This is a report from the Tokyo performance.

March 21st in Tokyo was a cold spring equinox with snow falling on the blossoming cherry blossoms. This year, we took a 10-minute bus ride from the training camp to the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, the venue for the concert.

What kind of sounds will they be able to produce from this high ceiling? With a mixture of excitement and anxiety, they carry in their large instruments themselves and begin preparations for the stage.

Shiori Tajima, who joined the group from the third season as a horn player, was excited and said, "I'm so happy!" on this first stage. The music cover Tajima is holding in her right hand is made and provided free of charge by the printing company run by the Ishii family, whose sisters participate in the group every year in Koriyama City. This year, her younger sister, Aoiko, a sixth grade elementary school student, is playing the cello. Thank you, Ishii. Each member was given a gift during the training camp, autographed by Director Sakamoto.

These two are also university students playing the horn.

Ms. Sone will be working as a nursery teacher in Sendai next year, and Mr. Isogai is from Fukushima and attends a music college in Tokyo. When someone said to them backstage, "You two look alike," they both said, "We're so happy!" and took a commemorative photo. They met at the Tohoku Youth Orchestra and became great friends.

"Take a photo," I was asked by Seigen Ono, the sound engineer who records the show every year. With the usual members gathered, the show finally started to feel more real.

There were already customers backstage. Two high school seniors from Koriyama, Tanno-kun and Ashina-san, who had taken a break this year to take university entrance exams, came to support us and said, "We got into university! We'll be back next term." They also gave a peace sign to their classmate from Koriyama, violinist Masahiro Watanabe, who will be studying at a music college in Tokyo from April.

The dress rehearsal, a full run-through of the actual performance, began at 10:30. It began with a gentle encouragement from Director Sakamoto to the members.

This is today’s schedule.

The order of the opening three pieces was improved the day before at the director's suggestion, taking into consideration the production effect and the flow of the orchestra members' performance expression.

Next up we will have our second rehearsal with Non, who will be performing with us for the first time, from the rehearsal the day before.

Non-san, you are singing the poem calmly compared to yesterday. It's only a rehearsal, but I'm already in tears.

Then, there was a performance corner where members of the orchestra presented the results of the composition workshop organized by Dai Fujikura. The first piece was "Blue" composed by Mana Ichikawa, a fifth grade elementary school student from Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, and performed on violin by Masahiro Watanabe, who is from the same town.

Next, Miyu Sato, a third-year university student from Fukushima City, performed "Dawn of a Small Town" on the violin, a piece composed by Ayaka Kikuchi, a first-year high school student from Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Finally, Hinako Isogai, a second-year university student from Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, performed "The Arrival of Morning" on the horn, a piece composed by Fumie Suga, a first-year university student from Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Director Sakamoto also suggested on the spot that the order of the songs be changed during the actual performance, saying, "Rather than having the violins play one after the other, let's have the horns play in between."

During a break in the dress rehearsal, Fujita Salem, a second-year junior high school student from Morioka who was already used to the stage after performing for three consecutive years, asked, "How about this for the call 'choiser' in 'Three TOHOKU Songs'?"

"A thief!"

As the dress rehearsal ended, it became clear that there would be no time to perform the two main songs in full, and that the performance would be a last-minute affair. Then, the captain, Akane Hatakeyama, said, "I'd like to give you all a gift now."

It was a surprise performance in which the performers and the administration wrote a thank you card from the members of the troupe. When I think that they must have cut down on their sleep during the training camp just before the 10-hour practice day, this kind and thoughtful gesture touches me three times more. Thank you.

All that's left behind is the actual performance.

Everyone, have fun and give it your all.

The first team to appear on stage appeared in the wings.

The annual pre-show performance is performed by six members of the "Kage Announcer Squad," who announce important points to note during the performance to the audience without being seen at normal concerts. This year, the members are Akane Hatakeyama (violin), a third-year university student from Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, and TYO captain; Chihiro Sasayama (violin), a fourth-grader from Otama Village, Fukushima Prefecture; Ryoji Takeda (violin), a first-year junior high school student from Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture; Mizuho Miura (percussion), a first-year high school student from Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture; Ryutaro Tachiya (horn), a fourth-grader from Fukushima City; and Saki Torii (oboe), a fourth-grader from Morioka City.

