Hijiri Kuwano

Hijiri Kuwano (桑野聖, Kuwano Hijiri; born February 12) is a Japanese violinist, composer and arranger. Kuwano began taking violin lessons at age six and studied under Yonosuke Ishii, Shizuko Ishii and Chikashi Tanaka. While attending Tokyo University of the Arts, he performed as a guest concertmaster at Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra and Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra.

Before graduating from the university, he became interested in playing non-classical music and started performing with Toshihito Nakanishi, who inspired him in many ways. Kuwano also started a career as composer, when he produced an album published together with a photobook by Kenji Ishikawa, Moonlight Blue.

Kuwano handled string arrangements for albums and movies for Kome Kome Club and began his career as arranger as well. Kuwano worked on recordings, concerts with various artists, movies and video games as a soloist and as the "Hijiri Kuwano strings group".