Title: Zoom!
Duration: Approximately 7 minutes
Composer: Shawn E. Okpebholo
Work composed: 2020
World premiere: Zoom! was first heard in December 2021 via digital streaming. Its premiere was performed by the strings and percussion of the US Air Force Band conducted by Col. Don Schofield.
Instrumentation: strings, percussion (written for one percussionist, playing the following instruments: castanets, hi-hat, tambourine, crotales (high-pitched brass discs), 2 tom toms, triangle)
Revive - Concerto for Koto and Shakuhachi
1. Sunrise
2. Pray
3. Future
Yugo Kanno was born in Japan and his first love of music came from the eclectic tastes of his father who, as Kanno describes him, was a devout “audiophile.” Kanno received all of his musical education in Japan, achieving his degree from the Tokyo College of Music. In 2004, he made his compositional debut for Japanese television, and according to his website, from that time onward, “he has been active in a wide range of music productions such as movies, TV dramas, anime (animation), and documentaries.” Best known and extremely popular for musical scores to accompany video, Kanno’s inspiration in writing for orchestra, however, began around 2007 with a growing fascination and joy for live orchestral music. Since then, he’s written two symphonies and various other orchestral works – one of them being Revive written between 2013 – 2014, a concerto for two hugely important traditional Japanese instruments, the koto and the shakuhachi.
Japan’s long and rich culture has celebrated centuries of music for all kinds of purposes and instruments. The koto, a 13 (or more)-stringed zither-like harp, first arrived in Japan from China (known there as the gu-zheng) in the 7th and 8th Centuries; it quickly evolved into a distinctly Japanese cultural instrument and found its place in nearly every part of society. An entire genre of music grew up around the plucked koto, and one of the genre’s branches included it as an accompanying instrument to the shakuhachi. The soothing, breathy sounds of the shakuhachi – an end-blown bamboo flute that is played forward, like a recorder – became important during the Edo period from 1603 to 1867. It was first used by Buddhists as an alternative to singing chant. The two instruments continue to evolve in Japanese traditional music, and there is now a wealth of modern repertoire for koto and shakuhachi. From centuries ago through present day, the beautifully unique sounds of both instruments have come to be specifically associated with the aesthetic of Japan.
With those adored instruments in mind, Kanno used them as solo instruments in a concerto format. In a brief interview at an earlier performance with the Seattle Symphony in 2015, Kanno explained:
“Under the name Revive, I composed these movements to express Japan itself. The first movement being Sunrise, the second Pray, and third Future. I hope the audience will be able to understand my thoughts as expressed through these songs.”
Kanno wrote the work in remembrance and in response to the tragedy of the Great (Tōhoku) East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in 2011. The disaster claimed over 18,000 lives, and caused the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor to partially fail. Kanno’s musical representation begins on the quiet morning of the earthquake in the first movement, “Sunrise,” through the harrowing moments of its destruction, evacuations, and the growing crisis with the Fukushima Nuclear plant in the second movement, “Pray,” and ends in hope and the strength of perseverance and rebuilding in the final movement, “Future.”
Revive begins with a beautiful serenade from the koto (the zither). Aside from the joy of hearing its calming and iconic voice, watching a koto virtuoso is an aesthetic wonder in itself. The shakuhachi (flute) is equally a delight to hear, and the virtuosity demanded from both of these soloists is inspiring. Kanno’s orchestral writing, too, is wonderfully imaginative and powerful. There are more than a few moments that give us goosebumps, and plenty that are playful – listen particularly in the last movement for when the orchestra members, as well as the shakuhachi soloist, put down their instruments and actually clap rhythms. In all, Kanno captures the journey of Japan and its people, rather than the tragedy itself, making his Revive extremely moving and poignant, and ultimately, optimistic.
Kanno’s website ends each page with his promise to continue support for the victims of the 2011 Earthquake and the area’s rebuilding:
Twelve years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and although the situation is still difficult, we sincerely pray for the earliest possible recovery of the affected areas, and will continue to make donations and support activities. We will carry out support activities such as donations for those who have been affected. YUGO