Boreal Pines
Cait Nishimura
Ensemble: Concert Band
Grade: 3
Duration: 04:00
Year of Composition: 2021
Commissioned by: École McTavish H.S. Band (Ashley Brockway, director)
Publisher: Cait Nishimura
Year of Publication: 2022
Publisher Catalog Number: CNM037
Available: Yes
How to Acquire: Publisher, Purchase
Links:
Flutes 1,2
Oboe
Bassoon
B♭ Clarinets 1,2,3
B♭ Bass Clarinet
E♭ Alto Saxes 1,2
B♭ Tenor Sax
E♭ Baritone Sax
B♭ Trumpets 1,2
F Horns 1,2
Trombones 1,2
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Vibraphone
Glockenspiel
Percussion 1 (Chimes, Suspended Cymbal)
Percussion 2 (Suspended Cymbal, Bass Drum)
One dollar from every purchase of this piece will be donated to Tree Canada’s Operation ReLeaf, an ongoing program working to reclaim the loss of trees from the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.
Program Notes:
Boreal Pines was commissioned by Ashley Brockway and the Ecole McTavish HS band to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta. This forest fire devastated over 7000 square kilometres of forest and the entire town was evacuated. As one can imagine, this was a highly traumatic event that has had lasting impacts on all who call Fort McMurray home. (Watch this documentary about their story.)
Fort McMurray is situated within the boreal forest, which is a bioregion that supports an extensive network of plants, animals, and fungi. The coniferous forests of this region are resilient and, in many cases, have adapted to depend on fire for regeneration. Some species have pine cones which only release seeds under extreme heat; a forest fire can set this cycle of the forest into motion. The pines of the boreal forest are known for their ability to bounce back after hardship, and so are the people of Fort McMurray.
This piece consists of nature-inspired imagery and reflects the mixed emotions of the community as they rebuild: aleatoric passages represent uncertainty, while hopeful melodies encourage finding and creating light within the darkness.
(Cait Nishimura)
