An NPR article today cites that famous “Beethoven for the digital age” Japanese composer Mamoru Samuragochi has had all of his compositions done by a ghost composer by the name of Takashi Niigaki. Samuragochi went deaf at the age of 35 and has become synonymous with contemporary classical music in Japan. Niigaki stepped forward recently, however, and revealed Samuragochi’s secret.
This revelation raises several questions I think are important for arts managers and artists everywhere to ask:
Why would Niigaki ghost write for Samuragochi for so long in silence?
Why would Samuragochi fake his talent and even perhaps the extent of his disability?
Is the relationship between Niigaki and Samuragochi masterful marketing, or does it characterize the lack luster reception of classical music throughout the world? In other words, do we need such a story of woe, hardship, and survival to pay attention to the work of artists?
Why isn’t the music enough?
THE AMG EXCHANGE 