
1st prize, 2020 Sally Slade Warner Arrangements Competition
Itsuki Lullaby is a folk song from Itsuki village, in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. This is one of many Japanese folk songs that were sung by little girls from poor families who were sent to serve ruling class families. Unlike the Western classical lullabies that were sung for babies by their parents, this folk song was sung by teenage girls who were forced to babysit their landlord's children. Therefore, the lyrics of Itsuki Lullaby represent the little girls' miserable circumstances and nostalgia for their family. Since it is a lullaby, there are no loud or busy sections. However, in this arrangement, I wanted to express the anger and frustration these girls must have had, adding impetuous rhythms and dynamics, utilizing the full power of carillon instrument.
—Naoko Tsujita