. The harmonic field of the piece is based on a series of twenty-three notes chosen for him by the composer. Com...

Arranged for Alto Sax and Electronics. Karen Tanaka: Night Bird is a love song filled with tender whispers of lovers. I have tried to weave colours and scent into the sound of alto saxophone and tape....

This work was commissioned by Yutaka Fujishima and the Xebec Hall. It was first performed by Ryoichi Fujimori in Mito, Japan on 10th November 1996. Duration: 8 minutes 10 seconds. The following equipm...

Work for Flute, Percussion and String Quintet. Quoting Karen Tanaka: The title, Invisible Curve, suggests flexibly curved space-time in four dimensions. The curve occurs because of weight and energy o...