The host, Watanabe Mari, was also watching the KageAnnouncer Team's announcements on the monitor with an anxious look on her face.
Next came the customary opening fanfare. A brass octet composed by Tsutsumi Hidezumi, a first-year high school student from Fukushima City, was performed brilliantly and lively by nine musicians: trumpeter Nakamura Yuto, Akiba Daichi, Ide Taiga, horns Tachiya Ryutaro, Sone Mizuki, Tajima Shiori, trombonist Emi Yuki, bass trombonist Shinkawa Kazuhiro, and tuba player Tomizawa Yuta.

And then everyone gathered backstage.

The video recorded the three members as they entered from the left and right sides and waited for tuning.

Mari Watanabe, who has volunteered to be the host for the third consecutive year, is like a white muse this year. I couldn't help but join my hands in prayer at Mari Watanabe's divine charity-mindedness.

The opening numbers were "Behind the Mask," "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence," and "The Last Emperor." It was a very smooth start, and the sound was better backstage than at the training camp just before. The performance of the members' works was also flawless. Atsushi Ota, the stage manager of the Tokyo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, who was in the wings, smiled and said, "You all have guts." After all, they were presenting their own works on this grand stage, and performing solo in front of an audience of 1,500 people.

After the first half ended, everyone came backstage. One of the brave performers was Ichikawa Mana, a fifth grade elementary school student who performed a song she had written herself. I asked her, "How was it?"

"My legs are shaking and I still can't stop."
It doesn't look like it!
The youngest member, Sasayama-san, who is one year younger than me and sits to the left, also looks away with ease!
I also asked Naomi Okada, known as "Mother" from the secretariat, to change the color of my outfit using a TYO original handkerchief.

These are two girls with bright futures.

After the break, the two main pieces, Debussy's symphonic poem "The Mer" and Stravinsky's ballet suite "The Firebird" (1919 version), will finally be performed through for the first time.

As expected, the members of the orchestra, who are performing for the third consecutive year, looked nervous. Director Sakamoto also seemed worried. The selection of songs for this year's concert began with Director Sakamoto wanting to select pieces from composers he admires. From among works by Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, and Bartok, he carefully considered TYO's lineup, capabilities, and the satisfaction of the audience, and chose these two pieces.

By the time the day came around, conductor Yanagisawa had commented that it would have been better if they had stuck to just one of the two pieces, as both were difficult pieces. They are considered difficult even for professional orchestras, and members of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra came to Fukushima and Sendai to give special instruction on the special playing techniques for string instruments.

There were some voices raised about whether it was appropriate to play "The Sea" by an orchestra that was inspired by the Great East Japan Earthquake, which caused enormous damage from the tsunami. However, at a training camp held in Ishigaki Island in August this year with the cooperation of Ishigaki City, the orchestra members, who had been too scared to go near the sea since the earthquake, were able to put their feet in front of the vivid ocean and play in it, and this convinced us that "there is a 'Sea' that only the Tohoku Youth Orchestra can play." The great ocean as a symbol of nature that changes delicately, and humans who live embraced by nature.

Now, the second part begins.

Ichikawa-san, you seem calmer than me, the chaperone.

Director Ryuichi Sakamoto sends everyone off with his traditional high-five!

The performance of "The Sea" began.

Takahashi Kazumi (first year university student) and Akane (second year junior high school student), who look exactly like sisters from any angle, both play the flute, and their family members anxiously checked everyone's performances on the monitor (during regular practice sessions, they don't allow photos to be taken, perhaps because they are concerned about their resemblance).
"Everybody, isn't this looking good?"

Mr. Yanagisawa's conducting style was so energetic that it transferred to his entire body, creating an exceptional symphony like no other before it.

This is Umi's turn to disembark, and the team is waiting on the left.

"Is there anything good that comes from making a peace sign?" is a question I always find myself asking when taking photos, as I have never made the habit of doing so. Lately I've been thinking that when I reach the age of Winston Churchill, the man who originated the sign, I might try giving a peace sign to the camera.

The performance of "Umi" by the Tohoku Youth Orchestra ended with a thunderous applause. Mr. Yanagisawa, who had once left the stage, came running back from the dressing room.

