Wataru Hokoyama

Wataru Hokoyama (鋒山 亘, Hokoyama Wataru, born August 24, 1974 in Aizu, Fukushima, Japan) is a Japanese composer, conductor, and orchestrator based in Hollywood, California. He left his birth nation of Japan at the age of 16 to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. He later attended the Cleveland Institute of Music and the USC Thornton School of Music. His works include the original scores for Bean Cake, Ocha Cups for Christmas, One, Afrika, and Soul Sacrifice.

Contents

• Wataru hokoyama the grinns tale
• Afrika concert suite for band wataru hokoyama
• Television
• Films
• Video games
• Other
• References

In 2008, Hokoyama composed, orchestrated, and conducted all the music for the video game Afrika. The soundtrack was released in Japan. The music was awarded Best Original Video Game Score by The Hollywood Music Awards 2008. Movie Music UK has the only review of the soundtrack and gave it 4.5/5.0, saying "Hokoyama has left a strong impression with the wonderful music he has composed. This is a soundtrack you cannot pass up."

In 2009, Hokoyama provided a few orchestral cues for cutscenes in Resident Evil 5. Following that, Hokoyama then co-composed, orchestrated, and conducted the music for the 2013 PlayStation Vita game, Soul Sacrifice. He was assisted on the project by Yasunori Mitsuda. He would later rejoin Mitsuda to help compose new music for the sequel, Soul Sacrifice Delta. Also in 2013, he contributed some music and co-orchestrated the soundtrack to the PlayStation 4 game, Knack.

Television

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2002) - orchestration of the song "Mrs." in "Selfless"

Miracle Planet (2005) - orchestration of an unknown episode

Films

Dungeons & Dragons (2000) - orchestration (with Paul S. Henning)

Bean Cake (2001) - composition

The Best Picture Show (2001) - composition

One (2001) - composition

Me and My Old Man (2001) - conducting

Ocha Cups for Christmas (2002) - composition

The Kabuki Joint (2003) - composition

The Document of ‘God’s Left Hand, Devil’s Right Hand’ (2006) - composition

Kami no hidarite akuma no migite (2006) - composition

Chiyo (2006) - composition

The Making of Dark Fantasy (2007) - composition

2095 (2007) - composition and orchestration (with Christopher Farrell)

HOP (2011) - orchestration

Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack (2012) - composition and orchestration (with Go Shiina)

Video games

Afrika (2008) - composition, orchestration, and conducting

Resident Evil 5 (2009) - composition, orchestration, and conducting

Ace Combat: Joint Assault (2010) - orchestration and conducting

Kinect Disneyland Adventures (2011) - composition and conducting (with Mark Griskey, Laura Karpman, Paul Lipson, Peter McConnell, and Lennie Moore)

Ace Combat 3D: Cross Rumble (2012) - composition and orchestration (with many others)

The Grinns Tale (2012) - composition

Soul Sacrifice (2013) - composition, orchestration, and conducting (with Yasunori Mitsuda)

Knack (2013) - composition and orchestration (with Matthew Margeson)

Soul Sacrifice Delta (2014) - composition and orchestration (with Yasunori Mitsuda)

Halo 2: Anniversary (2014) - orchestration (with Lennie Moore, Tom Salta, Brian Trifon, and Brian Lee White)

Other

Music for NPR's All Things Considered.

String arrangements on the Thirty Seconds to Mars album A Beautiful Lie.

In 2007, he was commissioned by the United States Air Force Band to premiere a new piece for the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown's settlement and the 60th anniversary of US Air Force.

Conducted Video Games Live with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in Newark, NJ on December 29–30, 2010, with the National Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorale in Bethesda, MD on February 26, 2011 and with the Mesa Symphony Orchestra and Vocal Exchange Choir in Mesa, AZ on April 7, 2011.

Composed the piece Animas Luminis, written as a memorial and requiem to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami victims.