Yamada Kosaku, formerly known as Yamada Kosaku, was a Japanese composer and conductor.

He left numerous works in Japanese music history with melodies that utilize the intonation of the Japanese language. He also worked to spread Western music in Japan, founding the country's first orchestra. Additionally, he performed his own orchestral compositions at Carnegie Hall in New York and conducted internationally renowned orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.

Yamada Kosaku was born as the son of Yamada Kenzo, a former samurai of the old Fukushima Domain who later became a doctor and Christian missionary. When he was 10 years old in 1896, his father passed away. Following his father's wishes, he entered the self-supporting facility located in Miyashita, Sugamo, which later became the Sugamo Church of the Japan Christian Church, and studied there until he was 13 years old. In 1899, at the age of 13, he enrolled in the Yochu Gakko in Okayama. Under his sister's husband, Edward Gantratt, he received instruction in Western music. At the age of 14, he transferred to the junior high school section of Kwansei Gakuin. During his time there at the age of 16, he composed his first piece, "MY TRUE HEART."

After leaving the school, in 1904, he entered the preparatory course of the Tokyo Music School, graduating from the Vocal Music Department of the Tokyo Music School in 1908.

From 1910 to 1913, he studied at the Composition Department of the Berlin Royal Academy of Arts in Germany, where he studied under Max Bruch, among others. In 1912, during his time in Berlin, he composed Japan's first symphony, "Kachidoki to Heiwa."

Upon his return to Japan in 1914, he was appointed as the chief conductor of the orchestral section of the Tokyo Philharmonic Society, but the funding was cut off, leading to its dissolution the following year. In 1917, he went to the United States.

In 1930, he became the head of the Music Department at the Bunka Gakuin. Around the age of 40 in 1926, he settled in Chigasaki, Shonan, where he lived for about six years. Despite facing significant debts due to the failure of the orchestra, he made a comeback in this area.

In 1937, he became a professor at Aiai Women's College. In June of the same year, he visited Germany at the invitation of the German Ministry of Propaganda and conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on June 22. In 1940, he founded the Performers' Association and became its chairman.

The "Japanese Music Culture Association" was established under the jurisdiction of the Information Bureau, and he became its vice chairman. He also formed a Music Volunteers Corps and often engaged in music instruction in occupied territories. Due to his frequent appearance in military uniform as a high-ranking officer, he later became a target of criticism in the "war criminal debate." In 1942, he was elected as a member of the Imperial Academy of Arts. In 1944, he became the chairman of the Japanese Music Culture Association.

After the war, a debate arose between him and the music critic Yamanaka Ginji regarding his actions during the war. The debate settled around 1948 when he suffered a stroke and became physically disabled. In 1950, he became the chairman of the Japan Conductors' Association and also received the Broadcasting Culture Award. In 1956, he received the Order of Culture.

In November 1965, Yamada was hospitalized at St. Luke's International Hospital. On December 29, he passed away from a heart attack. He was 79 years old at the time of his death.

(Source: Japanese = Wikipedia || Translation = MyDramaList) Edit Biography