January joint training session @Fukushima city, second day

January 21st (Sunday), the second day of the joint practice session following the previous day. Karin Hashimoto (double bass), a second-year university student from Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, the leader of the crowdfunding team, presented a flyer with a big smile calling for cooperation from the members. The flyer said that although the fundraising goal for a voluntary concert in the disaster area had been reached, please do whatever you can to support the group until the 27th.

This manifesto was written by Sakura Onami (trombone), who is originally from Date City, Fukushima Prefecture, and is currently studying Spanish at a university in Tokyo. She is a member of the crowdfunding team whose interview was introduced on this site just yesterday . The announcement page for the ongoing Japan Giving campaign can be found here.

https://japangiving.jp/campaigns/33745

This time, we are asking for donations without any gifts in return, but we would be grateful if you could just look at the page or share it on social media. Again, the donation period is until the 27th, so we appreciate your support.

Well, it was the morning orientation on the second day of the joint practice. When I said "Good morning!" to everyone, Yuto Nakamura , a fourth-year university student from Sendai, suddenly played "Happy birthday to you" on the trumpet. That's right, it was my birthday that day. I felt so embarrassed and awkward, but I heard the clear sound of the trumpet, received congratulations from the members of the orchestra, and awkwardly said, "Today I turned 49 years old." I was so blessed. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Unlike me, who can only speak in general terms, detailed information and points to note will be communicated by ``big sister'' Naomi Okada from the secretariat.

Today, we started practicing Stravinsky's "The Firebird (1919 version)," which will be the main piece along with Debussy's "La Mer" at the concert. There was a change in the violin shift.

Yuko Yamazaki, a high school freshman from Fukushima City, who was the second violin this term, has been converted to first violin from this day on. This was the decision of conductor Toshio Yanagisawa, who looked at the overall balance. I would like to ask the elementary and junior high school students in charge of violin to continue to work hard (listen to the pieces being played many times, follow the scores closely, and practice more!).

The two flute players who will not be on stage in "Firebird" are from the third term starting this year, so I decided to talk to them. This is the second part of TYO members talk about 2018, following on from yesterday.

Nami Endo is currently a first-year student at a university in Morioka.

Can you tell us about your experience with 311?

At the time, I was living in Fukushima City and in the sixth grade. That day, the desks and chairs in the classroom were put out in the hallway to be waxed, and just when my friend and I were about to leave our classroom on the third floor, the earthquake hit. I remember hearing an announcement over the school's internal radio that said, "Please turn off the stove," and quickly turning it off. When we left the square in front of the school entrance and went out into the schoolyard, a fire broke out next door, and we evacuated to the gymnasium. I was in after-school care, so we all waited until the evening, wrapped in blankets and waiting in the cold for our mothers to come and pick us up.
The electricity in my house was fine, but the water supply was cut off for about a week, which was very hard. I had to go to the city hall to get water from a tank, so I couldn't take a bath and had trouble using the toilet. I couldn't have my graduation ceremony, so I stayed at home until I started junior high school. I wore a mask all the time for about a year.

What changes have you experienced within yourself since experiencing 3/11?

I got used to earthquakes because of the aftershocks that continued for a while, but on the other hand, I became more sensitive to them. I can now tell if an earthquake is coming even with a slight tremor, and I can predict the intensity of the earthquake.
Temporary housing was built all around the area for people who had evacuated from the coastal Hamadori area, so even now when I see temporary housing, I remember those days.
The number of disaster prevention and mitigation efforts has increased in the area, with the volunteer fire brigade at the center. My father is a leader in the area, so I hear about this often.
I currently keep a disaster evacuation bag in my apartment where I live alone in Morioka.
I still talk about the disaster with my friends and people around me. I just heard from a student from Kamaishi who is also from the same university that he saw a river flowing backwards due to the tsunami.

What kind of activities would you like to do with the Tohoku Youth Orchestra?

