UTAGE by up-and-coming composer Natsumi Yamamoto (1998-) is newly being added to Zen-On’s rental catalogue. Commissioned by Gunma Symphony Orchestra, the work premiered at Takasaki City Theatre for the orchestra’s 598th Subscription Concert on May 25, 2024. For wind orchestra version, co-commissioned by conductor Keitaro Harada and the Hamamatsu International Wind Instrument Academy and Festival, the work premiered at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall on August 3, 2024, and at Act City Hamamatsu on August 5, 2024. Both performances were conducted by Keitaro Harada.
The work is about five and a half minutes long and incorporates melodies of folk songs Yagibushi and Kusatsubushi, starting with a lilting phrase then developing into a lively, dynamic section.
■Natsumi Yamamoto: UTAGE (2024)
[Orchestra version]
Commissioned by Gunma Symphony Orchestra
World premiere: 25 May 2024. Takasaki City Theatre. Gunma Symphony Orchestra, cond. by Keitaro Harada
Instrumentation: 2(II=picc).1+eh.2.2-4.2.2+btrbn.1-timp.perc(3):shime-daiko/bongo/woodblk/tamb/slgh-bells/chanchiki/sus.cym/tgl/wind chime/tam-t/SD/cabasa/BD/ratl/tbells/tom-t-str
Duration: approximately 5 minutes 30 seconds
Details
Sample pages
[Wind Ensemble version]
Co-commissioned by Keitaro Harada & The Hamamatsu International Wind Instrument Academy and Festival
World premiere: 3 August 2024. Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall. 5 August 2024. Act City Hamamatsu. Hamamatsu Academy World Dream Wind Orchestra，cond. by Keitaro Harada
Instrumentation: picc, 2fl, ob, eh, 2bn, Ebcl, 3Bbcl, acl, bcl, 2asax, tsax, bsax, 3tpt, 4hrn, 2trbn, btrbn, 2euph, tuba, cb, timp, perc(3):shime-daiko/bongo/woodblk/tamb/slgh-bells/chanchiki/sus.cym/tgl/wind chime/tam-t/SD/cabasa/BD/ratl/tbells/tom-t
Duration: approximately 5 minutes 30 seconds
Details
Sample pages
YouTube
[Natsumi Yamamoto]
Natsumi Yamamoto was born in 1998 in the city of Sendai. After studying at Miyagi Prefecture Sendai Daini High School she entered the Tokyo University of the Arts, graduating from the Department of Composition in the university’s Faculty of Music.
She was awarded the Prize for Excellence in the 4th Improvisation Auditions sponsored by the Ichikawa City Culture Promotion Foundation.
Works by her were selected for inclusion in the New Composition Project 2023 sponsored by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Suntory Hall and in the Wayo no Hibiki IV series of concerts of Japanese and Western music presented in 2023 at the Ishikawa Ongakudo hall in the city of Ishikawa.
Her work UTAGE was commissioned by the Gunma Symphony Orchestra and received its première in May 2024 . This was followed by the first performance of her arrangement for wind ensemble of this same work in August 2024 made in response to a commission received jointly from the 30th Hamamatsu International Wind Academy and Festival and Keitaro Harada. Her subsequent work KODAMA was commissioned by the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra and received its world première in September 2024.
Natsumi Yamamoto studied composition with Shu Yashima, Yoshio Kojima, Keiichi Morigaki and Akio Yasuraoka, piano with Ikuko Shimomura, Midori Shoji and Erina Morita, and improvisation with Masataka Hirano. She has composed and arranged for a wide range of instruments and ensembles including solo instruments, orchestra and Japanese traditional instruments such as the koto, the shakuhachi, the shō and the hayashi ensemble. She also plays the piano in the Japanese traditional instrumental trio SUIMEI.
Website
SNS：@NatsumiComp
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