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Difference between revisions of "Koji Kondo"

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'''Koji Kondo''' is among the most well-known composers of music for [[Nintendo]] games. He is most famous for his works on the ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' series and ''[[The Legend of Zelda (series)|The Legend of Zelda]]'' series music. Kondo was born on August 13, 1960 in Nagoya, Japan. Even at an early age, he was composing simple little tunes. When he was seventeen, he decided to make music his profession.
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'''Koji Kondo''' (近藤 浩治, August 13, 1961) is a Japanese video game composer for [[Nintendo]]. Among the first sound designers hired by the company, Kondo has composed for many of Nintendo's largest franchises, such as {{ser|Super Mario}} and {{ser|The Legend of Zelda}}, and many of his works have become renowned.
  
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In the 1980s, he heard of a gaming company, Nintendo, that was looking for musicians for its new gaming system, the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]]. Although he never considered video game music before, Kondo gave it a chance in 1983. It was odd to Kondo: suddenly, he was limited to four instruments, due to limitations in the NES chips.
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==Biography==
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Kondo was born on August 13, 1961, in {{wp|Nagoya}}. Since kindergarten he attended Yamaha Music classes, learning to play the electronic organ until his second year of high school, around the time his parents bought him a synthesizer, the Yamaha CS-30. Kondo enrolled at the {{wp|Osaka University of Arts}} under the Fine Arts program, and joined an amateur band with several other students. During this time, Nintendo had posted a recruitment advertisement at the university for sound designers (the first time they had done this). Kondo applied for the position and was hired in 1984.<ref name="Shmuplations">[http://shmuplations.com/kojikondo/ Koji Kondo – 2001 Composer Interview]. Shmuplations (November 29, 2016). Retrieved November 29, 2016.</ref>
  
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He is good friends with [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], and as such, most of the games he has composed are Shigeru Miyamoto's work. He sometimes appears at Nintendo Events, like E3, alongside Shigeru Miyamoto.
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Kondo's first project for Nintendo was the arcade title ''[[Punch-Out!! (arcade)|Punch-Out!!]]'', though this was before he was officially hired.<ref>[http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/10/a-music-trivia-tour-with-nintendos-koji-kondo A Music Trivia Tour with Nintendo's Koji Kondo]. IGN (December 10, 2014). Retrieved November 29, 2016.</ref> At the time of his hiring, Kondo did not own a [[Family Computer]], but had played many arcade titles (''[[Donkey Kong 3]]'' being popular around that time).<ref>[http://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic/super-mario-bros-and-super-mario-bros-3-developer-interview Developer Interview: Super Mario Bros.] Nintendo. Retrieved November November 11, 2016.</ref>
  
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Kondo has been both praised and criticized for his use of recognizability and familiarity in his compositions. He is recognized for his ability to create themes that are catchy when first heard, and still remains enjoyable while looped. However, he has also been criticized for not varying his style more during his two decades as Nintendo composer. However, when Kondo tried to create something different for the [[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time soundtrack|''Ocarina of Time'' soundtrack]], he was again criticized by some for abandoning many of the familiar themes from previous Zelda games, such as the Legend of Zelda Main Theme (Overworld Theme from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]'').
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==Works==
  
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To this day, he still works for Nintendo, having composed music for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], the [[Nintendo 64]], the [[Nintendo GameCube]] and the [[Wii]]. This allows him to greatly expand upon his original visions in older games, and today he records his music with CD quality to his name.
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==External links==
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*{{wp|Koji Kondo|Koji Kondo on Wikipedia}}
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*{{smw|Koji Kondo|Koji Kondo on Super Mario Wiki}}
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*{{zw|Koji Kondo|Koji Kondo on Zelda Wiki}}
  
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==References==
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Latest revision as of 01:49, 18 January 2023

Koji Kondo (近藤 浩治, August 13, 1961) is a Japanese video game composer for Nintendo. Among the first sound designers hired by the company, Kondo has composed for many of Nintendo's largest franchises, such as Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, and many of his works have become renowned.

Biography

Kondo was born on August 13, 1961, in Nagoya. Since kindergarten he attended Yamaha Music classes, learning to play the electronic organ until his second year of high school, around the time his parents bought him a synthesizer, the Yamaha CS-30. Kondo enrolled at the Osaka University of Arts under the Fine Arts program, and joined an amateur band with several other students. During this time, Nintendo had posted a recruitment advertisement at the university for sound designers (the first time they had done this). Kondo applied for the position and was hired in 1984.[1]

Kondo's first project for Nintendo was the arcade title Punch-Out!!, though this was before he was officially hired.[2] At the time of his hiring, Kondo did not own a Family Computer, but had played many arcade titles (Donkey Kong 3 being popular around that time).[3]

Works

External links

References

  1. ↑ Koji Kondo – 2001 Composer Interview. Shmuplations (November 29, 2016). Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  2. ↑ A Music Trivia Tour with Nintendo's Koji Kondo. IGN (December 10, 2014). Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  3. ↑ Developer Interview: Super Mario Bros. Nintendo. Retrieved November November 11, 2016.
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