Next is "Firebird".

Meanwhile, Director Sakamoto said,

They listened to the band members' performance through live sound mixed by Ono Seigen, set up on the right side of the stage.

The sound coming out of these small speakers on the left and right is so clear. Regardless of the quality of the sound, Seigen Ono was so impressed by the high level of the sound that he said, "I can't believe this is a youth orchestra performance."

Members whose shifts were off gathered one after another, wanting to listen carefully to their colleagues' performance.

"Since you're here, you might as well listen to it in the best possible position," says Seigen in his audio lecture.

The first person to experience this was Shoya Kohiyama (flute), a third-year junior high school student in Sendai, who collapsed due to anemia during the orientation on the first day of the last-minute training camp, suffered a laceration on his forehead from a cymbal, and was taken to Tokyo Women's Medical University by ambulance for emergency treatment. The wound was stitched up and the gauze covering it was removed on the third day, and he has fully recovered.
"The Firebird" is also a great performance!

Meanwhile, the group waiting at the left side of the stage decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

One more shot, with the peace sign in both hands.

I was amazed at Non's skillful changes in facial expressions. Thank you very much.

The ending of "Firebird" is coming soon.
This is the time when the performers gather backstage.

I took the opportunity to take a photo with Mr. Sakamoto, who asked me if I could take a photo with him.

The audience erupted in thunderous applause and cheers of "Bravo!", and all the performers took to the stage once again.

For the encore, they performed "ETUDE," the theme song for the "Children's Music Revival Fund," a reconstruction project that began with the restoration of musical instruments, the predecessor of TYO. The performance ended with all 102 members of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra performing the famous song from Ryuichi Sakamoto's 1984 album "Ongaku Zukan," accompanied by the applause of the audience.

A commemorative photo to thank everyone for their hard work.

After this, the members are welcomed back from the stage, and the members, fellow performers, and people behind the scenes all praise each other.

This place, this time, filled with applause and voices calling out to one another. Perhaps we are all here to savor this time and space.

The sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a collaboration or a creation. The satisfaction that comes from knowing that it must have reached the audience.

This performance is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It's okay if the pitch is a little off or a bar off.

Speaking of clappers, Miura-san has a smile of satisfaction on his face. Everyone passing by has a look on their face saying, "I did it!"

Standing on the far left were Watanabe Yutaka, Otsuka Mari, and Takeda Manabu, who were supporting the Fukushima secretariat, and they welcomed her with thunderous applause. Non then shook hands with the members of the group with both hands.

Honda-kun is holding the cello with one hand, but next to him Imaizumi-san is so moved he is clutching his face.

Yes, we shook hands firmly afterwards.

Nishimura on bassoon, followed by Oya who played a solo during the encore.

This year's concert, the first in Tokyo, was a great performance. I hope Debussy, who died 100 years ago, would have been pleased.

Thanks to you, our project was featured on NHK General TV's Tokyo Metropolitan News from 8:45pm.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20180321/k10011373811000.html?utm_int=news-new_contents_list-items_007

From a different angle, "ORICON NEWS"
https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2107909/full/

Apparently it was on the front page of the local Fukushima Minpo newspaper this morning.

http://www.minpo.jp/news/detail/2018032250145

It was also featured on the front page of the Iwate Nippo newspaper.

https://www.iwate-np.co.jp/article/2018/3/22/10436

Even though the two newspapers are board members of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra,
This front page appearance is an exceptional and special treat.
I heard about it from a close friend of mine.
thank you!!

After the performance, Director Sakamoto was visited by alumni of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra.

From the right, Aoi Nogi , who is starting out as a professional percussionist, Kanade Matsuzaki, Kaho Narayama, and Shinpei Nakano. According to Nogi and Narayama, who were in charge of accepting donations on the day, they received more donations than they had expected. Thank you very much to everyone who donated.
We are also accepting donations online to help support our ongoing activities next year.
https://japangiving.jp/campaigns/33779

We appreciate your support.

Anyway, thanks to you all, the Tokyo concert was our best performance to date. We hope to give you an even better performance in your hometown of Sendai next weekend on the 31st (Sat).

We look forward to seeing you in Sendai.