Cait Nishimura (b. 1991) is a Canadian composer based in Waterloo, Ontario. She was also an instrumental music educator before committing herself to composing full time. She has written for many genres, including chamber and choral works, often inspired by her love of nature and the outdoors. She rose to prominence in the wind band world thanks to her win in the 2017 Canadian Band Association Composition Competition. She is also the co-host, with Dylan Maddix, of the Band Room Podcast. See more about her at her website, the Association of Canadian Women Composers, and the Wind Repertory Project.
The piece that won her this honor is Chasing Sunlight (2017). Her program note describes it best:
Chasing Sunlight was inspired by the experience of driving west into the setting sun, as if trying to keep up with the earth’s rotation to catch the last few rays of light before dusk. The steady eighth note motif throughout the piece represents this sense of urgency, while the soaring, lyrical themes depict the warmth and radiance of the sun low in the sky.
Just as the sun will always set, humans must accept the impermanence of all things in life, and make the most of every opportunity before it has passed. Chasing Sunlight also represents the ongoing pursuit of these opportunities.
This recording by Jason Caslor, chair of the Composition Competition, and the Arizona State University Wind Ensemble nicely captures the energy of this piece:
See more about Cait Nishimura at her website.