This is a report on the first joint training session of 2018.

On Saturday, May 19th (Toyobiki), we held our first joint practice session of the year. We traveled from Tokyo, where it was 29 degrees the day before, and the weather in Fukushima City at night was rainy and as cold as March, so it looked like we might be wilting, but thanks to everyone's support, it suddenly cleared up.

Members carrying their instruments are briskly heading across the footbridge to the Fukushima Minpo building, the practice venue, covered in fresh greenery.

This fourth term started in May, just one month after the concert in March. Until now, we have had an information session every July, so we are very motivated this term.

First, we talked about the fourth term activities of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra. Several parents of new members also came. To make sure everyone understood that we are not a suspicious organization, we started with an introduction from the secretariat.

As the first speaker, I work at a certain advertising agency, but also have another face as the representative director of the Tanaka Hirokazu Association, a general incorporated association , where I am in charge of getting laughs and warming up the atmosphere by mixing in jokes about the Tanaka Hirokazu Movement .

What attracted the most attention during the secretariat self-introductions was the transformation in just one month of Mari Otsuka, who had been an employee of Fukushima Television for many years and served as the secretariat for the FTV Junior Orchestra , but is now the mother of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra.

Not only her hairstyle, but her fashion style was also quite aggressive.

After the introduction of the secretariat, I spoke with "It takes three years to get to a rock," while projecting an image of a monkey sitting on a rock onto the screen. I asked the elementary and junior high school members sitting in front of me, "Do you know that it takes three years to get to a rock?" They were too embarrassed to answer, but even though I have told the members many times, "Don't think it will last forever," I feel a deep emotion from the management side that we have managed to continue for three years with all our physical and mental efforts.

For the fourth session, I said, "Let's reconsider our origins." I talked about the origins of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, which was founded in 2013 as a part of the ARKNOVA project to support the reconstruction of the Lucerne Festival, and took over from the Children's Music Revival Fund, a project to restore musical instruments in schools that was launched immediately after the 3/11 earthquake. I spoke about the philosophy of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, even though I thought it might be difficult for the younger members to understand.

This orchestra is

This is a bond that was born from 3/11.

He said that it is always an open organization and that it provides "equal opportunity" to those who experienced the 3/11 disaster.

After the concert in March, we asked the members for their thoughts on things they would like to improve, what they hope for in the future, and what songs they would like to play next. Among them, we received an anonymous request that auditions should be held to join the orchestra. To be honest, the entire administrative team was disappointed by this opinion. We felt that the intentions of the management, including director Ryuichi Sakamoto, were not conveyed at all.

That's why I said something so harsh. I've always said, "Don't refuse those who come, and don't chase those who leave," but this year I added one more line.

The Tohoku Youth Orchestra does not select members based on their playing ability. Rather, we discussed the day before that we would like to collaborate with the Future Fukushima Art Creation Academy, an initiative run by Yutaka Watanabe, the manager of the musical instrument store Brilliant , where we have our Fukushima office, to open the door to musical performance for children who have never even touched an instrument. At some point during this year's joint practice session of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, we would like to create a day where children can experience playing an instrument for the first time, like an open campus.

I would like to reiterate that the Tohoku Youth Orchestra will continue as long as it is needed, even if those who do not share our aspirations are asked to leave, and even if our membership is reduced by half or even if there is only one member left.

Just as I was about to enter this year with such a fighting attitude, I received a message from Ms. Hattori Mikuko, who graduated from the group in March and got a job in April at a well-known company in Hokkaido. She said she would like to send a gift to the members to kick off this year. I asked her to send a message to me, and she sent me a long message.

It was so long that I told the other members, "I received a message from Hattori-san, but it was as passionate as ever, and also very long," which caused everyone to laugh.

First, they showed photos that gave a sense of Hattori's goal of losing 4kg during his training in Sapporo.

Here are some excerpts from the messages we received.

Hello from Hokkaido to all members of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra! It's been a while. (Nice to meet you if you're new here!)