I joined the brass band in junior high school and play the flute. In high school, I also joined the FTV Junior Orchestra.My friend Yu Hashimoto (flute, Miyagi Prefecture, first-year university student) invited me to join the Tohoku Youth Orchestra this term. Hashimoto's older sister Ai (clarinetist, third-year university student in Fukushima City) joined a year earlier, and I heard that it was fun.

The two main pieces for this concert are difficult. However, I'm happy that many people can listen to my music. If possible, I would like to perform in various places in Tohoku and have many people listen to it. I would also like to actively participate in independent concerts organized by volunteer members of the orchestra.

I met Director Ryuichi Sakamoto for the first time at a joint practice session last month, and when I heard the song he played on the piano with the band members, I thought, "Oh, this is a song I've always liked," and it turned out to be "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence." When I told my parents that I had played with Sakamoto, they were surprised, but also very angry, saying, "Do you know what an amazing person you are!" (laughs)

Thank you, Endo-san! On the white hoodie you were wearing that day, it said "Figure out what you think is best"! As a rookie of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, "Figure out what you act is best" and we look forward to your future growth!

The other flute player is Saiun Sakamoto (first year junior high school student, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture).

What was your experience like during the 3/11 earthquake?

The earthquake happened when I went outside to go home after my mother picked me up from kindergarten. I cried because the shaking was so intense, and I clung to my mother the whole time. I'm still scared of earthquakes. After that, my mother drove us home, but there was a power outage and the traffic lights were out, and there were traffic accidents between cars. Inside the house, the dressers had fallen over, the dishes were broken, and it was a mess. I remember very well that I ate cup ramen at night. I was scared of the aftershocks continuing, but before I knew it, I had fallen asleep, but my mother was awake the whole time by my side.

Has anything changed since 3/11?

I've become more alert to any type of earthquake. I always keep extra food in the house and check the evacuation route with my family from time to time.
Also, I started to think that I want to help people when they are in trouble. I want to do anything I can, no matter how small it may be. For example, if a friend doesn't have an eraser, I'll lend it to them, or if an unfamiliar old lady asks me for directions, I'll follow her and show her the way. I started to think that whatever I do for others, no matter how small, will come back to me someday.

How is your work with the Tohoku Youth Orchestra?

It's been less than a year since I joined the brass band in junior high school and started playing the flute. I joined the Tohoku Youth Orchestra because of my elementary school classmate, Minami Suzuki (first-year student, violin). When I heard their concert in Koriyama City last March, I really wanted to do it too. I've always played the Shinobue flute at the Sendai Suzume Festival, so I started to think that the flute would be fun. In fact, I'm still not very good at playing it, but it's fun.
I want to heal people who are deeply hurt through the power of music. In my case, listening to any kind of music heals me. When I listen to music while imagining the performer's position and how they are paying attention to certain things, time passes by in the blink of an eye. I hope to be able to play the music I love with the members of the orchestra.

What kind of music do you like?

I like Celtic music (music that is said to have originated from the Celts).

That's surprising! I thought you were talking about anime music (laughs).

It's my dad's influence, but I also listen to a lot of country music and classical music.
I respect Ryuichi Sakamoto as a composer, so I'm very happy to be able to play my favorite songs, "The Last Emperor" and "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence," with him at this concert.

What is your dream for the future?

If possible, I would like to pursue a career in music.

Although she may not be playing this year, I hope she will play a flute solo in the near future. It might also be good to have a piece performed on the Shinobue as part of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra.

Then, during my lunch break, I had the chance to talk to another person.

Natsumi Kidoguchi is from Iwate Prefecture and is currently a fourth-year student at a music college in Tokyo, where she plays the clarinet.

What was your experience with 311?

