Is classical music stiff? Boring?
The "insiders" of orchestras break down such preconceived notions and tweet in a light-hearted manner. This time, we gathered five "insiders" who are popular not only on Twitter but also in real life, and had them talk passionately about their "love for orchestras"!
Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra (hereinafter referred to as Kanagawa Philharmonic) This time, we gathered together after receiving a request from NHK Radio to perform. Initially, it was planned to be just the two of us, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra and myself, but we thought it would be a good opportunity to invite everyone, and we are grateful for their kind acceptance. I think it is good for the people behind the scenes to be able to casually talk to each other, which also helps to liven up the concert.
Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra (hereinafter referred to as Sendai Phil) In the first place, these are members I would never have met if it weren't for Twitter.
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra (hereinafter referred to as Tokyo Phil) That's true. Players interact with each other through supporting appearances and the like, but the administrative staff didn't have a chance to get to know other groups.
What can you do on Twitter ?
For those who have never heard the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, concert halls have an image of being "stiff" and "boring." But if you go, you'll definitely have fun! The first thing is to create an "opportunity" for people to experience that fun. Sometimes followers, not "insiders," tweet "See, it was fun, wasn't it?" to people who actually come.
The Tokyo Philharmonic 's SNS accounts make it easy to create a positive cycle where people can share their thoughts, so I hope we can keep it going smoothly.
The best part of a Sendai Philharmonic concert is listening to it live! It wouldn't get anywhere unless people came, so Twitter is the catalyst for that.
Japan Century Symphony Orchestra (hereafter referred to as Japan Century) Concerts are often perceived as highbrow events, but people enjoy them in different ways. Twitter can suggest various ways to enjoy the concert, so I hope you can choose the one that suits you best.
Although the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra focuses on classical music, there is also an increasing demand for film music and pop music. Some customers are put off by this because it is not classical music, but we perform every concert with the same motivation, and it is important that people experience the sound of the orchestra first. Twitter is a platform that customers from all genres can see, so it is good that we can communicate in a wide range of approaches.
Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra (Tokyo City Phil) One of the benefits of Twitter is that it allows us to send information in real time. We try to provide information that is easy for everyone to read, easy to understand, and easy to like, while also taking into consideration the time when it is convenient for everyone to view the content.
Mutual exchanges between Kanagawa Philharmonic fans are also taking place. With so many orchestras, it is meaningless to "only favor our orchestra." I think it is natural that after listening to our orchestra, a trend of "where should I go next?" will arise.
When the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra plays rare pieces, it is not rare for customers to come from overseas, such as Korea and Taiwan. This was unthinkable a long time ago, but it is also the power of the Internet, such as Twitter. SNS is very useful for delivering information to the people you want to reach.
There's even a hashtag on the Sendai Philharmonic 's Twitter account, "#GoTravelAndListenToTheOrchestra."
It would be great to travel in time for the Japan Century Concert, but I would also be happy if you had some free time while traveling and thought, "Wow, there's a concert like this, I want to go!"
As an insider, could you please introduce us to some of your most recent hit tweets?
Last year, Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra 's principal conductor, Kentaro Kawase, announced his marriage to announcer Yumiko Matsuo. It was the first day of rehearsal, so the orchestra spontaneously got excited and played the "Wedding March" as a surprise. Don't you think that's a blessing that only an orchestra can give? I tweeted it to let everyone know, and it caused a huge reaction.
Tokyo City Philharmonic: In December last year, we announced the full series of Dragon Quest concerts that will be held throughout the year starting in April this year, and when we tweeted about it, we received over 1,300 likes. That alone made us very happy, but we also saw tweets from people following our account, saying things like, "I've never had anything to do with classical music before, but I think I'll go and listen to a regular concert," and we're actually seeing an increase in such customers, so we're happier about this trend than anything else.
Tokyo Philharmonic does a lot of TV work, so we probably have a lot of material (laughs). In February of this year, we appeared on a music TV show, and it was right after Arashi announced that they were going on hiatus. I thought we had to join in the excitement, so I tweeted live from the start of the show. At the peak of the moment, the number of likes exceeded 6,000. I remember being stunned at how much the counter could move.
Japan Century Recently, I went on a concert tour mainly in Western Japan, and the conductor and soloist fans were very enthusiastic, and there were many people I was meeting for the first time, so in two weeks I gained more than 200 followers. However, I usually tweet about the everyday faces of the players who shine on stage, and about the work scenes of the staff.
People in the classical music industry tend to be categorized as "people from another world," so I wanted to send a message that the performers, the "people behind the scenes," and the people who composed the music hundreds of years ago are all the same as you all, the people reading my tweets.
At the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra's regular concert last year, we tweeted a video of percussionist Sho Sasaki's "one powerful bass drum hit," and before we knew it, the number of views had reached about 20,000! Please come to Sendai to hear this hit (lol).
What do you think is the appeal of an orchestra?
As Koichi Sugiyama, a professor at the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, once said, I feel that orchestral music is the best "feast" of music. I think the excitement of dozens of instruments, including strings, winds, woodwinds, and percussion, coming together to create a single piece of music is something that only an orchestra can offer. A live performance is the best way to immerse yourself in the deep, rich world of sound that these instruments create.
When I encounter a really good performance, the performers, the audience, the staff, the whole venue is enveloped in a happy atmosphere. I think that emotion can only be experienced "live".
Tokyo Philharmonic : That's right. After a great concert, everyone goes home with a happy look on their face. The people who gather at concert halls are very diverse. There are older people, but surprisingly, there are also young people. Don't you think it's amazing that people who have no connection to each other gather in one place? What's more, the sense of unity is wonderful!
I understand that there is a preconceived notion that orchestras are boring or tedious, but on the other hand, there is also an image of them as something high-class. First of all, please come with the thought, "I don't really understand it, but it seems amazing." You can't understand the unity of a live performance unless you experience it for yourself.
Much of the music in Japan Century Classical Music was created hundreds of years ago, so I think it's amazing to see it reproduced right in front of your eyes. Of course, it can be reproduced because the sheet music remains, but the "sound" disappears on the spot. Concerts are a way to have such a rare experience.
Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra music is something that anyone can enjoy freely. We are confident that you will have a great time if you come!
The real joy of listening to the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra live is, above all, listening to them live! It is the role of the people behind the scenes to create that opportunity.
thank you very much!
