The Tohoku Fukushi University Wind Ensemble, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, is a Japanese wind band that has forged a profound relationship with composer Satoshi Yagisawa, who has composed six works commissioned by the ensemble so far. Their present musical director and conductor is Taiken Matsuzaki, trombonist with the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, whose solo performance of Satoshi Yagisawa’s Vocalise is available as a CD released by De Haske. Yagisawa’s commission from the March 2012 graduates is as follows: “We want to perform a new piece that can be played with our teacher, Mr. Matsuzaki, in our regular annual concert programme. We’d like to express our appreciation for all that we have learned from him over the last four years—not by words or deeds, but by music”. The composer leapt at the chance and the result is a work that is presented to Mr. Matsuzaki on behalf of all the alumni. Zelkova is a symbolic tree of Sendai City, and the music reflects Mr. Matsuzaki’s generous personality along with the warmth of feeling expressed by the students of the Tohoku Fukushi University Wind Ensemble. This piece was premiered by the 2012 alumni, conducted by the composer and with solo trombone by Taiken Matsuzaki, in the regular concert of the Tohoku Fukushi University Wind Ensemble, December 2011.
