Hoichi is an original musical composition for orchestra. It is approximately 42 minutes in length. The piece is inspired by a Japanese folk tale entitled Hoichi, the Earless. This story about a blind lute player takes place in Shimonoseki, the city in which I was born. The contrast between chamber sonority and orchestral forces symbolizes Hoichi's battle against evil spirits. Although he eventually loses his ears and dies the music turns into a strong life assertion toward the end. I relate this to a Zen Buddhist notion: when you lose (transcend) everything, you gain everything. The piece ends with a placid ascending line, which represents spiritual purification of the evil spirits. On a more personal level, this work will be my attempt to console and encourage the victims and their families of the earthquake which struck Japan three years ago.