Born in Tokyo in 1933, Akira Miyoshi began studying piano and composition at the age of three. After entering the primary school, he started studying violin with Kozaburo Hirai. In 1951 he entered the Department for French Literature of the University of Tokyo. While still continuing his studies, he was awarded the 1st Prize of the 22nd Japan Music Competition for Sonata in 1953 and the 3rd Otaka Prize as well as the Bunkacho’s Art Festival Incentive Prize for Concert for Piano and Orchestra in 1954. Since that time his compositions attracted a lot of attention within the Japanese music scene. He went to France in 1955 to study composition at the Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique in Paris with Henri Challan, Raymond Gallois Montblanc and also became to be strongly influenced by the works of Henri Dutillieux. After having returned to Japan in 1957, he published numerous pieces mainly symphonic works, chamber music, songs and choral works.
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