Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano

With influences from Beethoven to The Beatles, the musical interests of Ryuichi Sakamoto are unusually diverse, including pop, techno-pop, jazz, bossa nova, classical, contemporary, acoustic, electric and world music. The multi-award-winning composer's career is characterised by his trademark habit of breaking down musical barriers. In his official biography he declares: "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."

He is a founder member of the celebrated electro-pop band, Yellow Magic Orchestra, and has worked closely with figures such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop, David Sylvian, Caetano Veloso, William Burroughs, Pina Bausch, the Dalai Lama, Salman Rushdie and Yossou N'dour. He has also penned celebrated film scores including Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, The Sheltering Sky, Femme Fatale, High Heels (by Pedro Almodóvar) and The Last Emperor, for which he received an Oscar and a Grammy award.

www.sitesakamoto.com