My name is Hattori Mikuko, and I am the president of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra Alumni Association.

First of all, congratulations on starting your fourth term. And thank you so much for coming from all over the country to join us for the fourth term. I especially thank all of our new members for having the courage to take the first step.

I'd like to talk about my involvement with TYO. In the summer of 2014, when I was a second-year university student, I participated in the launch of the first term of the general incorporated association TYO, and from there I started playing the viola. In terms of performance, I was the section leader and principal of the viola for the first and second terms, and apart from performance, I organized an R18 group for those who had graduated from high school or above, and we held social gatherings outside of practice. I still hang out with former and current members, and it's really fun.

TYO is a rare, crazy orchestra in recent years. It is an entertaining orchestra that realizes impossible things. There is no other orchestra in the world where director Ryuichi Sakamoto lies down on the floor and appears in a group photo (laughs). Looking back on the past three years, it was fun, tiring, and crazy, but it was an addictive orchestra. I was able to live a fulfilling musical life because of TYO, so I would like to continue to give back this gratitude somehow. As long as TYO continues to exist, I and all the alumni will continue to support TYO's activities. That is why I hope that all members will do their best and do their best, and take advantage of every opportunity, such as the volunteer concert in June and the concerts on March 30th and 31st, or create opportunities and activities themselves, to spread the fun and excitement that only TYO can offer to the world.

For that reason, please start by binding the score, reading the score, and working hard to turn the notes written on the score into music with your own hands and with your instruments. I think everyone knows that arranging sounds does not equal music. If I apply the three principles written in a book I recently read called "Textbook for the First Year of Employment" to music, I can say that 1) Always complete what you are asked to do, 2) It's okay to get 50 points, so start by making the sound "forte" as quickly as possible, and 3) There is no boring practice. Also, I think you will become a good orchestra player if you make it a habit to always bring an eraser, a pencil of B2 or above, and a tuner to practice. Well, the most important thing is spirit and motivation. That is something you can change from this moment on. Please work hard in a healthy manner so that "music" does not become "a chore" for you. I hope to come and see your efforts with my own eyes someday.

We're supporting TYO from the northern lands!

Thank you, Hattori-san. Here is the assortment of Rokkatei sweets that I received, and Fujita Salem, a junior high school student from Morioka who is aiming to become a professional trumpet player.

This year's group consists of 114 members.

Next, we will announce the main piece to be performed at the concert in March next year.

We asked Norimichi Iijima from the Tokyo office, who is the technical director of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra and COO of Promax , which has been producing live performances by director Ryuichi Sakamoto for many years, to provide commentary.

An episode that was introduced at this event. Several decades ago, when Iijima was a student at a music college, he had a teacher's exam and his first concert with a professional orchestra at the same time, and after much deliberation, he chose to play Brahms' Symphony No. 2 as a trombonist. He said that he felt a connection with this piece.

And this is our management policy for this year.

If the members of the orchestra say, "I want to do this" or "I want to do that," the secretariat will support them as much as possible. Regarding "musicality," he said that it is not the same as being good at playing an instrument, and further stated that he wants to make this an activity that can only be done by the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, and cannot be experienced in other orchestras or club activities.

This year's captains are announced. Come to think of it, you don't hear "captains" very often in orchestras, but this is "Bottobi Orchestra" so it's okay.

This was announced by Akane Hatakeyama (a violinist and fourth-year university student currently job-hunting), who served as captain for the past two years.

The captain of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra for the fourth term in 2018 is Hinako Isogai, a native of Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture, who is currently a third-year student at Musashino Academia Musicae who plays the horn.

I was given the captain's journal of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, which had been written by my predecessor, Mr. Hatakeyama. I took a picture of it without thinking, and it really touched my heart.

And from Hatakeyama-san, who served as captain for two years.

