Pioneering digital musician, composer and actor Ryuichi Sakamoto has died, aged 71.
The information was confirmed by way of a put up on Sakamoto’s official social media accounts.
A press release on his official web site reads: “While undergoing treatment for cancer discovered in June 2020, Sakamoto continued to create works in his home studio whenever his health would allow. He lived with music until the very end.”
“We would like to express out deepest gratitude to his fans and all those who have supported his activities, as well as medical professionals in Japan and the United States who did everything in their power to cure him.”
“In accordance with Sakamoto’s strong wishes, the funeral service was held among his close family members. Finally, we would like to share one of Sakamoto’s favourite quotes: ‘Ars longa, vita brevis’ [Art is Long, life is short’].”
Sakamoto was first recognized with throat most cancers in 2014 which, after therapy, went into remission however in 2020 it was confirmed he had been recognized with rectal most cancers.
In an essay printed final June, Sakamoto revealed that he had undergone surgical procedure in late 2021 to take away most cancers that had unfold to each lungs and was nonetheless battling stage 4 most cancers.
“Since I have made it this far in life, I hope to be able to make music until my last moment, like Bach and Debussy whom I adore,” he wrote.
In December, Sakamoto shared a livestream live performance titled ‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022’. He additionally shared a video message that defined that attributable to therapy, his “strength has really fallen, so a normal concert of about an hour to ninety minutes would be very difficult,” so he had recorded every observe individually earlier than enhancing them collectively “so it can be presented as a regular concert.”
During his 50 12 months profession, Sakamoto received quite a few awards [including an Oscar, a Grammy, a Bafta and two Golden Globes] for his work as a movie composer, scoring the likes of The Last Emperor, The Sheltering Sky, Little Buddha, and The Revenant. As effectively as scoring Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, Sakamoto additionally starred within the conflict movie alongside David Bowie.
Sakamoto was additionally a founding member of pioneering digital band Yellow Magic Orchestra.
Following his loss of life, tributes have been paid to to Ryuichi Sakamoto on social media
Rest in Power ryuichi sakamoto ❤️ pic.twitter.com/3gn6qkmXZm
— anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) April 2, 2023
Dearest @ryuichisakamoto … how can one summarise your light profundity? Thank you for the heat and generosity, and for the wellspring of your music which lives so very deeply inside so many people. With deep love and respect…RIP. pic.twitter.com/2OxnXdAWCz
— lawrence english (@room40speaks) April 2, 2023
RIP Ryuichi Sakamoto, one of the crucial wildly bold artists ever. His profession is so good & various that it’s a humiliation of riches. I’m very keen on his pop albums however my fav is possibly the sampling insanity throughout his 1985 masterpiece Esperanto.https://t.co/hHhK4OH0tb
— Joshua Minsoo Kim (@misterminsoo) April 2, 2023
Rest in peace Maestro 💙 https://t.co/DkrXysX7bV
— 𝙴𝚍 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝 (@EdHarcourt) April 2, 2023
坂本龍一さんという偉大な音楽家に出会えたことに心から感謝しています。とても悲しくて受け入れたくありませんが、あなたの奏でた音楽は永遠に残ります。そして熊本の復興のためにとても力を尽くして下さり本当に有難うございました。今はただ安らかにお眠り下さい。R.I.P. https://t.co/48M7W7Xn0J
— 熊本市長 大西一史 (@K_Onishi) April 2, 2023