Sakura

In late 2019, I began work on a suite for two clarinets and piano titled "In a Small Garden", commissioned by fellow McNeese colleague, Riley Maggio. Each of the four movements in the piece evoked the characteristics of different types of flowers. The second movement, “Sakura,” takes its title from the Japanese name for the “cherry blossom.” The music is very skeletal and delicate, and within that movement, I implemented two Japanese folk songs: the "Edo Lullaby" and "Sakura, Sakura." The program notes for "In a Small Garden" were only meant to give a cursory glance at what the music of each of the four movements entailed. However, with the opportunity to re-orchestrate Sakura for a larger ensemble, I revised my thematic approach to the music to better justify my choice to create a work with a mournful tone and musical atmosphere. The “Sakura” is very symbolic in Japanese culture, often a symbol of the ephemeral nature of life, and my work acts as a musical depiction of and preparation for death.