"Dawn, when the sun starts to rise, one can't help but feel whimsical about the color changes as night becomes day.

With morning comes the feeling that something will happen, that we live a life guided by the sun. This work depicts the power of "beginning". The English title "Ritual" does not mean a sacred ritual, though we presume lives directed by sunlight have much to do with religion and beliefs.

The work has an ascending phrase and motif, a strong fanfare introduction, an allegro with three beats centering on drums and horns, and a mysterious middle part featuring "Shinto ritual" harmony. Wind instruments and percussion play different roles throughout the entire song while aiming for a three-dimensional acoustic image.

This has been arranged for flexible instrumentation from my ensemble, brass quintet plus percussion trio.

(Yosuke Fukuda)