How thoughtful of him! He must have learned from the gifts he received from Director Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Mari Watanabe, and others during his activities with TYO. I think gifts have been around since the origins of mankind. I think Homo sapiens received gifts of nuts from Australopithecus. Thank you, Hatakeyama. I will continue to support you in your job search. I think if you are active in the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, you will have an advantage in your job search.

Now, Captain Isogai's statement of intent.

If you scroll down, you will find an interview with new captain Isogai.

Things are moving fast this year. Captain Isogai has already announced the leaders of the volunteer performance team and the prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima.

They sent me this screen shot of the reading.

Thank you to all the leaders of each department.

Then, the rules for this season were announced by TYO's older sister, Naomi Okada, from the Tokyo office.

We have decided to introduce the so-called "three out rule" under which members will be expelled if they are absent three times a year. In order not to miss out on valuable joint practice opportunities, all members should contact the office as soon as they find out that they will be absent for unavoidable reasons.

Next, Nakamura Yuto, a fourth-year university student from Sendai who has been working hard since the first term and is the head trumpet player, introduced and explained the 13-page "Manual for Members by Members" which he had personally created.

This is very encouraging. I hope you will also work hard to train the next generation this year.

Then, it was time for everyone to introduce themselves. First up was Ishikawa Ritsu, a native of Koriyama City who was sitting on the far right in the front row.

Ishikawa, who successfully passed the entrance exams this spring and is now a university student in the Tokyo metropolitan area, coincidentally had his first practice in the concertmaster's seat after this.

Mao Fukusumi, a trombone player from Miyagi Prefecture, is one of the band's longest serving members since its inception.

He made good use of my excuse and said, "It takes three years to get over a rock," which got a laugh. He's really grown up.

Nami Endo, a flute player from Fukushima, attends university in Morioka and will be the leader of the Iwate Prefecture group again this year.

I am in a position of great responsibility, as I lead eight people, including elementary school students, from Morioka Station to Fukushima Station and back for each joint practice session.

During the self-introductions, several of the members said they were happy to be able to play Brahms' Symphony No. 2, also known as "Brahms No. 2," or that they had performed it before. That's encouraging.

There are 22 new members from the fourth term, but we took a commemorative photo with the 15 who came on this day.

We look forward to your success at TYO. I hope you quickly integrate into the team.

Lunchtime is the usual break, with everyone from elementary school students to university students mixing together.

But then I noticed that the leaders of each section were already discussing the matter.

Karin Hashimoto, who is in charge of crowdfunding, and Yuta Tomizawa, who is in charge of volunteer performances, are both from Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.

They have put together the documents for this year's activities. This year's volunteer concert is already being prepared for next month on June 23rd in Minami Sanriku. I will let you know when the details are decided.

Tomizawa-kun grabbed my junior colleague, Miyagawa Yutaka-kun, who works in the Tokyo office, and explained the volunteer performance to him. The camera that Miyagawa-kun has on his desk is a luxury item that he bought without getting scolded by his wife, taking advantage of the fact that he was recently assigned to work for a certain electronics manufacturer.

As the afternoon practice began, we received a congratulatory speech from Hideyuki Araki, Business Director of the Fukushima Minpo Press (and Director of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, a general incorporated association), who will once again be providing us with a practice venue and storage space for percussion instruments.

We were also interviewed by a journalist, and the article that appeared in the Fukushima Minpo the following Sunday, titled "Tohoku Youth Orchestra kicks off its activities this year," was also featured on Yahoo!News.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180520-00000976-fminpo-l07

During the break, we interviewed the new captain, Hinako Isogai (from Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture).

What were you doing during 3/11?

