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Ko Tanaka

Ko Tanaka is a Japanese composer and musical theater writer based in New York City. Originally from Saga, Japan, he began his career composing for Japanese video game companies before shifting his focus to musical theater, inspired by a deep passion for storytelling through music. After honing his skills in game music, Ko made a bold move into musical theater. His first original show, The Monster, premiered in Nagoya, Japan, marking the start of his journey as a theater composer. He continued contributing to commercial musicals in Japan through 2024. In 2017, Ko relocated to the U.S. to study Broadway-style composition and lyric writing at Berklee College of Music. After moving to New York, he began working as a keyboard sound programmer for Broadway shows such as 1776 and The Great Gatsby. As an arranger, he has created music for institutions including Emerson College, Marymount Manhattan College, and the theater group Live & In Color. His works have been featured at venues such as Signature Theater and the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center.

Gear

Ko is using Pianoteq series for his composition with the support by MODARTT since 2020

Japanese Composer Ko Tanaka: Jazz, Ballet, And The Fusion Japanese And American Musical Theater

Source: Frank Gazerro
July 1, 2025

Ko Tanaka, the first Off-Broadway Japanese composer known for his fusion of jazz with American musical theater and Japanese musical traditions, is composing a ballet rendition of the internationally-acclaimed Off-Broadway musical Poupelle of Chimney Town. Tanaka, composer of the musical Poupelle of Chimney Town, which premiered Off-Broadway at New York's Pershing Square Signature Theater in 2024, is at work on a ballet version of the internationally-acclaimed musical in collaboration with Leap Co. Ltd.—one of Japan’s most esteemed theatrical companies recognized ...
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Recording

Japanese guitarist Yuichi Tanaka releases remarkable solo gem with "A Hill of the Sun"

Source: Lauren Rogers
August 2, 2011

For those who heard Jazz Guitar Duo's 2008 effort, Chronicle, the velvety caress of Yuichi Tanaka's guitar playing is no longer a secret. Woefully unknown in the U.S., Tanaka is not a showy guitarist; his skills lie in his ability to convey peaceful beauty with subtle charm. After dazzling listeners as the other half of Jazz Guitar Duo, Tanaka has set off on his own, unveiling a remarkable solo gem with A Hill of the Sun. Born in Chiba, Japan ...
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Recording

Katsuko Tanaka Trio Debut Album "Beyond Intersection" Release

Source: Michael Ricci
June 26, 2010

This is the debut album of a Japanese pianist Katsuko Tanaka. In less than two years after moving to New York, she put her original jazz compositions together with Danton Boller, Willie Jones III, and Antonio Hart.

When playing in New York, Katsuko is often asked “When and How did you start playing jazz? Where are you originally from, and how long have you been here in NYC?" Here is the answer:

“I was a Rotary International Foundation Ambassador to ...
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"Ko’s musical and dramatic abilities are superb and of the highest level. His music is both sophisticated and accessible, a difficult feat for even the best theatre writers. It's clear his continued success is all but guaranteed."

Eric Stern

(Broadway conductor, arranger)

Primary Instrument

Composer / conductor

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Ko Tanaka has been teaching professional and semi-professional musicians for many years, specializing in music theory, composition, and digital orchestration. He has led a digital orchestration masterclass at the international music software expo IMSTA FESTA, served as a guest lecturer at HAL Nagoya College of Technology, and appeared as an instructor on the popular Japanese music theory YouTube channel Ikiiki Ongakuka