1927

Born on Mar. 29 in Tokyo, Japan. Youngest of four children of KOIZUMI Naozumi (father) and TOSHIMA Waka (mother). Had two brothers and a sister. Birthday was registered as April 4th.

1934 (7 years old)

April: Entered elementary school.
Absorbed in playing violin and swimming.

1940 (13 years old)

April: Entered secondary school.
Encountered ABE Kōmei (composer).
Absorbed in horse riding and swimming. Made new record as backstroke swimmer.

1944 (17 years old)

April: Entered high school. Joined high school musical group.
Learned violin from OKAMI Haruhiko, piano from TAKU Kōji, and participated in choir directed by TAKADA Saburo.

1945(18 years old)

August: Did mobilized labor at the Army Medical School in Yamagata Prefecture when World War II came to end.

1946(19 years old)

Enjoyed singing hymns at a Christian church in Tokyo.

1947(20 years old)

Was baptized.
Joined group for the research of religious music.
Met KAKO Mieko, a soprano singer.

1948(21 years old)

April: Entered Tokyo University, Faculty of Literature.
Worked as a part-time interpreter at Ueno and Tsukiji Police Station, Tokyo.

1949(22 years old)

April: Majored in aesthetics and art history.
September: Married KAKO Mieko.

1950(23 years old)

Deeply impressed with a live performance of Japanese traditional music style called jiuta.

1951(24 years old)

March: Graduated from Tokyo University. Wrote graduation thesis about modern European programme music.
April: Entered Tokyo University Graduate School.
Assisted MACHIDA Kashō in transcripting Japanese folksongs for Nihon min'yo taikan (Anthology of Japanese Folksongs).

1952(25 years old)

Became member of editorial committee of Philharmonie (bulletin of NHK Philharmonic) until 1970.
Began doing commentary on NHK radio programs regarding world music.
Daughter Shoko was born.

195