Information

Shiki to Unkai III (2014)

日本語：四季と雲海 III

for Shō and Percussions

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Commissioned by A-EN Project (Japan)

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ca. 12 min.​

Press

笙をメーンに富士山と三保（静岡新聞 2015/09/09）

Program Note

"Shiki tō Unkai III" is the third work of the compositional series "Shiki tō Unkai". This work was premiered at Hagoromo Hotel (Shizuoka, Japan) by Mayumi Miyata (Shō) and Masayuki Niino (Perc.) on September 7th, 2014.

　Miho no Matsubara (Miho Pine Groove) is a seven-kilometer seashore lined up with pine trees, located on the Miho Penensula of Shizuoka City, Japan. It oversees Mount Fuji and the Izu Peninsula across Suruga Bay, and it is designated as one of Shin Nihon Sankei, or the New Three Views of Japan. It is also the famous site of the legend of Hagoromo, a story of a fisherman Hakuryō and the maiden from Heaven. The story begins with Hakuryō finding a divine feather robes belonging to a beautiful maiden, who claims to have come from the Heavens. But seeing the look of suffering on the maiden, Hakuryō decided to give back the robe with one request – to see the Dance of Heaven. The maiden agreed to the fisherman’s term, but insisted on the robe’s return first. Seeing the fisherman becoming doubtful whether the maiden would dance the Dance of Heaven after he returned the robe, the maiden sharply said, “Lies and deceit are human creations. They do not exist in the Heavens”. Hakuryō was ashamed of his emotions, and gave back the robe, and the maiden danced the Dance of Heaven, fluttering and spinning high into the air with the sound of whistles and drums, until she finally disappeared into the sea of clouds shrouding the heights of Mount Fuji.

　This work is dedicated to the legend of Hagoromo, as well as the one year anniversary of Miho no Matsubara’s enlistment in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Past Performances

September 7, 2014 (World Premiere)

A-EN Project Shizuoka Concert 2014

Hagoromo Hotel, Shizuoka, Japan

Mayumi Miyata (Shō), Masayuki Niino (Perc.)

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June 28, 2016

Chatori Shimizu Portrait Concert 2015

Kioi Hall, Tokyo, Japan

Naoyuki Manabe (Shō), Yuna Yanagawa (Perc.)

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March 23, 2017 (US Premiere)

University of Hawaii at Manoa: Composer's Workshop Meeting

University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI

Chatori Shimizu (Shō), Yuna Yanagawa (Perc.)

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June 15, 2018

nief norf Research Summit 2018: New Asia

University of Tennessee Powell Recital Hall, Knoxville, TN

Chatori Shimizu (Shō), Gordon Fry (Perc.)