Cherry blossoms falling one by one on a timeless day in Japan. All of a sudden, the wind blows the petals off of the branches and into the air. All you can see is light pink falling all around you. The blossoming of the flowers symbolize a time of renewal, but the sea of flowers don’t last long. The Japanese feel that the magic of Cherry blossoms lie in their short, but breathtakingly beautiful life.

The Sakura Sakura Variations for Flute Choir by Kazuko Stratmann is a versatile work which can be performed with a large flute ensemble, as well as a smaller chamber group with one player on each part. It is full of different colors and effects, enabling players the opportunity to imitate the sounds of two types of Japanese flutes, the Shinobue and the Shakuhachi.

Instrumentation:

• 4 C Flutes
• Alto Flute
• Bass Flute