I was in my first year of junior high school in Aizu and it was my graduation ceremony that day. Every year at the end of the school year, all the students line up to see off the graduates on a hill called "Saito-zaka" (greeting hill), but because of the earthquake, the pool right next to it overflowed with water. I dread to think what would have happened if the earthquake had occurred at the time of the farewell.
I was at home with my grandmother, reading manga. Our house is very close to an elementary school, so when the earthquake hit, I heard the screams of the elementary school students. My younger sister, who is three years younger than me, was at the school, so I was scared. Everyone in the neighborhood came out of their houses wondering what was going on, and the telephone poles were shaking like pencils, the ground was rippling, and I thought that my place was the one that was shaking the most. Fortunately, there was no damage such as anything falling inside the house, and my grandmother acted calmly, protecting her head, turning off the gas valve, opening the door, and turning on the TV and radio. After all, daily training is important. After the shaking stopped, my grandmother called my parents and relatives, and my father was in Koriyama, and I heard that glass was falling from the sky. As the aftershocks continued, I was watching TV and thinking that something terrible was happening along the coast. I couldn't believe that the scenes of the tsunami and rubble were real. Actually, I had only seen the ocean once before. I remember seeing the ocean in Iwaki at a seaside school in the fifth grade of elementary school, wondering if this was the ocean, dipping my feet in the water, and picking up a bunch of shells before going home. I was good enough at swimming to participate in an athlete training program from an early age, but my parents kept telling me that the ocean was dangerous, and that's how it is today. It's a shame because I was looking forward to experiencing the ocean for the second time in my life at the summer Okinawa training camp with TYO this year (laughs).

I first encountered musical instruments when my rival, who was the best swimmer at swimming school, invited me to join the ensemble. At the trial session, he said, "You're the horn," and it's been 10 years since then. It wasn't fun at first, but it was fun to practice and get better. The elementary and junior high schools I went to had a strong brass band, and the practice was strict, so if the teacher's voice was too quiet during greeting practice, they would leave. When I was in the sixth grade of elementary school, I was influenced by the manga "Nodame Cantabile," and a rival said he was going to become a professional trumpet player, so I realized that it was possible. I learned piano in junior high school, and it was good that I was assigned to a horn teacher who happened to be at a nearby music school. He always made the purpose of practice clear, and he made me a decent person, even though I was a bad person who would miss practice without permission and not respond to messages I received.

How did your experience of 3/11 change you?

There was no water outage in my area, and fortunately there was little damage even immediately after the earthquake. School started as usual in April, and Aizu was not affected by the nuclear accident, and although there were hot spots in some places, it was generally peaceful. Rather, Aizu is where people who evacuated from the coastal areas and transfer students came.
However, the earthquake warning sound is still scary.

When I was in high school and attended summer classes for music college, it was hard for me to say that I was from Fukushima. Even now, when I work part-time at a restaurant in Tokyo, people ask me where I'm from, and when I say Fukushima, they say, "That must have been tough." It wasn't that tough for me, and I want to show the vibrant side of Fukushima.

As captain of TYO, what are your aspirations for this season?

Our members include people who were nearly swept away by the tsunami and people who have had a variety of experiences, but we would like to spread the word that we are all now united and practicing cheerfully and energetically.

When I was first told that I would be the next captain, I thought it was a prank. I joined the group from the second term, so I still don't quite fit in, so I want to talk to everyone and get along with them. I'm not sure what to do yet, so first I want to create a more friendly atmosphere, and I hope everyone will be able to greet each other properly.
I'm looking forward to playing Brahms' Symphony No. 2, which will be the main piece. I like No. 4 though (laughs). I feel like the conductor, Mr. Yanagisawa, always warns me about the same things, so I want to practice hard on all pieces, not just the main piece. And while auditioning for orchestras, I want to aim to become a professional, which has been my dream since I was a child.

I have high hopes for the new captain. Thank you so much for answering my in-depth questions.

As soon as I finished the interview, I was surrounded by junior high school students.

They are Akama Kanayoshi (horn) and Kitagawa Seiya (violin) from Fukushima City, both of whom have been members since the first term. They must have both grown more than 30 centimeters in the last three years. They have finally surpassed Captain Isogai, who is a third-year university student.

In the afternoon, one guest showed up.

This is Yoko Horiguchi from the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sankei Shimbun Tokyo headquarters. She was previously in charge of Director Sakamoto's serial column in the newspaper, and has been receiving support from TYO ever since.