I was a third-year junior high school student in Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture, and it was the day before my graduation ceremony. We had a practice run for the ceremony and were on our way to play when the earthquake struck the moment the crosswalk light turned green. A nearby large truck started shaking, and I couldn't stand up, so I crouched down on the road with three friends. I hurried home to check on the safety of my family. My family is self-employed, and we run a sewing factory with about 10 employees. My grandmother is the president and my mother is the managing director of the company. Both of them were safe, but the inside of the house was a mess, with all the plates flying out of the cupboards. The earthquake caused a one-ton machine in the factory to start moving.
For three or four days, the electricity, water, and gas were cut off, but fortunately we were able to cook meals using a kerosene stove. Our source of information was the radio. To keep warm, we ran the engine in our car and listened to the car radio. But we ran out of gas, and the next day we had to line up at a gas station from early in the morning.
3/11 was a terrifying experience. I was scared. The aftershocks continued, and I wondered what would happen next. It took a week before I was able to confirm the safety of my friends in Ishinomaki. I kept wondering what would happen to the lives of my family and those around me.

How have your feelings, actions, or values changed as a result of experiencing 3/11?

In May of my high school days, I went to perform with the brass band in coastal areas where the effects of the disaster were still strong. Since I was a first-year student, Iwas unable to participate in the performance, but I helped out at soup kitchens and served food to evacuees in the gymnasium, which gave me the opportunity to speak to them directly.
It was around that time that I realized that professional musicians and artists can encourage and cheer people up through their performances.
I strongly felt that I wanted to become that kind of person. That's why I went to music college. I don't think I would be who I am today if it weren't for 311. I startedplaying the clarinet in the third grade of elementary school, and thisyear marks my 13th year.

Why did you join the Tohoku Youth Orchestra?

Last spring, my mother told me that there was an article in the local newspaper, Iwate Nippo, about recruiting new members. I thought, "Oh, this is perfect for me!" I knew that my junior from university, Hiromasa Adachi, was from Aizu, Fukushima, so I invited him to join us.

So, what kind of organization is the Tohoku Youth Orchestra to you?
What kind of activities would you like to do?

Usually, you don't meet elementary school students (laughs). I think this is the only place where you can meet a wide range of people, and it's fun to hear all kinds of stories. There aren't many opportunities for professional teachers to teach in the Tohoku area. So it's rare to hear good professional music. That's why I want to play more locally. I want to teach clarinet to children. I'm still teaching at junior and senior high schools in Kitakami and Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture.

What are your aspirations for the concert in March?

Both Debussy's "La Mer" and Stravinsky's "The Firebird" are difficult pieces. They are usually performed at music colleges. They are difficult even for us. When I first saw the recruitment requirements, I thought, "What a great challenge." I was surprised that junior and senior high school students were doing this. But we had no choice but to do it!
To be honest, I didn't know much about the director, Ryuichi Sakamoto. But when I met him, I found him to be a very dandy person. And when we played together at a joint practice last month, I was impressed by the breadth of expression on the piano. It was a fresh surprise for me to discover that there was such a world of music.
Since we are performing in Tokyo, we want to convey what is happening in the disaster-stricken areas. Rather than focusing on how well we play, we want to convey that we are doing our best. I don't think that can be conveyed on TV. I hope that people can see live the efforts of everyone from small children to adults like us and feel something.
And if the power of music can be used to cheer people up.

Thank you. Please keep that same feeling as you lead everyone.

I will graduate from university in the spring and aim to become a professional musician, but I would also like to help with the management of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra.

His encouraging words were really reassuring. After all, the trainer that Kidoguchi was wearing had "GET OVER IT" printed on it.
From now on, I will pay more attention to the message sent by the clothes our members wear.

In the afternoon we continued working on "Firebird" and polishing parts of yesterday's "The Sea" under Mr. Yanagisawa's guidance.

After all, there are only two months until the actual concert, but after the joint rehearsal next month there will be a training camp just before the performance, so conductor Mr. Yanagisawa gave us detailed instructions in a stern yet gentle manner.

Towards the end of the practice, the group also practiced pieces such as "Behind the Mask," a song from Director Sakamoto's YMO days, which they performed for the first time, and concluded their two-day joint practice session in Fukushima City.

General ticket sales for the Tohoku Youth Orchestra Concert 2018 will begin on Saturday, February 3rd. This year, the concerts will be held in Tokyo and Sendai. We hope you will enjoy the live performance of the orchestra members who are working hard to give the best possible performance.