KA-GU-RA for Band

It's remarkable that, through continuous efforts to preserve and pass down ancient traditions, we can still witness moments and places that offer a glimpse into Japan's "original landscape" that has endured for over a thousand years.
When we take these landscapes to heart we are reminded that the deep-rooted spirit of the Japanese people remains ingrained in us, even as we eagerly pursue the new. Though we may chase after innovation, the fundamental flow of our cultural blood remains unchanged.Inspired by the mysticism and primal worldview of kagura-mai, a traditional form of sacred dance that lies at the heart of Japanese folk culture, I wrote KA-GU-RA for Band. The piece draws on various expressions of kagura, such as the elegant dance of shrine maidens (miko-mai), dengaku rituals praying for bountiful harvests, and the dynamic shishi-mai (lion dance) performed to wish for health and prosperity.
Performed with light, rhythmic drums and festive accompaniment, kagura often features dancers wearing masks like hyottoko, okame, or kitsune (fox). Kagura embraces the full spectrum of human emotion-from mystery and reverence to laughter.
(Yosuke Fukuda)

Performance Notes:
Regarding percussion, the ideal setup follows traditional ohayashi style, using two pairs of drums with different pitches-typically two shime-daiko and two nagado-daiko. However, if these instruments are unavailable, playing with a single drum without regard to pitch is also acceptable.
Alternative combinations, such as bongos & conga, or two snare drums (including one with snares off) and two toms, are also doable.
Using standard orchestral percussion with the selective addition of Japanese taiko drums can also be effective.
On the CD Ile des Pins (Brain Music), where this piece is recorded under the supervision of the composer, the chosen instrumentation includes two shime-daiko, a yagura-daiko, and kagura suzu (sacred bells used in kagura).

(Yosuke Fukuda)