Aurora II was composed in 2021 at the request of Yumi Kawamoto, Director of Asahi Junior High School band in Mie Prefecture, Japan. The theme, inspired by the school's name "Asahi" (meaning "morning sun"), is named after "Aurora," the Roman goddess of dawn. Aurora represents a being who dispels darkness, brings light, and delivers hope. This was composed with the hope that the students, who have been practicing earnestly during the COVID-19 pandemic, would experience such a presence.

While the original "Aurora" featured a standard formation with choir, "Aurora II" was created as a smaller ensemble version, born out of discussions with the publishing company and with the consent of the commissioning body. I look forward to encountering many performances filled with hope.

Performance Notes:
The clarinet solo in measures 25 to 27 can also be played on a soprano saxophone. In that case, please refer to the clarinet music written for Bb instruments.
At rehearsal mark L, adding a chorus (scat) to the chorale is permitted. A chorus score is provided as an attachment, which can also be used to nurture musicality in practice.

(Satoshi Yagisawa)