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Claude Debussy—L’isle joyeuse (The Island of Joy) 

Allegedly inspired by Jean-Antoine Watteau’s painting L’embarquement pour Cythère, Debussy composed L’isle joyeuse in 1904 while he was on his own “joyful island” (the island of Jersey, in the British channel) with his mistress and future second wife, Emma Bardac. In Watteau’s painting, a group of travelers is depicted as having arrived at the mythical island of Cythera,  more famously known as the birth place of Venus, goddess of love. Couples are shown whispering excitedly to each other, some already cozying up among the dense foliage as the towering mountains, flying cherubs, and pristine lakes welcome the travelers. L’isle joyeuse captures this excited, amorous mood in the longest single movement piano piece that Debussy wrote. 

— written by Sakurako Kanemitsu, 2017

I chose to present a kind of portrait of Joe Hisaishi’s music because as a Japanese-American, I felt that this would be an elegant way of uplifting the voice of an exceptional Asian artist in the midst of a worrying rise of anti-Asian hate during the past year. Hisaishi’s works are at once relatable, sophisticated, and carry an air of nostalgia reminiscent of Chopin’s works that have the ability to touch listeners emotionally — impossible not to fall in love with. Hisaishi’s musical language blends jazz harmony with traditional Japanese chords/scales, and uses classical techniques to create a beautiful, unmistakable sound-world. Listening and performing his music has been therapeutic for me, and I hope for you it will also bring a little bit of joy.

— written for CapRadio, July 2021