Album Notes

Under the direction of Ju, Tzong-Ching, Ju Percussion Group is one of the most important modern percussion groups in Asia and around the world. By blending traditional and contemporary aspects of both the East and the West, Ju Percussion Group's unique musical style and stage presence captivates audiences. Produced by Wu, Judy Chin-tai, the winner of the Golden Melody Awards, and recorded in 192K/24 bit high fidelity audio by Kavichandran Alexander (the recording engineer for the album winning the 36th Grammy Award in the category of Best World Music), this “best-of” album assembles pieces with various rhythmic characteristics, bringing us a brand-new and exciting listening experience.

The Night Train to the Star

This music draws its inspiration from the famous children's story of the same name: The Night Train to the Star, written in 1924 by Miyazawa Kenji, Japan's most beloved fantasy novelist. It is a story of two boys, Giovanni and Campanella, who journey through the galaxy on a train bound for heaven and beyond. The boys go from constellation to constellation meeting up with a variety of stellar characters until Campanella suddenly vanishes from the train. During their adventure, they encounter many interesting people, such as the hunter who catches birds and a girl who drowns when she is shipwrecked. Miyazawa's own younger sister died two years before he began writing this story, and many believe that this event played a central role for the author in writing the tale. While this special train seems to transport its passengers to their afterlives, The Night Train to the Star is not about suffering, nor about losing loved ones. In fact, the journey is a metaphor for death and grief. It reinforces the themes of resignation and the acceptance of fate. The story provides the base upon which the music develops.
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1. Prelude
The main melody begins with the announcement of the start of a galactic journey, when Giovanni falls asleep and into a fantastic dream.

2. The Train is on the Way
Giovanni finds himself with a seat on “The Night Train to the Star.” The melodies from four marimbas intertwine to mimic the sound of a train as it travels down the tracks and through tunnels.

3. Meeting with Campanella
Across from Giovanni sits his friend, Campanella. Thus, a journey around the Milky Way starts for the two boys.

4. A Bird Catcher
A sound like birds flapping their wings is heard. The boys find a bird catcher on board, who excitedly describes his fantastic tale: the birds he has caught transform into chocolate!

5. A Girl Drowning in Deep Waves
The next scene tells the story of a ship sinking into the sea. A girl struggles in the huge waves. What follows is the long sound of the marimba, symbolizing the girl’s death by drowning.

6. The Girl Joining the Journey
This piece of music describes how the girl’s mood turns from panic to acceptance. She boards the train, too.

7. Falling in Love
The train continues its journey through the Milky Way. The girl and Giovanni fall in love. The bright music in this section vividly describes their love.

8. Farewell in the Train Station
The melody returns to the main theme, which is the sound of the train on the tracks. Then, the train moves slowly to a stop as it approaches the station.

9. Dancing to Say Good-bye
As she prepares to disembark, the girl dances with Giovanni to express her love for him.

10. Lovesick
The girl gets off the train, leaving Giovanni behind. In sorrow, Giovanni yearns for the sweet time he and the girl spent together. The melodies of this section are set to minor keys, which intensify the melancholy scene.

11. From the New World.
Faraway sounds “From the New World” bring hope for tomorrow.

12. The Journey Resumes
The train resumes its journey. The musical performers use the vibrations of the marimba to signify that the locomotive is running again.

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About Koji Sakurai,

As the music supervisor of Indies Media, the director of NICE Society (Neo Inspiration to Cherish the Earth), and the former music director of NHK, Koji Sakurai is currently teaching music in the music departments of Soochow University, Shih Chien University, and Aletheia University. In 2005, Koji Sakurai composed the music and was responsible for the multimedia musical design for the production of “The Night Train to the Star,” a finalist in the category of Best Crossover Music in the Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan. Koji Sakurai has been actively participating in all forms of music production, composition and musical arrangement, and he has attended many live performances and musical concerts while living in Taiwan. He has partnered with numerous well-known pop artistes from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Koji Sakurai has taken on the roles of music supervisor, conductor, and musical performer, in addition to collaborating with many theatre and performing arts groups in Taiwan.