This is how orchestral music is created. Check out the power of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra and the staff that support the music!
In response to requests for self-restraint amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra (hereafter referred to as Kanagawa Philharmonic) has been forced to cancel its regular concerts and other events. Many people have felt lonely without being able to experience live music.
But don't worry, the Kanagawa Philharmonic and music are doing well!
With the effectiveness of infection prevention measures verified and prevention guidelines established, concerts are gradually resuming. Seeing the various efforts being made to resume concerts, many people are likely reminded that orchestral music is supported by the efforts of many different people.
So this time, we visited the Kanagawa Philharmonic's rehearsal venue and interviewed the staff who support the wonderful sound.
We visited Kanagawa Art Hall in Hodogaya Park. On the day we visited, rehearsals were underway for the regular concert, which had resumed with some changes to the performers and program.
First, we started by setting up the stage to fit the orchestra's lineup. The hall is designed to be used for a wide range of purposes, including practice and performances for music, theater, and dance, and the stage can be divided into three sections, each with four different heights, making setup very smooth.
The stage setup affects the orchestra's sound, so the chairs are carefully arranged. Especially now, as COVID-19 countermeasures require a wider gap between players, the stage is carefully set up while measuring with a scale.
Each player has different preferences for the height and angle of their music stands, so each one is carefully adjusted. It's amazing how the staff knows the preferences of each member!
The rehearsal setup was completed, using the entire hall, even in the front of the auditorium. Even though they were working in a familiar art hall, it was impressive that they were able to set up everything in less than an hour.
Apparently setting up a stage like this is the job of a "stage manager," but who exactly is that?
We spoke with Atsuyuki Terakado, stage manager at Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.
What is a stage manager's job?
In a nutshell, it is "everything other than the performance on stage." The specific duties are wide-ranging, as the job is to create an environment in which the performers can concentrate on their performance without stress during concerts.
First, once the concert program is decided, we check the instrument lineup and consider arranging the instruments and their placement on stage. When performing classical music at the Kanagawa Philharmonic's home turf, like today, the flow is pretty much set, but when performing at a venue for the first time, we need to meet with the person in charge to draw up a layout plan and decide one by one how to bring in and out the instruments and equipment. If an instrument that the Kanagawa Philharmonic doesn't have is needed, we arrange for it to be rented, but with contemporary music, sometimes an "instrument" appears that makes you wonder, "What is this?", and it can be a bit of a headache (laughs).
If the lineup changes for each song, we check the movement of instruments and chairs during rehearsals and decide on procedures to ensure smooth and safe performances. Furthermore, we must respond quickly if something happens (such as an earthquake!), so we cannot take our eyes off the stage during the performance.
Does the stage setting change a lot?
Of course, the instrument arrangement differs depending on the song, but even for the same song, the arrangement changes depending on the size of the venue and the conductor, so it's important to have a thorough discussion, especially when meeting for the first time. Sometimes we adjust the arrangement to be in the best possible condition for the performance, while looking at the balance of resonance and ease of listening, and sometimes we decide the overall arrangement based on the request of a soloist who specifies where they want to play. Being able to experience the changes in sound due to these settings may be what makes this job so interesting.
What does Terakado think is the appeal of the Kanagawa Philharmonic?
I've been working with the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra for about 20 years, and I feel that it's an organization where the members are united in their pursuit of music. They perform not only in concert halls but also in commercial facilities and outdoor spaces, and their repertoire is wide-ranging, from classical to contemporary music, opera, and pop. Gaining a variety of experiences isn't a matter of "good or bad" or "growth," but rather, I believe it expands the appeal of the orchestra.
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, we haven't been able to hear live music for about six months, so I was really happy when I heard live music for the first time in a while.
And finally, the rehearsal begins.
The performance stopped every few measures and the maestro gave various instructions. Even if it was a famous piece that had been played many times, the interpretation and tempo would be slightly different depending on the conductor. It was impressive that the maestro took on classical music with a new interpretation, but the members of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, who responded quickly to the challenge, were also amazing!
Suddenly, I noticed the players writing something on the sheet music.
Since an orchestra has a variety of instruments, you can imagine that there are many different scores. If each member were to add their own notes to the scores, it would probably become quite complicated. But who prepares and manages the orchestra's scores?
The person who answered this simple question was librarian Tamae Yamaji.
What is a librarian's job?
Roughly speaking, it's the "preparation" and "management" of sheet music.
First, once the performance program is decided, the sheet music is ordered. However, since the same song may have slightly different nuances depending on the publisher, it is important to check with the conductor which edition you want to use. If the requested sheet music is not in the Kanagawa Philharmonic's library, it may be necessary to purchase it or rent it due to copyright issues.
It seems like a lot of players write notes on their sheet music, is that okay?
Even the same piece of music will never be played exactly the same every time, so it's normal for players to take notes of the conductor's instructions during rehearsals. Bowing ups and downs are sometimes checked with the conductor before rehearsals and written down by the librarian. Each player writes down the conductor's instructions on these notes, and music that is unique to that orchestra is created.
What made you choose to become a librarian?
I had an orchestra class at music college, and I was impressed that the sheet music was prepared in advance. I learned about the job of a librarian, who supports a glamorous orchestra behind the scenes, and I thought, "That's so cool!"
How do you feel when you actually experience it?
It was a much harder job than I expected (laughs). When preparing sheet music for a concert, I sometimes have to repair worn scores and glue pages together to make them easier for players to play. While specialized musical knowledge is necessary, the ability to anticipate what the players want and act accordingly is also an important part of the job.
