Soundtracks of Growth: A Composer's Journey Through Years of Reinvention

- Could you tell us how you first became interested in music?

It was during my early childhood, so I don't really remember much. My father's job took us to New Orleans, where we lived from around the time I was one until I was three. New Orleans, of course, is the birthplace of jazz. Street musicians were everywhere, and my parents tell me that I used to bounce around with glee, dancing to the music. I also began taking piano lessons around that time, though I didn't really enjoy practicing. But I did love how happy it made my parents and other adults around me when I played well. If anything, I enjoyed improvising on my own—coming up with my own melodies and rhythms—instead of playing exactly what was written on the page. The joy I felt back then may have been what first sparked my passion for composing.

Apparently, after coming back to Japan, I wrote in my elementary school graduation album that I wanted to become a composer. But back then, it was little more than a vague dream.

- At Keio Senior High School, you joined the student-led Wagner Society Orchestra (known colloquially as "Wagner") and also played in a band, is that correct?

Yes, that's right. I played guitar in a band, and Keio's independent atmosphere definitely helped encourage me. To be honest, I was more invested in Wagner and my band than in my studies. I'm still close with my old bandmates today. Some went on to become certified public accountants and professional drummers, while others took over family businesses or pursued composition, like I did. But whenever we get together, it feels like we're right back in high school. The time I spent playing in my band really defined my youth. Incidentally, in 2021, I had the joy of working with my old bassist, Motoo Miyamoto—now CEO of Toto Kanko Enterprise Co., Ltd.—when he asked me to compose a jingle for the Toto Motors Group.

- At Keio University, you studied in the Faculty of Economics and continued playing viola in the Wagner Society Orchestra.

I briefly considered applying to a conservatory to study music, but I also wanted to explore the business and social context of music, so in the end, I chose the Faculty of Economics. In then-professor Tamon Yamada's seminar, I explored the economic impact of music and other cultural events through the lens of cultural economics. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now that I work in music, I realize how valuable it was to think seriously about the connection between business, society, and music.

That said, I was still playing in a band and performing viola in Wagner, so my life remained just as immersed in music as it had been in junior high and high school. One of my fellow Wagner members was Kenjiro Sakairi, who's now a rising star in the world of conducting. We were also classmates at the Faculty of Economics.

- You also began seriously composing during your university years, right?

When I got to university, I realized that I could compose and perform music all on my own with just a computer and some music software. That discovery made my dream of turning music into a career feel all the more real. Around my second or third year, I began assisting professional composers, and I have good memories of composing the "Festival Overture" for Keio University's 150th anniversary concert. In my fourth year, I was also featured in the Keio publication Juku, which remains a fond memory. There's a photo of me there, smiling gleefully as a student composer. Now, I'd love to go back and tell myself, "You have no idea what's coming!" (laughs)

- It sounds like the path to transforming music into a career had its fair share of twists and turns.

Definitely. While my friends were busy pursuing their career paths, I didn't even know where to start if I wanted to become a composer. After graduation, I spent more than six months essentially unemployed—what you'd call a NEET. During that time, I was working part-time at a convenience store, and I got depressed hearing my classmates talk at parties about buying gifts for their parents with their first paychecks. I'd spent ten years studying at Keio, yet I had no idea where I was headed. It was frustrating and humiliating, and I started distancing myself from my school friends. But no matter how frustrated I got, I never stopped composing. I focused all my efforts on just one company—then the top name in commercial music—and kept sending them demo tapes, waiting and hoping for a response. Looking back, it was probably reckless. But I had my dad's advice in mind: "If you're going to aim for something, aim for the top." In the end, about six months after graduation, I finally landed a position at that company.

- It seems you paved your way to becoming a composer with sheer determination.

No, I was just lucky, really. It's definitely not an approach I'd recommend to anyone (laughs). When I first started, I didn't have much to do—just odd jobs here and there. But I immersed myself in the company's vast archive of material from top composers, taught myself to write music in all kinds of styles, and kept presenting my own music internally, hoping to get my chance. After about a year, I finally started getting actual assignments, and from there, I was producing 200 to 300 pieces of music per year. It was overwhelming, but churning out so much music taught me a lot. I also developed the ability to tailor music to the product and target audience of each commercial. After about four years of that dizzying pace, I started thinking about what I might do next. I still love writing music for commercials, but I began to feel the urge to grow as a composer and explore a wider range of work. So, in 2015, at the age of 27, I took my first steps as a freelance composer.

- Did things go smoothly once you started your own business?

