The Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra (hereinafter referred to as the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra) has been forced to cancel regular concerts in response to requests for self-restraint due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many people must have felt lonely without being able to touch live music.
But it's okay, the Kanagawa Philharmonic and the music are fine!
Since the verification of the effect of infection prevention measures and the formulation of prevention guidelines have been completed, concerts are gradually resuming. Seeing the various efforts for reopening, there must be a lot of people who have renewed their thoughts that "the music of the orchestra is supported by the power of various people...".
So this time, I visited the Kanagawa Philharmonic rehearsal venue and interviewed the staff who support the wonderful sound.
We visited the Kanagawa Art Hall in Hodogaya Prefectural Park. On this day, rehearsals were being held for a regular concert that resumed with a change in performers and program.
First of all, we started with setting up the stage according to the composition of the orchestra. The hall is designed to be widely used for practice and performances of music, drama, butoh, etc. The stage can be divided into three sections and each height can be changed in four stages, making setup very smooth.
The stage setting affects the orchestra's "sound", so be careful when arranging the chairs. Especially now, as a countermeasure against COVID-19, the distance between players is set wider, so we will carefully set up while measuring with a scale.
Each player has different tastes for the height and angle of the music stand, so we carefully adjust each stand. It's amazing that the staff has almost every member's taste in their heads!
The setup for the rehearsal is complete, using a wide area up to the front of the audience seats in the hall. Even though the work is done in the familiar art hall, it is amazing that it can be completed in less than an hour .
It seems that such stage construction is the job of a "stage manager", but who is that...?
We interviewed Mr. Atsuyuki Terakado, the stage manager of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.
What is the job of a stage manager?
In a nutshell, it is "everything other than the performance on stage". My job is to create an environment where the players can concentrate on playing without stress, so my specific duties are wide-ranging.
First of all, once the concert program is decided, I check the composition of the instruments and think about the arrangement of the instruments and their placement on the stage. When performing classical music at the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's home like today, the flow is almost complete, but at the first venue, I had a meeting with the person in charge to draw a layout plan, and I also learned about the loading and unloading of instruments and equipment. It is necessary to decide one by one. If you need an instrument that the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra doesn't have, you can rent it out, but in contemporary music, sometimes "instruments" appear that make you wonder, "What is this?" (smile).
If the composition changes for each program, we check the movement of the instruments and chairs at the rehearsal and decide on the arrangements so that the performance can proceed smoothly and safely. Furthermore, if something happens (such as an earthquake!), we have to respond quickly, so we can't take our eyes off the stage during the performance.
Do the stage settings change in many ways?
Of course, the instrumentation will differ depending on the song, but even for the same song, the arrangement will change depending on the size of the venue and the conductor, so it is necessary to make arrangements properly, especially when meeting for the first time. While looking at the balance between reverberation and ease of listening, we sometimes make adjustments to achieve the best conditions for the actual performance, or we decide on the overall layout in response to the request of the soloist, who specifies the position where he wants to perform. sometimes. Being able to feel the change in sound due to such settings may be what makes this job so interesting.
What is the charm of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra that Terakado-san feels?
I have known the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra for about 20 years, and I feel that it is an organization where the members can work together towards music. They perform not only in concert halls, but also in commercial facilities and outdoor spaces, and their repertoire ranges from classical music to contemporary music, opera and pops. I think that the accumulation of various experiences does not mean "good or bad" or "growth", but rather that the charm of the orchestra expands.
I couldn't listen to live performances for about half a year due to the corona crisis, so I was really happy when I heard live music for the first time in a while.
And then the rehearsal finally started.
The performance is stopped every few bars, and various instructions fly from the maestro. Even if it is a famous piece that has been played many times, the interpretation and tempo will be slightly different depending on the conductor. The maestro who challenges classical music with a new interpretation is truly amazing, but the Kanagawa Philharmonic members who quickly respond to the challenge are also wonderful!
Suddenly, I was worried about the appearance of the players writing something on the score.
Since there are various instruments in an orchestra, you can imagine that there are various scores. Furthermore, if each person writes on the score, it seems to be somewhat complicated. In the first place, who prepares and manages the orchestral scores?
Mr. Tamae Yamaji, a librarian , answered such a simple question.
What is the job of a librarian?
Roughly speaking, it is "preparation" and "management" of sheet music.
First of all, once the performance program is decided, I will arrange the sheet music. However, the same song may have slightly different nuances depending on the publisher, so it is important to check with the conductor which version you want to use. If the specified sheet music is not in the Kanagawa Philharmonic Library, it may be purchased or rented due to copyright issues.
It seems that there are many players who write on the score, is that okay?
Since it is impossible to perform the same piece every time, it is common for players to take notes of the conductor's instructions during rehearsals. The bowing (bowing method) ups and downs may be checked with the conductor before the rehearsal and the librarian may fill it out. Each player writes the conductor's instructions in this, and music unique to that orchestra is created.
Mr. Yamaji, what made you choose a job as a librarian?
I had an orchestra class at music college, and I was impressed by the fact that the scores were prepared in advance. When I learned about the work of a librarian who supports a gorgeous orchestra behind the scenes, I thought "cool!"
Why don't you try it?
It was a tougher job than I thought (laughs). When preparing the score for a concert, I sometimes repair the score that has been used, or glue the pages together to make it easier for the players to play. Special knowledge of music is necessary, but being able to anticipate what the players want is an important job.
By the way, this is the tape used for repair and pasting. Since it is made of Japanese paper, it does not deteriorate over time, and it has the advantage that it does not become thick even if it overlaps, so it is also used for repairing books. In the case of sheet music, staples are sometimes used for binding, so I sometimes remove the staples and rebind with tape before it rusts.
What is the charm of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra that Mr. Yamaji feels?
