The composition of this piece was commissioned by Sagagakuen High School in 2016.This piece showcases the festival music of Kyushu, where Sagagakuen is located. It opens with the traditional music accompaniment of "Karatsu Kunchi," and the second half of this piece features the melody of "Nagasaki Kunchi.""Kunchi" is a term that collectively refers to the autumn festivals of Kyushu, with the kunchi of each region having its own unique characteristics and history. Among them, Karatsu Kunchi and Nagasaki Kunchi are two of the three most famous kunchi in Japan, and they are both magnificent festivals with a long history.Karatsu Kunchi features rousing chants and large festival floats adorned with lions, armors, and phoenixes which are paraded through the city. Nagasaki Kunchi is famous for its dragon dance which is performed in an exotic atmosphere that was inherited from foreign lands as far as China and Portugal.The title of this piece was inspired by phoenixes that adorn the festival floats of Karatsu Kunchi. The phoenix is a mystical bird that serves as a symbol of peace and happiness. It plays a major role in various tales from ancient Chinese mythology, where the phoenix is believed to have the power to calm thunders and storms as it soars through the sky, as well as how the sighting of a phoenix during the birth of an emperor signals that he will become a virtuous ruler. I composed this piece with the hope that the tradition of Kunchi, which embodies the lively spirit of local communities, will always continue to prosper like the phoenix soaring through the sky.
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