Our second joint rehearsal of the season took place on August 30th.
Since it was only their second rehearsal, many members of the 12th cohort were so nervous they couldn't sleep the night before—haha!
It reminded me of how shy I was when I first joined the group.
I hope to strike up conversations with the 12th cohort members and get to know them better!

While we usually focus on full ensemble rehearsals, this time we held sectional rehearsals.
Because sectional rehearsals require more space, we split into two groups to practice: one at Minpo Hall and the other at Shirayuri Kindergarten.

We divided into sections and received instruction from Music Force instructors and senior members serving as TYO Tutors.
We are incredibly grateful that they make the trip to Fukushima to work with us.

The trumpet, horn, and percussion sections were coached by Mr. Kotaro Fujii.
We started with fundamental exercises.
One thing that really stuck with me was his advice that taking breaks is crucial to avoid getting worn out.
I have a habit of rushing and trying to cram in all my practice at once when I’m short on time.
However, he advised me that the key to sustaining energy is to practice over a longer period while incorporating breaks.

After the fundamentals, we worked on Wagner’s *Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg*.
It is quite challenging to get the articulation aligned on intricate passages, such as those with sixteenth notes.

Mr. Fujii also taught us that "brass instruments, in particular, easily reflect the mental image of the sound you want to produce."
I realized how important it is to visualize the sound I want to create before actually playing it.

After the lunch break, we rehearsed *Swan Lake*. In an orchestra, brass instruments often play an accompaniment role, but this piece features solos and numerous prominent passages, so we can't afford to let our guard down!
Since the key signature changes frequently throughout the piece, I want to be diligent in my daily fundamental practice.

Before I knew it, September had arrived; time is running short, so I plan to keep working hard, step by step, every day!
This report was brought to you by Saki Fujiwara from the trumpet section, who is taking on the role of Chief of the Reporting Team starting today.
I will do my best to share the activities and appeal of TYO with as many people as possible!
Thank you for reading.