CAIT NISHIMURA
THE NATURE OF TREES
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for concert band
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CAIT NISHIMURA
THE NATURE OF TREES for concert band
Duration: 4:00 Dif culty: Grade 3 Instrumentation
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Program notes and publishing information:
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Flute 1, 2 Oboe Bassoon B♭ Clarinet 1, 2, 3 B♭ Bass Clarinet E♭ Alto Saxophone 1, 2 B♭ Tenor Saxophone E♭ Baritone Saxophone B♭ Trumpet 1, 2 F Horn 1, 2 Trombone 1, 2 Euphonium (B♭ treble part included) Tuba Timpani Glockenspiel Percussion 1 (chimes, snare drum) Percussion 2 (hi hat, suspended cymbal)
The Nature of Trees is dedicated to everyone in the music education community. To me, the nature of trees is love, resilience, patience, strength, adaptability, interconnectedness, and so much more. The nature of trees is to co-create an environment in which everyone can thrive, and I think this is a perfect metaphor for what we do in music education.
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This piece was commissioned by the National Band Association at Indiana University to be premiered by the IU Concert Band, conducted by Dr. Jason Nam. The students asked me to create a piece that would explore the emotional experience of returning to band after an extended hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted to give them something hopeful, but I also wanted to be honest. This chapter of our lives has been tumultuous, heartbreaking, and transformative; we are not returning to the world we knew before. Writing this piece meant facing these feelings and allowing them to exist alongside gratitude and optimism. And so, this piece includes a wide spectrum of emotions, including moments of joy, yearning, hesitation, nostalgia, and of course, hope. The members of the NBA-IU collaborated with the IU Center for Rural Engagement, and invited four local high school bands and their directors to participate in this project:
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Paoli High School (Bill Laughlin and Christian Karkosky) Salem High School (Bonnie Harmon) Brown County High School (Matt Finley) Southridge High School (Lannie Butler)
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I am grateful to these communities for their support of this project and thrilled to have been able to contribute to a meaningful musical experience for their students.
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As a small gesture of appreciation to the trees that sustain all life and provide inspiration for music such as this, one dollar from every sale of this piece is donated to Tree Canada. Thank you for helping support this important work.
Copyright © Cait Nishimura (SOCAN) All rights reserved. Published by Cait Nishimura Music | caitnishimura.com Distributed by Just a Theory Press | justatheorypress.com First published in 2022; second edition published in 2026 Front cover photography and design by Cait Nishimura
SCORE commissioned by the National Band Association at Indiana University for the Indiana University Concert Band, conducted by Dr. Jason Nam
THE NATURE OF TREES
B♭ Clarinet 1
B♭ Clarinet 2
B♭ Clarinet 3
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone 1
Alto Saxophone 2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
B♭ Trumpet 1
B♭ Trumpet 2
F Horn 1
F Horn 2
Trombone 2
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Glockenspiel
Percussion 1 Chimes Snare Drum
Percussion 2 Hi-Hat Suspended Cymbal
F. Hn 2
F. Hn 1
© Cait Nishimura 2022 / 2026 (SOCAN) All rights reserved Published by Cait Nishimura Music | caitnishimura.com Distributed by Just a Theory Press | justatheorypress.com
PE
Trombone 1
SA L
Bassoon
U
Oboe
R
Flute 2
E
R
O
joyful, with ease ( = 120)
SC
Flute 1
CAIT NISHIMURA
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Chim.
Perc. 2
PE
Tbn. 1
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
O
Bsn
SA L
Ob.
U
Fl. 2
R
Fl. 1
SC
A
9
3
Hi-Hat
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Bar. Sax.
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Chim.
Perc. 2
Bar. Sax.
PE
Tbn. 1
Bar. Sax.
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
SA L
Bsn
U
Ob.
R
Fl. 2
SC
17 Fl. 1
O
4
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Chim.
Perc. 2
PE
Tbn. 1
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
SA L
Bsn
U
Ob.
R
Fl. 2
O
B expansive
SC
24 Fl. 1
5
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Chim.
Perc. 2
rit.
PE
Tbn. 1
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
SA L
Bsn
U
Ob.
R
Fl. 2
O
Fl. 1 32
SC
6
To Sus. Cymb.
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Chim.
Perc. 2
PE
Tbn. 1
Sus. Cymb.
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
O
Bsn
U
Ob.
R
Fl. 2
SC
C yearning ( = 60)
SA L
Fl. 1 39
7
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
PE
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Chim.
Perc. 2
F. Hn 1
F. Hn 2
a tempo (a little more con dent)
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
rit.
SC
Bsn
SA L
Ob.
D hesitant but hopeful ( = 52–60)
R
Fl. 2
U
49 Fl. 1
O
8
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Chim.
Perc. 2
PE
Tbn. 1
= 66
E
Cl. 3
warm, growing
R
Cl. 2
O
Cl. 1
accel.
SA L
Bsn
U
Ob.
R
Fl. 2
SC
59 Fl. 1
9
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Sn. Dr.
Perc. 2
To Sn. Dr.
Sn. Dr.
PE
Tbn. 1
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
SC
Bsn
E majestic and nostalgic = 70
SA L
Ob.
R
Fl. 2
U
Fl. 1 66
O
10
NISHIMURA - THE NATURE OF TREES
Cl. 3
B. Cl.
A. Sax. 1
A. Sax. 2
T. Sax.
Bar. Sax.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2
Hn. 1
Hn. 2
Tbn. 2
Euph.
Tba
Timp.
Glock.
Sn. Dr.
Perc. 2
PE
Tbn. 1
E
Cl. 2
R
Cl. 1
SA L
Bsn
U
Ob.
R
Fl. 2
O
Fl. 1
= 60
SC
rit.
74
11
E R SC O L U SA R PE
NISHIMURA: THE NATURE OF TREES JAT-161-035-FS
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