As a fan, I enjoy having two concertmasters with different personalities. On top of that, they play a wide range of genres, from classical music to contemporary music and pops, so I never get tired of listening to them every day (laughs). I think that diversity is a unique charm of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, so I would like everyone to listen to it.
Lastly, we interviewed Mr. Koichiro Taga, who is in charge of public relations and who arranged for this interview.
What kind of job is public relations?
First of all, once the concert program is decided, leaflets and posters are produced according to the program, distributed in appropriate places, and widely used for public relations activities using the media. Also, in order for everyone to know the charm of the orchestra, including the interview response like today, it is also an important job to send information to various media on a daily basis.
What is interesting about this job?
It's a job that doesn't stand on the front stage, but we are happy when we see the audience say "It was good" and go home with a smile after the performance. When we hold free concerts at shopping malls and other places, even people who usually don't listen to the orchestra stop and enjoy listening to the music. When I encounter such a scene, I sincerely think, "I'm glad I got this job."
Actually, there was a time when I was also aiming to become a player. If that dream doesn't come true, should I aim for a job that supports musicians, or should I find a completely different path? After some trial and error, I was able to find a job as a PR for the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. Looking back on it now, I can say that the experience of working outside of music during a period of trouble has helped me in my current job.
Need more knowledge about music?
I think it's better to have the minimum necessary knowledge, but I don't think it's necessarily necessary to be a person who has learned professionally. The important thing is the love of the orchestra. From a business point of view, it may be possible to just sell tickets, but when it comes to PR for an orchestra, I think the most important thing is to be able to convey your passion and affection for music. It is a fact that even concerts that have been put together with a lot of thought have a "bad one" audience. It is very disappointing, but I am happy to be able to share my passion for music with the orchestra members and the audience, and to be able to share their emotions.
Please let us know if there is anything you would like to try in the future.
I would like to connect more with people in the area. I think we can do a lot more with Yokohama F. Marinos and DeNA Baystars, and I would like the companies in Kanagawa Prefecture to know more about the local orchestra. Personally, I would like to connect with public relations people in various industries, not just the music industry, share information, and get ideas to liven up the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Kanagawa Philharmonic celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Unfortunately, there have been many concerts and events that have been canceled or postponed due to measures against the new coronavirus infection, but I hope that we can gradually resume them while taking thorough preventive measures. I feel that the music produced by the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra is characterized by a hidden passion. Please come to the concert and experience the music of the live orchestra.
* Click here for the official website of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra!
* We received a concert invitation ticket from Kanagawa Philharmonic to Magcal Dot Net readers! Details are at the end of the page.
[What is Kanagawa Art Hall? ]
This music hall opened in 1992 in Hodogaya Prefectural Park in Hodogaya Ward, Yokohama City. In addition to the hall, there are also five studios, a restaurant, and an exhibition corner. Initially, the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's office was located there (currently moved to Naka-ku, Yokohama), and it is still used for rehearsals, etc. , public rehearsals are suspended).
The hall can accommodate up to 300 people. With drop curtains and lighting equipment, it can be used for various recitals and concerts, as well as dance and theatrical performances.
In Kanagawa Prefecture, in order to further promote the " Magical Theater " initiative, in addition to the prefectural youth center studio HIKARI, which has been used so far, the "Magical Theater in Art Hall" will be held at the Kanagawa Art Hall. bottom. Please stay tuned!
Kanagawa Philharmonic gave a concert invitation ticket to Magcal Dot Net readers!
[Kanagawa Philharmonic Future Concert Ebina Performance]
[Date and time] October 21, 2020 (Wednesday) 19:00 start
[Venue] Ebina City Cultural Center Large Hall
[Conductor] Mirai Abe (Conductor)
[Co-star]
Airi Sunada (soprano)
Naoki Kawata (Baritone)
Ebina Citizen Opera Chorus (chorus)
[Main songs]
Glinka / Opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila" Overture
Donizetti / Benedette queste carte from the opera "Elixir of Love"
Donizetti / Come paride vezzoso from the opera "Elixir of Love"
Bizet / "Toreador's Song" from the opera "Carmen"
Lehar/“Vilja-lied Duet” from the comedy “Merry Widow”
Verdi / Va,pensiero from the opera "Nabucco"
Mascagni / ``Gli aranci olezzano'' from the opera "Cavalleria Rusticana"
Dvorak / Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op.95 "From the New World"
* Performers, performance songs, etc. may change due to unavoidable circumstances.
[Price] All seats reserved ¥4,000 / Youth (under 25 years old) ¥2,000
[Inquiries] Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra Ticket Service Tel.045-226-5107 (Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00-13:00)
*Please refrain from entering preschool children.
* Conductor Shigeo Genda, who was scheduled to perform at the tour sponsored performance "Future Concert Ebina Performance", will not be able to perform due to circumstances. Mirai Abe will take over as the conductor. There are no changes to the program.
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The application for the present has ended. Thank you very much for your application.
[Overview of gift application]
From 19:00 on October 21st (Wednesday), we will present three groups of six people with viewing tickets for the "Kanagawa Phil Future Concert Ebina Performance" to be held at the Ebina City Cultural Center Large Hall.
【Application method】
If you would like to receive a viewing ticket as a gift, please apply using the application form below. We look forward to receiving your application.
[Application deadline]
Until 23:59 on Friday, October 2, 2020
[Lottery/winning announcement]
Winners will be notified by email, so please be careful of spam settings. The email will be sent from the Magcal Dot Net Management Office (info.magcul@gmail.com).
The winner announcement will be replaced by the winner notification by the above email. On the day of the performance, please present the winning notification email at the reception desk of "Ebina City Cultural Center Large Hall" at the venue. The staff will give you a ticket.
* Personal information received will not be used for any purpose other than the lottery.
