October 15, 2025

The sound that sustained me.

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MUFG Bank, Ltd.
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Hello everyone.
This time we have Wagatsuma Seine, a second-year university student trumpet player from Fukushima Prefecture, bringing you the news.

I was just two years old when I first encountered music. This may be a little unusual for you, but my first instrument was the Electone. The Electone is an electronic organ that can play a variety of sounds simultaneously using the keys and pedals. Even at a young age, I was captivated by the appeal of being able to produce orchestral sounds with a single instrument. In terms of manipulating electronic sounds, I think there may be some similarities between my worldview and that of Director Sakamoto, the music director of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra.

It was in the fifth grade of elementary school that I first encountered the trumpet, the instrument I now play primarily. It all started with my older sister, who played the trumpet in the ensemble at the time. I still vividly remember how cool it was to see her confidently resonating on stage, and thinking, "I want to be able to captivate people with my sound like that." The first time I felt my breath vibrate through a metal tube and resonate, it felt as if the world had changed in an instant. That single note changed the meaning of music to me.

I was five years old when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. I still vividly remember that day. The fear I felt when our house shook, the feeling of clenching my hands together to keep from being separated from my family, and the shock of the images I saw on TV. As a young child, everything was filled with anxiety, and it felt like the whole world had fallen apart. Kindergarten was temporarily closed, and even as a child, the time until life returned to normal felt incredibly long.

In the midst of all this, music was what helped me find peace. If I speak, I can sing. If I use my body, I can keep rhythm. Music is something that gives me intangible relief. Before I knew it, music had become something that supported my heart.

When I was in my second year of high school, a friend introduced me to the Tohoku Youth Orchestra. At first, it was motivated by a simple desire to play in a large orchestra. However, the more I participated, the more my feelings changed.

When I joined the orchestra, I thought I already knew about the earthquake. I had learned about it on TV and in school classes, and I had even lived in Fukushima. I thought I understood it in my own way. But as I met my fellow members and staff in the Tohoku Youth Orchestra and performed in the affected areas, I realized that in a true sense, I knew nothing.

After our concert at the Kesennuma Folk Museum, someone said "thank you." What was hidden in their expressions wasn't simply emotion; it was sadness and loss, and the strength that arose from them. At that moment, I truly realized how deeply connected music is to people's memories and feelings. It made me feel even more strongly that, as someone born and raised in the disaster-stricken area, I needed to confront the disaster more.

To me, the Tohoku Youth Orchestra is a place where people connect through music. At concerts, we share sounds with like-minded colleagues, and the memories of the disaster-stricken area and hope for the future truly live on. Here, we don't just hone our skills; we're constantly reminded of why we want to share our music and what we want to communicate to whom. To me, this orchestra is an important place where I can grow not only as a musician, but also as a person.

The biggest change I've felt through my activities here is that I've developed a sense of responsibility and resolve within myself. Previously, I was always focused on personal goals, like making my performance sound as good as possible and avoiding mistakes. However, with this orchestra, I learned that one person's sound can change the overall tone, and I experienced many moments when that sound reached someone's heart. Through these experiences, I learned that behind the act of producing sound lies the responsibility to receive someone's feelings.

During performances in disaster-stricken areas, I sometimes felt the atmosphere in the venue change as the sound resonated. The venue was silent at first, but as the performance progressed, a gentle atmosphere began to fill the air. Music has the power to reach places that words cannot. I wanted to contribute to that power, even in some small way, through my own music.

Through this experience, a new goal was born within me: I want to become a performer who can connect with people's hearts through music. I want to perform in a way that not only improves my sound production skills, but also sympathizes with the feelings and backgrounds of my listeners, gently touching their hearts. To that end, I want to continue to hone myself and sincerely approach sound.

In the future, I want to become someone who can support others through music. Through my activities with the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, I learned that music has the power to heal, encourage, and move people forward. As someone who has been saved by music, I would like to pass on that power to the next person. I would like to be someone who can deliver the "warmth of being alive" through music to people in whatever circumstances.

And with this orchestra, I want to work with like-minded colleagues to bring that ideal to life. I hope that this orchestra, born in the disaster-stricken area, will continue to pass on the memories of Tohoku to future generations. Nothing would make me happier than if our music could inspire someone with hope and inspire them to take a new step.

As time passes since the earthquake and memories slowly fade, we have a mission to pass on the story through music. Not to recall the sadness, but to pass on to future generations the strength and kindness of the people who rose from it. I want to continue to convey that feeling through music.

Trumpet section: Wagatsuma Senon

REPORT

The sound that sustained me.