Yes. I didn't do much in the way of self-promotion, but I was fortunate to get plenty of work from former colleagues and past collaborators. My work also expanded into new areas, including music for TV programs and films, as well as writing and producing songs for well-known artists like PUFFY and BONNIE PINK. I was genuinely happy with my decision to start my own business—until the pandemic struck. Nearly all of my commercial and event projects were canceled and just dried up. I found myself in a pretty tough spot, but around late 2021, I gradually bounced back by focusing on TV projects. One of my junior classmates from my Wagner days is now a producer at TV Asahi, and I've gotten some work through him, for which I'm incredibly grateful.

Recently, I've written music for Fuji Television's Ya Boy Kongming!, TV Asahi's Tokyo Tower, and TV Tokyo's Kinshicho Paradise. In Ya Boy Kongming!, I even had the unexpected opportunity of appearing on screen—as the protagonist's father! For Kinshicho Paradise, I walked through the area myself to capture its borderless, multicultural vibe in music and composed a range of tracks—everything from world music to rock and psychedelia. I'm excited to hear how viewers respond.

Scoring for TV is really interesting. My process usually starts with reading the script and imagining how the actors might perform, and I build up the music in my mind from there. While composing, sometimes I catch myself muttering lines from the script—it's definitely not something I'd want anyone to see (laughs).

- What are your goals moving forward? Could you share your aspirations as a composer and musician?

I'd love to work on an NHK Taiga drama or morning series that reaches a broad audience of all ages. My grandmother loves those shows, so if I ever got to do that, she'd be thrilled. But rather than thinking in terms of "I want to do this or that," I try to live in a way that lets me look back each year and say that I got to try something new. Back in school, I never imagined I'd be talking about music production for commercials and TV shows or performing keyboard at a Shiori Tamai concert (of Momoiro Clover Z fame). Her concert at the Tokyo International Forum was also my debut as a performer. And like my little acting debut in Ya Boy Kongming!, I try to roll with whatever curveballs come my way each day and have fun with them as I work on all sorts of music. I think the excitement and tension of taking on something new is the key to unlocking new possibilities.

The late Steve Jobs spoke about "connecting the dots," a concept that has deeply resonated with me. It means that every experience—each "dot"—eventually connects, revealing a picture of your life that you never could have imagined. When you're in the middle of those moments, it's hard to imagine what kind of picture will emerge. After all the twists and turns I've faced in building my career in music, I've come to believe this deeply. It's only by connecting the dots that the lines appear. Only then can you draw the picture of your life.

Sitting here for this "Alumni Voices" interview, I can already feel this moment becoming another meaningful dot in the story of my life. To all Keio alumni reading this: If your company needs music for a commercial, TV show, or film, I'd be thrilled to give it everything I've got. Feel free to reach out—seriously (laughs)! And, of course, curveballs are more than welcome!

- Could you say a few final words to current students?

Honestly, luck has played a big role in my life, so I'm not sure how helpful my story will be to those coming after me. But even so, I think I've made an effort in my own way to keep adding the "dots" that Steve Jobs talked about. At the heart of it, it's probably because I genuinely love music. My life has taken all sorts of twists and turns, but being able to make a living doing what I love—there's nothing more fulfilling than that.

If you're a Keio student who's interested in the music industry but don't know where to begin, please don't hesitate to reach out. I was fortunate to be helped by my friends and other Keio alumni along the way, and now it's my turn to pay it forward. I'd be more than happy to help any fellow Keio student who's navigating that path.

Of course, work isn't the only thing in life. To all of the Keio students with endless potential possibilities ahead, I hope you throw yourself wholeheartedly into your studies, build friendships that will stand the test of time, and yes, fall deeply, unapologetically in love. Live fully, love boldly, and make every moment count.

- Thank you for your time.

Naoyuki Chikatani
Composer / Music Producer
Chikatani graduated from the Faculty of Economics in 2011. He began playing piano at an early age and joined the Mandolin Club at Keio Chutobu Junior High School before playing in a band during high school. Throughout high school and university, he played viola in Keio's Wagner Society Orchestra in addition to his band. He also composed a commemorative piece for Keio University's 150th anniversary. After graduating from university, he joined the commercial music production company Mr. Music, where he worked on advertisements for a number of major brands. His piece Minna no Koe Enpitsu ("Everybody's Voice Pencil"), written for Mitsui Rehouse, won the ACC Gold Award in the TV commercial category at the 53rd ACC CM Festival in 2013. After striking out on his own in 2015, he founded his own company and has since worked across TV, film, and video games, as well as producing and writing music for other artists. His major production credits include the TV dramas Ya Boy Kongming! and Tokyo Tower, among others.
https://lit.link/chikataninaoyuki

*This article originally appeared in the 2024 Autumn edition (No. 324) of Juku.