Fuyumi: An Exploration of a Modern Take on Japanese Classics Through the Lens of Humanity

Storytelling has existed since the dawn of human civilization. Across cultures, oral tradition was perhaps the most prominent practice in passing down tales. Especially in Japanese literature, oral traditions and storytelling through songs were best exemplified in traveling musicians and theater art, such as Kabuki and Noh through the utilization of ethnic instruments like the koto and biwa.
Storytelling since then has evolved and transitioned through many structures of methodology, techniques, and mediums. With today‘s popular media, Japanese storytelling can best be seen through cultural exports and online presentation of anime and manga. Yet, oral traditions of the past still have a historical significance and cultural impact on the Japanese world. Hence, with the modern development of Japanese storytelling and the existing art of oral tradition, a question arises on how these historic stories can be transformed and contextualized in a fashion such that Japanese oral traditional styles can be interpreted and cultivated in a modern perspective.
I aim to address that with the written work of Fuyumi and the musical and theatrical adaptation of the literature. The adaptation‘s goal is to develop insights and understanding into the traditional Japanese mediums of storytelling through a modern narrative inspired and based on those settings. Not only that, but the adaptation’s overarching goal is to offer a perspective of humanity through the connections that we make. Fuyumi‘s narrative is meant to be a reflection of the human experience. Oftentimes, there may be an invisible barrier in place between us and our ancestors, however, there may be more in common than we may first expect. Like a massive web of connections through interpersonal relationships, people are intertwined in a prevailing fact. To be human is to live.

“In the land of spirits and souls, it is the human realm that foretells histories and stories within fragmented visions and material pieces.
Though rivers retain the rush of flowing water and mountains harden in the midst of rock and soil, there remains a story of those without shape.
The wind, though important, saw no worth or control within itself.”
-Brian Vu

Hello everyone! My name is An Tran, I am a student of the Dewberry School of Music concentrating in Music Technology with a Minor in Audio Production. This semester, I am currently working on a music composition and stage play titled “Fuyumi”, roughly localized to “Wayward Wind”. The name and composition has been inspired by works from Joe Hisaishi and Hayao Miyazaki in their art of conveying stories. My goal with this project overall will be to produce a fully-realized stage play of a modernized take of Japanese Classics through multiple mediums.

Folklore and oral traditions have existed in human history for as long as we‘ve been around. Epics such as Heike Monogatari were orally passed down through generations of biwa performers. Hence, music has been intrinsically tied in the process of storytelling, creating traditions of folk tunes and dances that can be traced through lineages. Of the many differences that set humanity apart, stories and music reminds us of the shared human experience we all have.
Japanese storytelling has had its evolution throughout Japan‘s history. Whether it‘s through the form of Noh and Kabuki, or today‘s modern medium of Japanese Animations, stories are essential to how we can capture the perspective of humanity. The form of storytelling has come so far from what it has been in the past. The question is: How do we continue this “oral tradition” for our future generations?

Throughout this semester, my focus has been on the musical composition of Fuyumi. With the help of Dr. Gillam and Professor Dunayer, they guided me through the process of interpreting the original text provided for Fuyumi as well as what is thematically important. I researched and documented traditional Japanese folk tunes, including the music theory behind their melodies, rhythms, and usage. A big consideration that I accounted for was that I viewed much of these resources from a western lens of music. Inherently, Japanese traditional music is taught and notated differently than Western practices, in which I would need to carefully consider its adaptation. To gain experience in this, I joined a local taiko ensemble to further understand how music traditions would be taught in Japan. Finishing this semester, I was able to compose a short motif theme for Fuyumi using the experience that I have gained.

Fuyumi is a story meant to reflect the human experience. Throughout our lives, we have the chance to connect with many people, each with their own unique stories and struggles. Like a massive web that weaves and pulls, we as people are instinctively intertwined. To answer what it means to be human, is to live.