Suite for the Forgotten 

Three Movements for Jazz Orchestra, 4 strings and horn

 

I. Grief and Wrath (photos in video below courteously provided by Jun Nakasuji)

II. Wasururuka (performed by Suguru Ito) 

III. A Song for Children (photos in video below courteously provided by Nonoko Kameyama)

Recital Poster above courteously provided by Shotaro Nakakuki

 

 

About the suite: 

Suite For The Forgotten is an original composition that is dedicated to people who are currently living in Fukushima (Japan) and its surrounding areas. The piece is comprised of three movements (“I. Grief and Wrath,” “II. Wasururuka,” “III. A Song for Children.”)

 

The tragic Great East earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan March 11, 2011. The disaster not only took thousands people’s lives away but also caused Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant meltdown. Due to high radioactive leakage from the plants, thousands of people had to leave their hometowns. It has been said that some of those areas that have been contaminated by radiation will not be safe for habitation for the next fifty to a hundred years. There are still many people in Fukushima who are still living in temporary housing, and many have been struggling with their inconvenient living environments.

 

Even though Fukushima has been going through various on-going issues, I feel that they have been forgotten by the world. My hope is to raise awareness of severe hardship Fukushima will continue to confront. The first movement, Grief and Wrath, expresses feelings of people in Fukushima who have been struggling with issues caused by radiation leakage. The second movement, Wasururuka, reflects my own sincere sympathy toward this incident. Wasururuka means “Have you forgotten?” in Japanese. In this piece, I have applied an old Japanese poem included in Kanginshu, a collection of Japanese songs and ballads written about five hundred years ago. The final movement, A Song for Children, represents children in Fukushima who have been facing these extremely tough situations, yet have fountain of energy that gives us a light of hope for future.

 

Many thanks to Ian Thomas Ash for his documentary A2-B-C from which I found much inspiration to create this work. 

 

Ensemble Personnel: Movement I and III

Masa Ishikawa (conductor) Sarah Cosano (flute, soprano, alto saxophone) Mike Dee (flute, alto saxophone) Patrick Brown (clarinet, tenor saxophone) Bobby Fuson II (baritone saxophoone, bass clarinet) Russell Zimmer (trumpet/flugelhorn) Jesse McBee (trumpet/flugelhorn) Jacob Roan (trumpet/flugelhorn) Kaylene Beal-Diaz (horn) Derek Molacek (trombone) Tate Rittenberger (trombone) Amber Kaul (bass trombone) Emma Nelson (violin) Jason Fleisner (violin) Justin Lepard (cello) Kara Baxter (violin) Molly Rezich (cello) Aaron Stroessner (guitar) John Kosch (piano) Max Stehr (acoustic bass) Chris Varga (drums)

 

Movement II: Suguru Ito (piano)