Yuku haru ya (Spring passes)

Ivan Božičević, born in 1961, drew his inspiration for the eight-part meditation 'Yuku haru ya' from the famous haiku 'Departing Spring' by Matsuo Bashô. The secular a-cappella work for mixed choir is written in Japanese, yet the short text has been transliterated. This makes it easier to avoid the pitfalls of pronunciation as well as master the example words added to the sheet music edition which provide assistance of how to form vowels. Tone repetitions, sustained notes and subtle vocal sound layers make this Zen-like work on the parting of spring a charming, yet manageable piece even for young people. The jury of the International Competition for Choral Composition shared this view and gave the work the distinction 'Particularly suitable for youth choir' in 2013.