By the way, this is the tape used for repairs and pasting. It is made from washi paper, so it has the advantage of being less susceptible to deterioration over time and not becoming thicker even when stacked, so it is also used for repairing books. In the case of sheet music, staples may be used to bind the book, so the staples may be removed and the book re-bound with tape before they rust.
What does Yamaji think is the appeal of the Kanagawa Philharmonic?
As a fan, what I'm looking forward to is that there are two concertmasters with different personalities. On top of that, they play a wide range of genres, from classical to contemporary music and pop, so I never get bored even if I listen to them every day (laughs). I think that variety is a unique charm of the Kanagawa Philharmonic, so I would love for everyone to come and listen to them.
Finally, we spoke with Koichiro Tago, the public relations officer who arranged this interview.
What kind of work is public relations?
First, once the concert program is decided, we create corresponding flyers and posters and distribute them in appropriate places, as well as carry out widespread public relations activities using the media. Another important part of our job is to regularly send out information to various media outlets, including responding to interviews like today's, so that everyone can learn about the appeal of the orchestra.
What's interesting about this job?
Although our job does not put us in the spotlight, we are very happy when we see the audience smiling and saying "that was great" as they leave after the performance. When we hold free concerts in places like shopping malls, even people who don't normally listen to orchestras stop and listen to the music with great interest. When we see scenes like this, we truly feel glad that we chose this job.
In fact, there was a time when I also wanted to be a musician. If that dream didn't come true, I wondered whether I should aim for a job supporting musicians, or find a completely different path... After much trial and error, I found a job as a public relations officer for the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. Looking back, I think that the experience I gained working in a non-musical field during that difficult time is still useful in my current job.
Do I need specialized knowledge of music?
I think it's good to have the minimum necessary knowledge, but it's not necessary to be someone who has studied professionally. What's important is a love for the orchestra. From a business perspective, one might think that "selling tickets is all that matters," but when it comes to orchestra PR, I think the most important thing is to be able to communicate your passion and love for music. It's true that even concerts that are created with great care can have performances that are "disappointing" in terms of audience turnout. It's very unfortunate, but I feel happy to be able to share my passion for music with the orchestra members and the audience, and to share their joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness.
Please tell us if there is anything you would like to do or challenge in the future.
I would like to connect more with the local community. I think there is a lot more we can do with the Yokohama F. Marinos and the DeNA Baystars, and I would like more companies in Kanagawa Prefecture to know that there is an orchestra in their local area. Personally, I would also like to connect with PR people from various industries, not just the music industry, to share information and get ideas to promote the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Kanagawa Philharmonic celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Unfortunately, many concerts and events have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19 countermeasures, but we hope to gradually resume them in the future while taking thorough preventative measures. I believe that the music created by the Kanagawa Philharmonic is characterized by its inherent passion. Please come to a concert and experience live orchestral music.
* Click here for the official website of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra!
*Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra has given concert invitation tickets to Magcal.net readers! Details are at the end of the page.
What is Kanagawa Art Hall?
This music hall opened in 1992 within the prefectural Hodogaya Park in Hodogaya Ward, Yokohama. In addition to the hall, it also has five studios, a restaurant, an exhibition area, and more. Originally, it housed the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's office (now relocated to Naka Ward, Yokohama), and is still used for rehearsals, which are sometimes open to the public (although public rehearsals are currently suspended due to COVID-19 prevention measures).
The hall can accommodate up to 300 people and is equipped with stage curtains and lighting, making it suitable for various recitals and concerts, as well as dance and theater performances.
In order to further promote the " Magcal Theater " initiative, Kanagawa Prefecture has launched the "Magcal Theater in Art Hall," using Kanagawa Art Hall as a performance venue in addition to Studio HIKARI at the Prefectural Youth Center, which has been used until now. Stay tuned!
Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra has presented concert invitation tickets to Magcal.net readers!
[Kanagawa Philharmonic Concert in Ebina]
[Date and time] Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 19:00 start
[Venue] Ebina City Cultural Center Large Hall
[Conductor] Mirai Abe (conductor)
[Co-stars]
Airi Sunada (soprano)
Naoki Kawada (baritone)
Ebina Citizens Opera Chorus (chorus)
[Main songs]
Glinka / Overture to the opera "Ruslan and Ludmila"
Donizetti / Benedette queste carte! from the opera "The Elixir of Love"
Donizetti / Come paride vezzoso from the opera "The Elixir of Love"
Bizet / "Toreador Song" from the opera "Carmen"
Lehár / "Vilja-lied Duet" from the comic opera "The 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"
*Due to unavoidable circumstances, performers, songs, etc. may be subject to change.
[Price] All seats reserved: ¥4,000 / Youth (under 25): ¥2,000
[Inquiries] Kanagawa Philharmonic Ticket Service Tel. 045-226-5107 (Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00-13:00)
*Preschool children are not allowed to enter.
*Conductor Shigeo Genda, who was scheduled to appear in the touring sponsored performance "Future Concert Ebina Performance," will be unable to appear due to circumstances. Miki Abe will be conducting in his place. There will be no changes to the program.
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Applications for the giveaway have now closed. Thank you very much for your many applications.
[Gift application details]
We will be giving away tickets to the Kanagawa Philharmonic Concert Ebina Performance, which will be held at the Ebina City Cultural Center Large Hall from 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 21st, to three pairs of six people.
[How to apply]
If you would like to receive a viewing ticket, 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 and Winner Announcement]
Winners will be notified by email, so please be sure to check your spam settings. Emails will be sent from the Magcal.net Management Office (info.magcul@gmail.com).
The above email will be used to notify you of your winnings. On the day of the performance, please present the winning notification email at the reception desk at the venue, Ebina City Cultural Center Large Hall. A staff member will hand you your ticket.
*The personal information you provide will not be used for any purpose other than the lottery.
