Commissioned by Shikamoto Junior High School Wind Ensemble, Tokyo, Japan, and premiered at the 2016 Tokyo Junior High School Ensemble Contest. It was inspired by an ancient legend of a sacred deer.
The work is built around the brass fanfare theme at the opening and the woodwind tuplets as its principal musical materials, which are transformed and expanded throughout the piece. Taking advantage of the mixed instrumentation, I also incorporated a variety of timbral combinations.
While this ensemble, in which woodwinds, brass, and percussion coexist, presents challenges in balancing volume, its great appeal lies in its rich variety of tonal colors. Please bring out that appeal in a dynamic performance.

(Kento Ishikawa)