Children perform together with the orchestra! Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra "Dream Concert"

A world of art to visit, see and feel
File.11 Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra "Dream Concert"
Miyuki Inoue (Magcal Editorial Department)

The Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's "Dream Concert" is a wonderful project that visits elementary schools in the prefecture and allows children to experience live orchestral performances. What's fascinating is that it's not just about listening to the performance, but also about collaboration projects where everyone "makes music." I thought I would be able to hear some wonderful sounds, so I asked the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra if I could participate.

The school they visited on this day was Tsukui Elementary School in Yokosuka City. Prior to the concert, the band members had been holding a workshop there in December of last year. The atmosphere at the school was welcoming to the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, and the atmosphere was very friendly.

The Kanagawa Philharmonic currently has about 70 members, and more than 50 of them will be participating, making this a full-scale orchestral concert.
The members gathered in the morning and started off with a thorough rehearsal. Even during the lunch break, they could be seen discussing and confirming details for each part, and in the midst of the relaxed atmosphere, there was a sense of excitement for the performance.

And finally, the children enter!
The younger students were holding castanets and keyboard harmonicas, while the older students were holding recorders. Perhaps the children were getting excited about the real thing.

Yokosuka City is offering an opportunity for fifth graders to experience a Kanagawa Philharmonic concert at the Yokosuka Arts Theatre. However, it must be the first time for most of the children to experience a real orchestra. I was a little nervous about the unusual atmosphere of the gymnasium.
The concert began with some familiar pieces, the Prelude from Bizet's "Carmen" and "Farandole" from "L'Arlesien".

Suddenly it's so powerful!
Conductor Abe Mirai was also in the mood!
The volume of so many instruments ringing out at once is overwhelming.

Next, the children were introduced to the instruments of the orchestra, each of which chose a familiar piece to play. Some of the children even found themselves humming the melody, which was quite fun. Even though it was their first time seeing an instrument, they felt a little closer to it.

The violins were introduced by Yasunao Ishida, the principal solo concertmaster. I thought it was such a luxury to be able to listen to Ishida's violin up close... but it seems that larger instruments are more popular with children, and the tuba was a big hit!

And now it's time to show off the results of the workshop.
The lower grades participated in L. Mozart's "Toy Symphony" on castanets and keyboard harmonicas.
Meanwhile, upper grade students participated in Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" on recorder!

As many of you may know, "Pomp and Circumstance" is the song played at the end of the annual summer festival in the UK, and it's a very exciting song. The dramatic sound of the orchestra and the melody played by the children combine to create a sparkling music that can only be experienced here. It makes me feel strangely happy.

Next, everyone sang along to the Tsukui Elementary School original song "Minna Tsukuikko". Apparently, this song was written and composed by the students of Tsukui Elementary School and arranged for an orchestra. It's amazing... We can all listen to the song the children wrote and sing it together with the orchestra!
The final piece was "Finlandia" by Sibelius, and the entire gymnasium was filled with the passionate energy of the piece. The magnificent and beautiful music was truly moving.
For the encore, everyone sang the school song, which had been specially arranged for the orchestra. In addition, they received a CD of the song, recorded by the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra!
I'm sure that more children who participate in this program will think, "Orchestras are cool!" The future of classical music in Kanagawa Prefecture may be bright!

After the performance, I asked the members of the Kanagawa Philharmonic about their impressions of the day.

This is my fourth year here, and I'm grateful that I'm warmly welcomed at every school every year. Because I'm so close to the children, I can directly tell if they're a little sleepy or if they're listening intently, which is fun. (Abe Mirai/Conductor)

The corners where everyone sings together and plays together are really wonderful. I think many of the children will be listening to an orchestra for the first time, and I think it's a wonderful experience to create the atmosphere of the venue together. (Mari Furuyama/Oboe)

When we hold a concert in the gymnasium where we usually hold physical education classes and morning assemblies, everyone is all dressed up (laughs). It may be a little different from a concert hall, but the content we perform is the same. I can feel everyone's enjoyment, so it's almost more moving than I'd like to be. (Hirao Nobuyuki/Percussion)

This year's "Yume Concert" ended before spring break with fond memories. I'm already looking forward to next year's wonderful concerts and the opportunity to experience a variety of different music.