Shin’ichi Takanami

TAKANAMI, Shin’ichi. b. Tokyo, Japan, 28 February 1941.  A hymn tune composer, Takanami and his family lived in Nagano Prefecture between 1945 and 1959. He was baptized at Nagano Agata-machi Church (United Church of Christ in Japan) in 1957. After graduating from Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo (MME, 1965), he began his career as a music teacher at Tamagawa Academy and University (Tokyo). In 1983, he returned to his alma mater to teach, remaining there as Associate Professor of Music Education until the retirement in 2006. During this period, Takanami was active as a choral conductor as well as a band director winning the Gold Medal at International Choral Competition in Switzerland in...