Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra holds workshop at Chigasaki Junior High School

On Monday, September 23, 2024 (a holiday), the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra (hereafter referred to as Kanagawa Philharmonic) will hold a concert in collaboration with the Yokohama City Junior High School Brass Band. One month before the concert, conductor Kanade Yokoyama, who will also be conducting on the day, visited the junior high school to hold a workshop. This time, we asked the members of the Yokohama City Chigasaki Junior High School Brass Band about their impressions and enthusiasm immediately after the workshop.

Direct instruction that made me feel the power of a professional

With just one month to go until the concert, conductor Yokoyama held a workshop with the brass band at Yokohama Municipal Chigasaki Junior High School.

They performed songs that were performed together with the orchestra, and stopped playing whenever Yokoyama noticed something that bothered him. He improved the performance by expressing it through singing or explaining it in an easy-to-understand way using analogies.

If there was anything about the tone or expression that bothered them, they would stop the performance and give instructions. From the outside, this workshop seemed a little strict for the junior high school students. What did the advisory teachers and students think?

We spoke with the advisor, Mr. Asuyama.

-What did you think of today's workshop, Professor Asuyama?

In normal practice for competitions, accuracy of the notes is required. However, today, Ms. Yokoyama Kanade overlooked the small details and conveyed to the junior high school students in an easy-to-understand way that "you need to understand the score and the song, and 'express' the music." I think the students found Mr. Yokoyama's instruction refreshing.

- Professor Asayama, you yourself majored in tuba in college and have been teaching wind instruments for over 30 years. How do you prepare for a concert?

It has been less than half a year since the first-year students started playing instruments. Therefore, the music score was arranged simply for the first-year students. We are practicing "Yokohama City Song" and three other songs so that everyone can play them on stage.

Yokohama City has guidelines for club activities, which clearly state the number of practice days and times on weekdays, and up to three hours on either Saturday or Sunday on weekends. The amount of time that all club members can practice together is now less than before. I think everyone is having a hard time finding time to practice club activities.

The students of the Chigasaki Junior High School brass band are also busy performing outside almost every week, such as at brass band competitions and local events. I often tell the members to apply one instruction to other songs as well.

-Please tell us your thoughts about performing with the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.

I have been teaching brass bands for 30 years, and I feel that it is a very rare opportunity for a professional orchestra and junior high school students to perform together on a large stage like the Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall.

We spoke to the members of the Chigasaki Junior High School Brass Band

We interviewed the three members: club president Yamamoto Chiyoko (center/bass clarinet), deputy president Kaise Kotone (left/oboe), and deputy president Kitada Erina (right/alto saxophone).

-Please tell us your honest thoughts now that the workshop is over.

I found the guidance from Yamamoto very refreshing. On the other hand, there were some overlaps between what Yokoyama-sensei pointed out and what our advisor, Asuyama-sensei, always teaches us. Asuyama-sensei often says, "Let's apply what he points out to us not just to that song, but to other songs as well," so we all decided to keep that in mind.

I feel that the enjoyment of music and the attitude towards music are the same in both the Kaise Wind Orchestra Competition and this concert. I am excited to be able to perform with the string players, to see what kind of music will be created by combining the tones of string and wind instruments, and above all, to be able to perform with professional musicians.

At the Kitada Wind Orchestra Competition, there are set pieces, and we find out the points we need to pay attention to and get closer to the best form. The approach is slightly different between competitions and concerts, but we want to deliver music to the audience while valuing the basic principle of "making one music together."

-How do you want to spend your time until the actual event, which is one month away?

Yamamoto, Kaise, and Kitada are third-year students, so the concert with the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra will be our last concert before we retire from the brass band. As the club president and vice president, we want to unite the members and make it the best concert possible so that the audience can enjoy it.

During the workshop, the atmosphere was tense and serious, but the students seemed to have been well-inspired by the direct instruction from the professionals. A workshop was held by members of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra at a later date, leading up to the actual performance.

Come to Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall to experience what kind of music the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra and the fresh and lively junior high school students will create.

<Yokohama Next Concert 2024 meets Tsuzuki Ward>
Date: September 23, 2024 (Monday, holiday) 15:00 start
Venue: Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall
Official website: Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra