BORÉAS for Orchestra（2019）

冰雪临城/Boréas is a single-movement symphonic fantasy inspired by Boreas, the god of the north wind, winter, and ice in Greek mythology, as well as by the delicate depictions of the north wind and snow in the millennia-old tradition of classical Chinese poetry. Among these, the lines by Yuan Haowen (1190–1257 AD):
乾坤展清眺，万景若相借。北风三日雪，太素秉元化。
“Heaven and earth unfold so clear,
As if all sights were lent to cheer.
North winds brought days of snow,
All things unfold by nature’s low.”
provided essential inspiration for the work’s structure and thematic conception. The piece leads listeners on a journey through wind and snow, crystallizing both the howling of the bitter wind and the glittering of ice, while concealing vitality within the harshness—beneath winter’s solemn silence stirs a hidden anticipation of spring, instilling warmth and hope into the silent depths of cold.
I composed 冰雪临城/Boréas in 2019, and it received its world premiere in early 2020 by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. More than a musical experience, it carries my prayer for healing in the world: may every note become a glimmer of light, illuminating the path toward a radiant future.

Toru Takemitsu Composition Award 1st Prize (2020)