Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Hisaishi Returns. Steve Reich: Three Movements; Joe Hisaishi: Viola Saga for orchestra, Antoine Tamestit soloist; Joe Hisaishi: Concerto for Orchestra. Joe Hisaishi, conductor. May 28 to 30, 2026, Roy Thomson Hall.
TSO Co-Commission/Canadian Première
After three sold-out performances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra two years ago, Joe Hisaishi — the composer and conductor best known for his iconic Studio Ghibli film scores — returned for another three almost sold-out nights.
In his last Toronto appearance, I witnessed excited young fans showing almost the same level of adoration normally reserved for pop superstars.
On Saturday night, there was the same young and predominantly Asian crowd who share a fascination for Ghibli, akin to the Japanese version of Disney. The fact that they were still paying premium ticket prices, some upwards of $400, to hear a program that did not include any Ghibli music, is a testament to Hisaishi’s sheer celebrity effect.
That said, I would not be surprised if many patrons felt cheated that the concert was not what they had expected. When tickets sales began last fall, Hisaishi’s Concerto for Orchestra was the only piece on the advertised program. Like me, I am sure many fans assumed, or expected, that Ghibli scores would fill the rest of the program. After all, just as John Williams is synonymous with Hollywood, Hisaishi and Ghibli are inseparable, and it is impossible to imagine a Hisaishi concert without any of his most beloved music.
For these performances with the TSO, the composer seemed to make a deliberate statement by dissociating from his Ghibli legacy, and instead, asserting his position as a composer of contemporary orchestral works.
This concert was also a big departure from the normal TSO performance. There was no national anthem played. Instead of pairing new compositions with familiar masterworks, the entire program was modern and minimalist works by living composers.
Steve Reich: Three Movements
This 1986 composition is grounded by a rhythmic pulse overlaid with gradual harmonic shifts. The arrangement of the orchestra in two symmetrical halves with two vibraphones in the middle accentuates the counterpoint and reverberation of sounds.
Typical of Reich’s minimalist work, there were no catchy melodies or dynamic contrasts.
Joe Hisaishi: Viola Saga for Orchestra
This minimalist aesthetic continued with Hisaishi’s 2023 composition, which shares very similar architectural foundations with Reich’s work. Hisaishi wrote this piece for violist Antoine Tamestit, and Toronto was fortunate to witness its North American premiere with this world-class virtuoso.
Viola Saga is rhythmically complex, yet also contains long, expressive arcs for the viola, often above the instrument’s usual tessitura. The technically demanding piece requires the soloist to execute clean double stops in high positions and rapid alternation between single line and chordal textures.
Tamestit has a way to make the viola sing. His instrument — the first viola made by Antonio Stradivari in 1672, has a distinct dark timbre that sounds like a cello in the low registers.
His encore — J.S. Bach’s Prelude from Cello Suite No.1 in G major — played with rich colours and dynamic shifts, was the highlight and only familiar piece of the evening.
Joe Hisaishi: Concerto for Orchestra
This marks the Canadian premiere of this co-commission by ten international orchestras, including the TSO. The five-movement, 45-minute-long piece is more like a symphony — there is no featured soloist, except that the “melody” was passed from one orchestral section to another, sometimes as brief solos for individual instruments.
Just like the Viola Saga, the Concerto for Orchestra is propelled by a repetitive, rhythmic structure. Hisaishi uses an expanded percussion section, complete with piano and celesta, to act as the engine of the orchestra.
The energetic first movement featured experimental harmonies, while the whimsical second movement had elements of jazz. The fragmented rhythm of the third movement evoked a sense of chaos, punctuated by African drum beats. The brief flute, clarinet and harp solos in the fourth served as a reflective counterpart to the second movement. The final movement combined the rhythmic and lyrical elements of the earlier movements into a large, culminating statement.
The Performance
At 75, Hisaishi is diminutive yet spright, and shows no sign of age from two years prior. His conducting style can only be described as reserved. He led the TSO through a brisk reading of the scores while showing little emotion, focusing primarily on keeping all the moving pieces together.
The orchestra is commended for doing a fine job tackling the technical challenges of the three pieces, an especially daunting task considering they were all learned and played for the first time with a short preparation period.
Final Thoughts
Torontonians are a graceful bunch, rewarding Hisaishi and the TSO with the obligatory, if only polite, standing ovations. By comparison with previous Hisaishi concerts, I can tell that the level of enthusiasm was significantly diminished. I will say again that the program of all contemporary works was probably not giving the audience what they paid to hear.
The Ghibli magic was missed.
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