COUNTING STARS，for Orchestra（2019）

This is the second work I’ve composed for the Setagaya Junior Orchestra，which I serve as director. I wrote it to commemorate the orchestra’s tenth regular concert held in 2019. The previous work was entitled Prelude for the Coming Era，composed in 2011 and published by Zen-On Music. In contrast to this earlier piece，the music has a gentle，lyrical quality and explores the idea of each child likened to a star. It was due to be performed for the first time in 2020，but the premiere had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic. It was performed in 2021 under the baton of Yoshinao Kihara in what was essentially the orchestra’s eleventh regular concert but was actually referred to as an open rehearsal. The work had its formal premiere in 2022，since when it has also been performed by the Setagaya Junior Orchestra and an ‘adult’ orchestra under the direction of Kosuke Tsunoda.