When It Blooms

A prelude inspired by Beethoven’s 9th Symphony that can be played attacca into its first movement or performed as a standalone piece.

Instrumentation

Full Orchestra (3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/timp+3/hrp/cel/strings)

Duration

3 minutes

Year Composed

2026

Commission Info

This piece was commissioned by and written for conductor Ryo Hasegawa, and The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.

(Music starts at 15:20)

About the music

In elementary school, my music teacher taught us to sing Sakura, Sakura (さくらさくら — "Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms"), a traditional Japanese folk song celebrating the arrival of spring. I learned that the cherry blossom holds a special place in Japanese culture precisely because of its brevity: blossoming for only a few weeks each year, its fleeting beauty becomes a quiet meditation on the transience of life — and a reminder to cherish each moment while it lasts.

There was a cherry blossom tree in front of our family home. I spent countless afternoons at the living room window, watching pink petals drift in the breeze, not yet knowing that quiet scene would become one of my most treasured memories. I haven't been back in fifteen years. But when I close my eyes, I can still see it clearly — like the face of a dear old friend.

That image has stayed with me. Now I try to find the "cherry blossom tree" in every situation and every person I meet — even if it blooms only briefly, even if I have to leave it behind. The memory still brings a smile to my face, and for that alone, I am grateful.

There is an Okinawan proverb: Though we meet but once, even by chance, we are friends for life. Beethoven's Ninth was built on a radical idea — that all people are equal, and worthy of joy. Perhaps in 2026, we can hold onto another: that everyone we meet, however briefly our paths have crossed, is already a friend for life.