Yukiko’s Nishimura’s Star Ship (composed in 2003) is a work that was inspired by the story of two star-crossed lovers (celestial beings) who fell deeply in love but were forbidden to see each other except once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month. This day corresponds to Tanabata, the star festival which is held annual to celebrate lovers who can at last be together. People hope for good weather on the day of the festival so that the deities can find one another in clear skies.

Nishimura’s piece expresses the longing that lovers feel when apart and joy experienced when they finally meet in five minutes of flowing melody and wistful lyricism as you will hear in this performance by the Hakarigaoka Girl’s School Wind Orchestra:

About the composer

Yukiko Nishimura (b. 1967, Kyoto) is a Japanese composer and pianist. Nishimura graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1990 and began graduate study in music with Alfred Reed at the University of Miami. Thereafter, she has trained under Atsutada Otaka, Richard Danielpour, and Giampaolo Bracali, among other musicians. In 1994, she returned to Japan where she has been giving concerts entirely of her own music. Ms Nishimura has received numerous commissions to compose for piano, marimba, percussion, chamber music, music for string instruments, band music and music for orchestra. Her compositions Bright Moon and Sparkleberry respectively won special mention at the 15th and 16th International Competitions for Original Compositions for Band held in Corciano, Italy.