This time, the string quartet had the opportunity to perform on Saturday, June 2nd at the "Matsuo Toshio Exhibition," an exhibition of works by master Japanese painting, held at the Sukagawa City Museum in Fukushima Prefecture , with planning cooperation from Sankei Shimbun.

Here are the selected members.

From the right are viola player Muraoka Ryo, Ito Takuya holding the microphone, the first-year concertmaster who returned from a hiatus last year after successfully passing the university entrance exams, fellow violinist Sato Miyu, and cellist Honda Kenmaru.

A commemorative photo with Mr. Horiguchi during a break in quartet practice in another room. He said that he would also be willing to make a donation in addition to the travel expenses for the performance. Thank you very much.

Now, in the hall, under the direction of Takeda Manabu, who is also a lecturer at the Fukushima Secretariat and the FTV Junior Orchestra, we began right away with Brahms' Symphony No. 2.

I tried taking photos from different angles.

Even though he stopped midway, he managed to capture Bra 2 from start to finish. We spoke to Takeda-san about it.

We suddenly started playing the whole piece.

I tried to get a feel for it. I think it's important to know what kind of song it is. This year, I felt that they were motivated to try to follow along even though they didn't understand. Until last year, they would give up if they didn't understand. I thought it was a bit forceful, but I tried it so that they would realize that "it's finally started." I think it will lead smoothly to the next practice session under Mr. Yanagisawa's guidance.

What do you think are the characteristics of Brahms' music?

The rhythm and tempo are difficult. I said "it's like a mosaic" during practice, but it's very intricately constructed and very pleasant to listen to. And yet, you can feel the intense passion. I think the misalignment and unity created by the combination of rhythms is what makes Brahms so appealing.

Perhaps they were craving sugar during practice for the second bra, as they flocked to the sweets corner during the break.

When I pressed the shutter in silence, everyone looked at me with frightening eyes...

Ishikawa-kun suddenly took on the role of concertmaster and tuned the instrument.

Takeda suggested, "Let's end with our usual song so that we can go home on a good note," and they performed "The Last Emperor" and "Etude" together.

Since it was the first practice session, we took a photo with everyone there to commemorate it.

The usual scene of everyone chatting reluctantly even after practice was over has returned.

When I left the hall, I saw Ritsu Ishikawa, so I asked him, "Today was your first time as concertmaster. How was it?" He replied,

"It was so sudden, I was surprised," he replied with a refreshing wry smile.

Afterwards, I searched for "Tohoku Youth" on Twitter and found this tweet!

"At the same time as the 18-year-old Jari practiced, I was made to sit in the concertmaster's seat and see Brahms' No. 2 for the first time, and I was made to play through the first four movements in one go. The Tohoku Youth Orchestra is truly formidable."

Ishikawa-kun, you've really grown up by entering university! Please continue to proactively share information with us!

And thanks to that, I discovered this tweet. During the break, the two PR staff came to me and said, "We want to get the unofficial member Twitter account up and running," so I told them, "Just go ahead and use it as a member Twitter account," and they immediately redecorated it,

https://twitter.com/tyo_members

He tweeted the following as if he was pitching the first pitch.

"Today marks the start of activities for the 4th term! Through this account, we would like to share lots of behind-the-scenes information about the 4th term's activities, such as practice scenes. PR staff Hr Senda and Vn Kikuchi will do their best, so we hope you will continue to support us. PR staff"

It's fine to hear the behind the scenes as well, but please refrain from tweeting anything dark.

I couldn't help but open my eyes wide as I stood on the Shinkansen platform at Fukushima Station heading towards Tokyo.

It seems that the ticket to Tokyo and Yokohama is "TYO". The Tohoku Youth Orchestra is always ready to appear in advertisements!

To all members, next month we will have a joint practice session on the 3rd (Sunday). I hope everyone will participate!

Thank you to everyone watching for your continued support this year.