Hisaishi began his career as a contemporary music composer and started to develop his unique style in minimal music when he graduated from conservatory in Japan. His career as a solo artist began with the presentation of MKWAJU in 1981 and the release of his first album Information in 1982. Since his debut, Hisaishi has released nearly 40 solo albums. The first CD A Symphonic Celebration released from Deutsche Grammophon (2023) hit the first prize on US Billboard Classical Albums & Classical Crossover Albums Chart twice.
From Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) to The Boy and the Heron (2023), Hisaishi has produced music for Hayao Miyazaki films. He has collaborated on the music production of over 80 films at home and abroad, and his works have won many awards including several Outstanding Achievement in Music prizes of Japan Academy Film Prize, and the Winsor McCay Award at the 51st Annie Awards in 2024.
In 2004, he took on the position of Principal Music Director of the New Japan Philharmonic “World Dream Orchestra”. Since 2014, he has been working as a producer and holding contemporary music concerts called “JOE HISAISHI presents MUSIC FUTURE”. He also started leading a concert series “Future Orchestra Classics” in 2019 and released Beethoven: Complete Symphonies that was given “Special Prize” from 57th Record Academy Award Japan 2019.
The world tour "Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert: Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki", which he started in 2017, has captivated huge live audiences in his recent sold-out performances at Madison Square Garden, New York over 3 nights, La Défense in Paris, Wembley Arena in London, Olympic Hall in Munich, among others.
In recent years, Hisaishi has also conducted classical music and composed contemporary works such as Symphony No. 2 (2021), Metaphysica (Symphony No. 3) (2021) and Viola Saga for Orchestra (2023). His Harp Concerto, commissioned mainly by Los Angeles Philharmonic, received its world premiere in November 2024. He has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Philip Glass, David Lang, Mischa Maisky, and orchestra such as the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, among others.
He is the Composer-in-Association of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from April 2024, and the Music Director with Japan Century Symphony Orchestra starting from April 2025.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s (RPO) mission to enrich lives through orchestral experiences that are uncompromising in their excellence and inclusive in their appeal, places it at the forefront of music-making in the UK and internationally. Typically performing approximately 200 concerts a year and with a worldwide live and online audience of more than 60 million people, the Orchestra is proud to embrace a broad repertoire and reach a diverse audience. Whilst artistic integrity remains paramount, the RPO is unafraid to push boundaries and is equally at home recording video game, film and television soundtracks and working with pop stars, as it is touring the world performing the great symphonic repertoire.

Throughout its history, the RPO has attracted and collaborated with the most inspiring artists and in August 2021, the Orchestra was thrilled to welcome Vasily Petrenko as its new Music Director. A landmark appointment in the RPO’s history, Vasily’s first three seasons with the RPO have been lauded by audiences and critics alike.

As well as a busy schedule of international performances, the Orchestra enjoys an annual season of concerts in London’s Royal Albert Hall (where the RPO is Associate Orchestra), the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall and Cadogan Hall, where it is celebrating its 20th Season as Resident Orchestra. The RPO tours extensively around the UK and this fits with its mission to place orchestral music at the heart of contemporary society. Through collaboration with creative partners, the RPO fosters deeper engagement with communities to ensure that live orchestral music is accessible to as inclusive and diverse an audience as possible. To help achieve this goal, in 1993 the Orchestra launched RPO Resound, which has grown to become the most innovative and respected orchestral community and education programme in the UK and internationally.