

PERUSALSCORE
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CAIT NISHIMURA GOLDEN HOUR
for cello and piano

PERUSALSCORE
CAIT NISHIMURA
GOLDEN HOUR
for cello and piano
Duration: 6:00
Instrumentation:Cello and Piano
Program note and publishing information:
The “golden hour” is the magical period of time just before sunset when the sun is low in the sky and casts a beautiful, warm glow across the horizon. This piece was inspired by an exciting and rewarding journey through Yosemite National Park to reach the Glacier Point overlook before sundown. Driving up the steep mountain roads felt like a race against time, with the sunset already in progress. Along the way, we experienced jaw-dropping vistas over the edge of rocky cliffs; the colours in the sky shifted from vibrant blue and orange to hazy pink and purple. We drove through extensive areas of forest damaged by recent wild res– a visceral reminder of the impacts of our changing climate and the need for balance in nature. When we arrived at the lookout, we were rewarded with a magnicent and exhilarating view of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley set against a glowing sky (as shown on the cover of this score!) It was perfect timing to witness the last moments of sunset before the sky faded calmly into dusk.
Golden Hour was rst written for horn and piano before being transcribed for a variety of other solo instruments. The original was commissioned by the following horn players:
Matthew Anderson (consortium lead)
Inga Augustaitis - Elk Grove Village, IL
Julia Ferguson - Ashland, OR
Matthew Haislip - Starkville, MS
Brandon Houghtalen - Abilene, TX
Alexis House - Fort McMurray, AB
Michael Mikulka - Austin, TX
Eric Reed - New York City, NY
Kristen Ronning - Chicago, IL
Piper Shiels - Richmond Hill, ON
Mike Simpson - Renton, WA
Ryan Wehrle - Winnipeg, MB
A special thank you to Brian Barber for his signi cant contribution to Golden Hour's piano part, including the beautiful play-along recording provided for all solo versions.
One dollar from every purchase of this piece will be donated to The Nature Conservancy of Canada. Thank you for helping to support this important work.
Copyright © Cait Nishimura (SOCAN) All rights reserved.
Published by Cait Nishimura Music | caitnishimura.com
PERUSALSCORE
Distributed by Just a Theory Press | justatheorypress.com
First edition published in 2020; second edition in 2025
Front cover photography and design by Cait Nishimura


CAIT NISHIMURA
gentle and expansive
with pedal ad. lib. throughout
Cello
Piano
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Nishimura:Golden Hour (Cello) JAT-161-002.07-SP