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Natsumi Yamamoto's Utage Added to Zen-On's Rental Catalogue

Feb. 28, 2025

Natsumi Yamamoto'sUtage was recently added to Zen-On’s rental catalogue. Commissioned by Gunma Symphony Orchestra, the work premiered at Takasaki City Theatre for the orchestra’s 598th Subscription Concert on May 25, 2024. The wind ensemble version, co-commissioned by conductor Keitaro Harada and the Hamamatsu International Wind Instrument Academy and Festival, was premiered at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall on August 3, 2024, and at Act City Hamamatsu on August 5, 2024. Both performances were conducted by Keitaro Harada.

Utage is about five and a half minutes in duration and incorporates the melodies of two Japanese folk songs: "Yagibushi" and "Kusatsubushi," beginning with a lilting phrase, then developing into a lively, dynamic section.


Utage, version for wind ensemble/Natsumi Yamamoto/
Hamamatsu Academy World Dream Wind Orchestra/Keitaro Harada, conductor

Natsumi Yamamoto was born in 1998 in the city of Sendai. After studying at Miyagi Prefecture Sendai Daini High School, she entered the Tokyo University of the Arts, graduating from the Department of Composition in the University’s Faculty of Music.

Yamamoto was awarded the Prize for Excellence in the 4th Improvisation Auditions sponsored by the Ichikawa City Culture Promotion Foundation. Some of her works were selected for inclusion in the New Composition Project 2023 sponsored by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Suntory Hall and in the Wayo no Hibiki IV series of concerts of Japanese and Western music presented in 2023 at the Ishikawa Ongakudo hall in the city of Ishikawa.

Her work, Utage was commissioned by the Gunma Symphony Orchestra and premiered in May 2024. This was followed by the first performance of her arrangement of the work for wind ensemble in August 2024 made in response to a commission received jointly from the 30th Hamamatsu International Wind Academy and Festival and Keitaro Harada. Her subsequent work, Kodama was commissioned by the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra and premiered in September 2024.

Natsumi Yamamoto studied composition with Shu Yashima, Yoshio Kojima, Keiichi Morigaki and Akio Yasuraoka, piano with Ikuko Shimomura, Midori Shoji and Erina Morita, and improvisation with Masataka Hirano. She has composed and arranged for a wide range of instruments and ensembles including solo instruments, orchestra and Japanese traditional instruments such as the koto, the shakuhachi, the shō and the hayashi ensemble. She also plays the piano in the Japanese traditional instrumental trio SUIMEI.

To learn more about Natsumi Yamamoto, visit zen-on.co.jp.

Natsumi Yamamoto
Utage (2024)
version for orchestra
2(2.pic).1+eh.2.2-4.2.2+btbn.1-timp.3perc:shime-daiko/bongo/woodblk/tamb/slgh-bells/chanchiki/sus.cym/tgl/wind chime/tam-t/SD/cabasa/BD/ratl/tbells/tom-t-str
5.5'
View sample pages

Utage (2024)
version for wind ensemble
pic.2.1.eh.Ebcl.3Bbcl.acl,2asax.tsax.bsax.2-4.3.2.btbn.2euph.1-cbn-timp-3perc:shime-daiko/bongo/woodblk/tamb/slgh-bells/chanchiki/sus.cym/tgl/wind chime/tam-t/SD/cabasa/BD/ratl/tbells/tom-t
5.5'
View sample pages

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