Yoko Shimomura and Kingdom Hearts music
Emotions among the notes Yoko Shimomura was born in 1967 in the Hyogo prefecture and began to cultivate a passion for music at 5 years old when, supported by the family, she began taking piano lessons. Since childhood, Yoko has shown a natural predisposition for music and for musical composition. As stated in an interview, she still remembers the first song she composed and plays it every now and then in the spare time.
The passion for music leads the family to make many sacrifices for Yoko; one of these is the collegiate education made at Osaka College of Music where he graduated in piano in 1988. Yoko's post-education will was to become a music teacher. Initially he accepted a job as a piano teacher in a music shop and, while cultivating his work and his passion for music, in his spare time he also tried to pursue another passion: that of video games. Her being an avid gamer led her to want to compose music for this medium, but to increase the will to change direction there were also dissatisfaction with the current job and her personal ambitions. He therefore began to check the job advertisements of various software houses. One of these companies, Capcom, offered her a job with them and Yoko, against the will of the family who did not see her daughter's job well in the world of video games, accepted.
Initially, Capcom the assigned minor works, such as the assistance to the soundtrack of Samurai Sword in 1988 and Final Fight in 1989. Recognized the incredible talent, the passion and the competence of Yoko Shimomura, Capcom entrusted in 1990 the entire soundtrack of Street Fighter II (also known as SF II: The World Warrior). The soundtrack of the SF II is the most comprehensive you can find in the works of a composer at that time: the sound ranges of the "Spanish notes" the theme of Vega to the guitar solos in salsa to rock the theme of Ken , going for the more traditional sounds of the theme of Chun Li . The use of the plan is almost imperceptible, and the experimentation with strings, percussion, and synthesizer (in the case of Mr Bison, for example) is the key point of a Shimomura who wants to experience and understand his philosophy of music. It leaves, however, one of the most popular soundtracks of the video game world.
In 1993, the turning point of his career: the Square , that he had caught a glimpse of the talent of the young, will contact you to offer you a job. Yoko accepts without thinking twice, because, despite the work of the trial in the arcade division of Capcom was incredibly appreciated by the young, the appeal of classical music and composition at the piano were too strong to be able to say no. Also, as is well known, Yoko liked very much the classic role-playing games (the JRPG ), and so the occasion was doubly tempting. The beginning of the work to Square it with a Live A Live: a JRPG 1994 for the Super Famicon.
The first experiments began with Super Mario RPG, in 1995, where a young man showed all of his skills as a composer and a classical. The song Margarie Margarita will tour the world, leaving a deep impression, especially on the inside of the Square before its publication. Shimomura had imposed his talent and this pushed Square to point for his new series of RPG futuristic, call Front Mission , the duo emerging Shimomura-Matsueda for the sub-music. Yoko agreed, despite the work on the Front Mission overlapped on the end portion of the one of Super Mario RPG, thus leaving Shimomura overburdened with work.
completion of the work the young woman took a period of pause up until 1998, when he composed the OST of Parasite Eve and Legends of Mana. Especially the latter has remained in the heart of Yoko so as to make them declare that this is certainly the OST of that time that represents, in spite of Street Fighter II and Super Mario RPG are the two cornerstones of his career as a composer before 2002.
in 2002 took place the consecration the final of Yoko Shimomura. Square entrusted to the writing of the soundtrack of Kingdom Hearts , a title so important that surely needs no introduction, and that in the words of Shimomura is defined as work that occupies a special place in his heart. The success of this soundtrack is immense, so much as to recognize the title theme of the first Kingdom Hearts as the fourth best track of an RPG. In 2003, Yoko leaves Square for maternity leave, without, however, let us return. Will start working as a freelancer, maintaining relationships, and indeed, composing the soundtracks for all the titles of the Kingdom Hearts saga. Freelance, dials among others also the OST of Xenoblade Chronicles, Mario & Luigi, and Heroes of Mana. The most recent work is the protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts III but also Final Fantasy XV, as well as a song of the Stree of Rage 4 (Shiva).
The song Somnus was very appreciated by the public. The peculiarity in this case lies in the work for this soundtrack: in fact they began in 2006, ten years before the release of the title. The interesting aspect in the working life of Shimomura resides in the musical influence, declared by the artist. The composer japan has in fact declared that in spite of the classical world, with Beethoven, and Chopin all have influenced his musical philosophy, his major influences are the emotions. In fact he has several times explained that his songs have been guided by the moments of life, not newspapers as a journey, a meeting, or the vision of a panorama.
another distinctive element is the desire to convey a message. Yoko has always stated that to be influenced by emotions it means to be the through the message of the emotions. Enclose this message in song for her, it means to respect the message of the emotions is not palesandolo, but it to your notes.
Yoko Shimomura is one of the greatest minds the music of video games, his passion and his philosophy resulted from his sensitivity to bring forth songs today to remember, and which deserve a listen at least once. We are curious to see these emotions to which titles to take you now, but in the meantime, we are enjoying what has been done so far.
