Hiraeth

Hiraeth, Cait Nishimura (2020/2025) 6'30"
for solo with piano (multiple instrumentation versions available) 

Hiraeth is a Welsh word used to describe a combination of homesickness, wistfulness, and nostalgia, particularly when referring to a place or time that one simply cannot return to.

While working on this project, I moved to a new home in a new city.  This move was a positive change, and offered a substantial improvement in personal health and well-being; it also meant leaving Toronto, a city I called home for eleven years. In this special place, I made lifelong friends, launched my career, and both found and shed several versions of myself. I grew to tolerate the concrete and urban noise, and I found solace in the magical green spaces the city weaves between. Walking from bustling streets to calm ravines, reflecting and reconnecting among trees older than buildings, feeling supported and inspired by the water. Hiraeth is a musical exploration of my experience saying goodbye to Toronto and discovering an internal sense of home.

This piece was commissioned and premiered by Carter Vernon (who was born in Toronto!) at Purdue University, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Five dollars from every purchase of this piece will be donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Thank you for helping to support this important work. To learn more, visit natureconservancy.ca

Available versions:
Bass Clarinet and piano
Bassoon and piano
Baritone Saxophone and piano
Trombone and piano
Euphonium and piano (Bb and C parts included)
Cello and piano