Philadelphia Orchestra Composer-in-Residence Joe Hisaishi’s "Orbis" Pairs with Beethoven’s Ninth in a Celebratory Opening Night Concert

Above photo: Nick Rutter

The Philadelphia Orchestra opens its 2026–27 season on September 24 with Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 9. While that work is often performed as a stand-alone piece, Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin has chosen to pair it with Composer-in-Residence Joe Hisaishi’s Orbis for chorus, organ, and orchestra in what will be the piece’s United States premiere.

Orbis was commissioned as an overture to be performed at the 25th anniversary of the annual concert “Suntory Presents Beethoven’s Ninth with a Cast of 10,000” in 2007 in Osaka, Japan. The Latin title Orbis means “circle” or “connection.” Hisaishi chose Latin words—such as laetitia (joy) and paradisus (paradise)—that convey themes similar to those found in the finale of Beethoven’s Symphony. It was important for Hisaishi to compose a bright and positive work that connects with Beethoven but that could also be seen as a hymn celebrating the human act of living.

A Composer Who Bridges Worlds

Working with composers like Hisaishi, who is globally beloved for his iconic movie scores, is integral to the The Philadelphia Orchestra’s artistic vision. He is one of the most widely recognized artists today, and during the first year of his tenure as composer-in-residence, his concerts with the Orchestra welcomed thousands of listeners, many of whom were experiencing the ensemble live for the first time.

True to The Philadelphia Orchestra’s mission of sharing the transformative power of music with the widest possible audience, the breadth of Hisaishi’s artistic voice attracted the Orchestra to Hisaishi. He easily bridges worlds that are often treated as separate: concert music and film music, contemporary composition, and broad popular appeal—and for many listeners, he’s a gateway into the orchestral world.

Hisaishi’s residency reflects the Orchestra’s belief that a symphony orchestra should be both a guardian of tradition and a living contemporary cultural force. He rightfully joins a historic lineage of composers who have built lasting relationships with the Orchestra, including Sergei Rachmaninoff, Samuel Barber, Jennifer Higdon, and Gabriela Lena Frank, who won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Music for Picaflor: A Future Myth, which was co-commissioned by Yannick and the Orchestra.

Beginnings in Minimalism

Composer, conductor, and pianist Hisaishi is a formidable force in contemporary music, known for his delicately crafted symphonic and solo works, as well as his globally successful film music. He began to develop his unique style in minimalist music when he graduated from conservatory in Tokyo. His career started with the debut of his first solo musical project, MKWAJU, in 1981 and the release of his first album, Information, the next year. Since then, he has released nearly 40 solo albums, including Minima_Rhythm, Melodyphony, and Minima_Rhythm 4. In 2023 he signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, with four albums appearing on that label.

Hisaishi is renowned for his long-standing collaboration with Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki. After Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, he went on to produce music for My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and The Boy and the Heron, among others. His soundtracks, including non-Miyazaki projects such as Hana-Bi, Departures, Villain, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya, capture his sensitive and imaginative amalgamation of the symphonic and minimalist genres and have won numerous international awards.

An Acclaimed Classical Composer

In recent years, Hisaishi has written a number of classical works including The East Land Symphony (Symphony No. 1; 2016), Symphony No. 2 (2021), Metaphysica (Symphony No. 3; 2021), and Viola Saga (2023). His Harp Concerto received its world premiere with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in November 2024, and in May 2026 he conducted the world premiere of his Concerto for Orchestra with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). The work was co-commissioned by 10 leading orchestras and music institutions worldwide, including the NSO, Carnegie Hall, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Orchestre de Paris.

In 2025 Hisaishi became composer-in-residence of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He led sold-out performances with the Philadelphians in June 2025 and again in November 2025, and in March 2027 he will conduct the ensemble in the world premiere of his Piano Concerto with soloist Alice Sara Ott. The 25-minute piece was commissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra and will be paired with Hisaishi’s Concerto for Orchestra and Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, written in the composer’s “tintinnabulation” style. Pärt explained it this way: “I have discovered that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played. This one note, or a moment of silence, comforts me. I work with very few elements—with one voice, two voices, … primitive materials, with the triad, with one specific tonality. The three notes of a triad are like bells. And that is why I call it ‘tintinnabulation.’”

Hisaishi is also composer-in-association of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, composer-in-residence of the Philharmonie de Paris, and composer in focus with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the 2026 season. As a conductor, he has led many of the world’s leading ensembles. In 2004 he became the first music director of the New Japan Philharmonic “World Dream Orchestra,” and in April 2025 he was named music director of the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra.

As Hisaishi’s relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra continues to deepen, the possibilities extend far beyond any single concert, score, or residency. His work demonstrates that great orchestral music can be both expansive and accessible, rooted in tradition while speaking directly to contemporary audiences. He is not only bringing remarkable music to Philadelphia but is also helping new audiences discover the transformative power of the Orchestra itself.