Hibakusha and Nobel Peace Laureate Setsuko Thurlow
During the development of New Nostalgia, I had the privilege of meeting Setsuko, Hiroshima survivor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Her insights into the lasting impact of the atomic bomb and her dedication to peace offered essential guidance, helping to shape the project with a deeper sense of responsiblity and legacy.
Composer’s Notes
New Nostalgia: Embers of Memory embodies the delicate beauty of transformation, where nostalgia melds with the spark of renewal. Rooted in the distinctly Japanese aesthetic of cherishing "the good old days (古き良き時代)" this work
embraces the duality of honouring tradition while boldly stepping toward an ever-evolving future.
While working on this project, I uncovered my own family roots in Hiroshima. What started as a last-minute chance meeting quickly grew into a deeply personal project. I'm incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to score this project!
Act I — Ashes in the Rain
The work begins in the desolate soundscape that followed the atomic bombing. Wind and rain intermingle, echoing the black rain that fell over Hiroshima. The vibraphone, chosen at the request of the commissioner, rises within the storm as a fragile shimmer against the devastation. Soon, the koto enters, grounding the atmosphere in a distinctly Japanese sonority.
Act II — The Lost Soul
A solitary passage unfolds, stripped of ornamentation. This act embodies disorientation, the feeling of being unmoored in the aftermath of catastrophe. The soloist wanders in search of footing, mirroring the turmoil of a spirit dislocated from its world.
Act III — Fire of Industry
Here the music surges with relentless force. Urgency and drive evoking the post-war transformation of Japan an industrial era rising at full speed. The ferocity of progress overshadows memory, pushing attention toward the future with unyielding momentum.
Act IV — Embers of Memory
When the dust finally settles, a space opens for reflection. Fragments of earlier material reappear transformed. What emerges is neither pure remembrance nor unbridled progress but a quiet reconciliation, a “new nostalgia” that honours the past while embracing the future.
Choreographer: @yuiugai
Performers: Yuichiro Inoue, Mio Sakamoto, Derek Souvannavong
Music: Dylan Tomiharu
Dramaturg: Maxine Heppner
Paper Arts: Christine Kim
Costumes: Michiko Inoue
Photography&Videography: Drew Berry