The yearly National Theater's Hogaku Composers' Competition, entering its fourth year, has firmly established itself as an important institution for the hogaku world. The original aim of this contest was to generate interest in and foster new works of hogaku, and in this it seems to be succeeding quite well. Each year an increasing number of entries is tendered, and each year the level of composition rises as young composers experiment with new combinations of instruments and sounds.
What is especially notable is the increasing number of hogaku compositions submitted by foreigners. The grand prize winner of this year's contest, judged in a public concert held at the National Theater June 30, was Chinese composer Hu Yin Yue. Hu is presently a research student at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (Geidai). His winning composition, titled "Hama no Aki no Yoru no Tsuki wo (Moon at the Autumn Beach)," for koto, sho and percussion instruments, was inspired by the elegance of the Heian court, as gleaned from the "Tale of the Genji" and the writings of the famous Heian poet, Fujiwara Teika. The piece exhibited very sensitive use of the instruments, evocative of the lyrical lifestyles and sensibilities of the Heian courtiers.
"Zan Sho," for two shakuhachi, by Venezuelan student Rodrigo Segnini, made it to the finals but failed to win an award. Although a little long and overextended, the piece was interesting in its use of cleverly juxtaposed traditional shakuhachi performance techniques, performed by expert shakuhachi players Teruhisa Fukuda and Teruo Furuya.