Background
Ito was born in Tokyo, Japan to a theatrical family. His mother, Teiki Ono, was a dancer and his father, Yuji Ito, was a designer and composer. Ito accompanied his mother"s dance performance at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
He performed for both Japanese and Korean dance.
Education
There, Ito studied under a master drummer.
Career
He is best known for his scores for the avant-garde films by Maya Deren. His family moved to the United States when he was six. At 15, he ran away from home.
He began to compose at age 17.
He met Maya Deren during this time and in 1955, traveled with her to Haiti. Ito would also compose the score for Deren"s Meshes of the Afternoon at Deren"s request.
In 1963, he composed the score for the Broadway production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo"s Nest. Ito wrote Watermill which was performed by the New York City Ballet in 1971.
He had written the book The Japanese Garden: An Approach to Nature in 1972.
The book detailed the basic elements of a Japanese garden. Ito also performed and composed for Jean Erdman"s Theater of the Open Eye. While in Haiti, Ito died of a heart attack in 1982.
The Japanese American actor Jerry Ito (1927–2007) was Teiji Ito"s first cousin.