Ko Tanaka is a Japanese composer and musical theater writer based in New York City. Originally from Saga, Japan, he began his career composing music for video games before transitioning into musical theater. His first stage work, The Monster, premiered in Nagoya and led to continued work in commercial musicals in Japan.

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After studying Broadway-style composition at Berklee College of Music, Ko moved to NYC, where he has worked as a keyboard programmer for productions including 1776 and The Great Gatsby. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by Emerson College, Marymount Manhattan College, and Live & In Color, and his work has been showcased at venues such as Signature Theatre, Lincoln Center, and The Green Room 42.

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In addition to his work as a writer and composer, Ko serves as a Music Director at the NYC-based youth theater company TA-DA!, and frequently works as a Music Director for workshops and developmental productions. He is also active as a keyboardist, pianist, and sound designer, performing at concerts and events across New York City.

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Works

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🇯🇵2012 Play "The Maids" by Taigen Teikoku

Composer (All 17 songs)

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🇯🇵2012 Play "―Peepingtom―" by LENS

Composer (5 songs)

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🇯🇵2013 Ballet "Canal Art" by Aichi Triennale 

Composed A Ballet Suite《Canal Art》

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🇯🇵2014 Play   "―Contagion of City―" by LENS 

 Composer (All 23 songs) / Actor

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🇯🇵2015 Play   "Ie-e (To Home)"  by LENS

Composer (All 8 songs)

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🇯🇵2016 Play  "Ju-soku (Satisfied)" by Gouki Watabe

 Composer (All 3 songs)

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🇯🇵2016 Play  "―door to a theater―" by LENS  

Composer (All 5 songs)

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🇯🇵2016 Musical  "The Monster" by Ko Tanaka 

Book / Music (All 3 songs) / Lyric / Stage Director / Actor

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🇯🇵2018 Play  "Snow White" by Taigen Teikoku

Composer (All 14 songs)

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🇺🇸2018 Musical "Believe" by 48h Musical Theater Fes 

Co-Composer (All 3 songs with Marissa Carlin) / Music Director

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🇯🇵2019 Play "Desir Caught by the Tail" by Taigen Teikoku

Composer (All 12 songs) / Music Director 

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🇺🇸2019 Musical "Samurai Girl" by Berklee Musical Theater Writing

Original Story Writer / Composer (All 4 songs)

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🇺🇸2019 Concert "Ringo Sheena Tribute Concert"

Music Director / Arranger (All 12 songs) / Keyboardist

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🇺🇸2019 Concert "The Golden Age of Broadway - The Man of La Mancha" by Berklee Musical Theater Orchestra

Conductor / Music Director

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🇺🇸2019 Concert "The Golden Age of Broadway - The Monster" 

by Berklee Musical Theater Orchestra

Original Book / Composer / Orchestrator / Conductor

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🇯🇵2019 Musical "Syoji no Kuni no Tinkerbell" by Taigen Teikoku

Composer (6 songs) / Music Director

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🇯🇵2020 Play "MONEY" by Taigen Teikoku

House Composer 

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🇯🇵2020 Play "The Door of the Endless Show" by Taigen Teikoku

House Composer 

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🇯🇵2020 Play "Desire Caught by the Tail"  by Taigen Teikoku

House Composer

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🇯🇵2020 Musical "The God of Death" by Gekiteki Chaya

Composer (All 4 songs)

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🇯🇵2020 Musical "Run, Melos!" by Okayama Symphonic Orchestra

Main Composer (Main Theme)

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🇺🇸2020 Theater Song "Golden Rules" by Emmerson College Musical Theater Project

Arranger / Orchestrator

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🇺🇸2020 Theater Song "Magic Wonk Bus" by American College Musical Theater Project

Arranger / Orchestrator

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🇺🇸2020 Theater Song "Into the Dawn" by Marymount Manhattan College Musical Theater Project

Arranger / Orchestrator

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🇺🇸2020 Musical "Have your happy holiday!" Live & In Color

Arranger / Orchestrator

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🇯🇵2020 Concert "2020 CONTINUE?" by A.B.C.-Z

Composer (Main Overture)

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🇯🇵2020 Play "Gulliver" by Taigen Teikoku

Composer

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🇨🇦🇯🇵2020 Masterclass "Digital Orchestration" by IMSTA FESTA Tokyo 2020 

Masterclass instructor

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🇯🇵2021 TV Music Library by Nippon TV 

Composer

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🇯🇵2021 TV Music Library by Enavant Music 

Composer

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🇯🇵2021 Concert "2021 SPRING Hoopla!" by Bullet-Train

Composer (Main Overture)

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🇯🇵2021 Live Overture by Ange Reve

Composer (Main Overture)​​​

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🇯🇵2021 Musical "Poupelle of Chimney Town"

(Tokyo edition)

Composer / Music Director

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🇺🇸2022 Film "RUDY! A DOCUMUSICAL"

Sound Technical Support​

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🇺🇸2022 Stop AAPI hate theme song "WE ARE WATER" 

Co-composer​

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🇯🇵2021 Kids Show "Poupelle of Chimney Town"

Composer / Orchestrator​

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🇺🇸2022 Musical "Poupelle of Chimney Town" 29h Reading

Composer

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🇯🇵2022 Short Musical "Yokohama Short Stories"

Composer​

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🇺🇸2022 Jon Batiste "American Symphony #1"

Carnegie Hall

Sound Tech Support​

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🇯🇵2021 Musical "Poupelle of Chimney Town"

(Osaka edition)

Composer / Music Director​

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🇯🇵2023 Ballet "Poupelle of Chimney Town"(Tokyo)

Composer

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🇯🇵2023 Musical "THE STAR" (Tokyo)

Composer / Orchestrator

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🇺🇸2023 Play "Samurai of Blue Eyes" (Brooklyn)

Music Supervisor

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🇺🇸2023 Musical "Poupelle of Chimney Town"

(NYC Development Camp)

Composer

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🇯🇵2023 Musical "Poupelle of Chimney Town"

Short Preview Show (Tokyo)

Composer

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🇯🇵2023 Ballet "Poupelle of Chimney Town"(Tokyo)

Composer​

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🇺🇸2024 Musical "Poupelle of Chimney Town"

Industry Presentation

(NYC Signature Theater)

Composer

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🇯🇵2024 Ballet "Poupelle of Chimney Town"(Tokyo)

Composer

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🇺🇸2024 10 min Musical "My Better Alien"

(Across a Crowded Room 2024)

Reading Presentation

(Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center)

Composer

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🇺🇸2025 Song Showcase "Disappointed Reality"

(ICONOCLASTIC VOICES

by Iconoclast Theatre Collective)

(The Green Room 42)

Composer

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🇺🇸2025 Song Showcase "I Love Humans"

(HOT MIC NIGHT by Musical Theater Factory)

(ALIANZA DOMINICANA CULTURAL CENTER)

Composer

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🇺🇸2025 Song Showcase "I Love Humans"

(THE COMPOSITION CABARET by Amoeba Productions)

(YOUNG ETHEL'S)

Composer

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🇺🇸2025 NYC Secular Solstice&Rationalist Megameetup 2025 

(HI NYC Hostel)

Pianist

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🇺🇸2026 Song Showcase "An Immaculate Wedding"

(Tuesday@9 by Naked Angels NYC)

(Out of the Box Theater)

Composer

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🇺🇸2026 High School production "Frozen"

(Fontbonne Hall Academy)

Music Director Sub