I went to a concert the other day in Arao--it was the 'Ensemble Crane,' a string group playing chamber works.
When I walked in, about 150 eyes were staring right at me! Turned out that Arao #3 Junior High School's eighth graders were taking a field trip to the hall for a classical music experience, and they all saw me at once. We exchanged silly Jap-english greetings and basked in our mutual memory of Ms. Fukunaga's Team-Teaching English classes.
Luckily, the students stopped focusing on me once the concert started though because it had lots of easily accessible pieces like Eine Kleine Nacht Musik, Vivaldi's Fall, and baroque and show pieces. Good deal--easy listening.
Next month I'll see the Czech Symphony Orchestra play the New World Symphony, Ma Vlast and other things. Should be excellent(cost an arm and a leg though!).
And the orchestra I joined rehearses again tonight. The group is Kumamoto's Volunteer Symphony Orchestra, called 'Kuma-Kyo' in Japanese, and is comprised of about 100 members. It rehearses twice a week, and performs about once every two months in the largest hall in Kumamoto City, called Kenritsu Gekijo. Upon attending my first rehearsal the other week, it surprised me to hear that the group was so easy to become a member of because they sounded professional.
The program for November 13th's concert is Brahm's Symphony No.1, and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.5. I get the feeling we will be playing mostly standard orchestral repetoire, which is okay with me. I think I missed a lot of standard repetoire growing up.
In my experience, however, good, steady habits are built up from practicing the standard repetoire. Playing non-standard repetoire consistently could lead to players without solid roots in basic technique or knowledge of music history or literature. So even though I'm almost grown, I want to go back and play those pieces that I didn't get a chance to in the first place. Turns out Brahm's No.1 somehow reminds me of Strauss' Metamorphosen. Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Monday, October 17, 2005
Pleasant news and...pleasant news
During cleaning time after sixth period, Da Sensei told me that there would be an assembly in the gym when we were finished.
So, after cleaning time, I headed through the courtyard into the gym where the students and teachers were beginning to settle down on the floor.
The meeting opened and we all sat in the formal seiza style (i.e., sitting on our heels) and bowed to the principal, who proceeded to make two announcements. The first announcement was that the softball team had successfully gained the title of All-Kyushu Champions this Sunday. The second was that the marching band became the All-Kyushu Champions last week. Therefore, they were both going on to the All-Japan Competitions later in the year.
As a side note, lately, I’ve been working again with my posture. When I am standing, I try to stand with my hips slightly more forward. It gives me a feeling of elongating my torso and quads, and that somehow seems to make my body feel lighter, especially when I’m doing Aikido.
I’ve also been working with ways to lessen the burden on my knees when I sit in seiza, formal sitting posture. From watching others, I’ve started to practice sitting a bit further back on my heels, which relaxes my legs, shortens my upper half just a little, and seems to release some of the pressure on my knees.
When I heard the announcements, I was somewhat subconsciously practicing this adjusted way of sitting. My thoughts, however, were preoccupied with the news that those students had put their best foot forward and come out ahead. I was taken by surprise, therefore, afterward, to receive compliments from two different teachers on my sitting posture.
Anyway, my silly sitting story aside, perhaps someday students at this school will be receiving the news that they have made it to the All-Japan English Recitation Competitions. Wouldn’t that be something?
So, after cleaning time, I headed through the courtyard into the gym where the students and teachers were beginning to settle down on the floor.
The meeting opened and we all sat in the formal seiza style (i.e., sitting on our heels) and bowed to the principal, who proceeded to make two announcements. The first announcement was that the softball team had successfully gained the title of All-Kyushu Champions this Sunday. The second was that the marching band became the All-Kyushu Champions last week. Therefore, they were both going on to the All-Japan Competitions later in the year.
As a side note, lately, I’ve been working again with my posture. When I am standing, I try to stand with my hips slightly more forward. It gives me a feeling of elongating my torso and quads, and that somehow seems to make my body feel lighter, especially when I’m doing Aikido.
I’ve also been working with ways to lessen the burden on my knees when I sit in seiza, formal sitting posture. From watching others, I’ve started to practice sitting a bit further back on my heels, which relaxes my legs, shortens my upper half just a little, and seems to release some of the pressure on my knees.
When I heard the announcements, I was somewhat subconsciously practicing this adjusted way of sitting. My thoughts, however, were preoccupied with the news that those students had put their best foot forward and come out ahead. I was taken by surprise, therefore, afterward, to receive compliments from two different teachers on my sitting posture.
Anyway, my silly sitting story aside, perhaps someday students at this school will be receiving the news that they have made it to the All-Japan English Recitation Competitions. Wouldn’t that be something?
Sunday, October 09, 2005
The violin is back.
I started a practice regimen again finally. The school has 6 beautiful practice rooms, used by the members of the famous Tamana Girl's High School Brass Band. The band has traveled all over the world. They are awesome. And they have provided me with the space, the opportunity and the motivation to play again. I think things are going to take off from here.
By the way, among the ups and downs, life here is very good. My Japanese, somehow, seems to be coming along, and my job is making me use my head. Aikido training is good.
It's funny--many, many topics go through my mind when I think about writing, but when I actually sit down, only the bare bones of my thoughts actually come out.
Oh, well.
By the way, among the ups and downs, life here is very good. My Japanese, somehow, seems to be coming along, and my job is making me use my head. Aikido training is good.
It's funny--many, many topics go through my mind when I think about writing, but when I actually sit down, only the bare bones of my thoughts actually come out.
Oh, well.
Monday, October 03, 2005
And you win... another bag of rice!
Spent most of the day with Hiro and his father in the rice fields yesterday. I was told that my clothes 'may become dirty,' so I wore an old shirt and some beat up jeans. When I arrived, I was changed into a really old shirt and some old plaid pants you might've been able to spot me in in my middle school days. And like Hiro and his father, I wore a button-down over top.
What's the deal? Why, it's rice-harvesting season! And an Indian summer, meaning it's hot, hot, hot outside.
The three of us spent the better part of the day cutting rice with a rice-cutting machine and a hand-held saw. We loaded filled sacks of rice onto a truck and took them to the dryer where we poured the cut, uncooked, unsheathed rice into a large holding machine to dry. After a few days, the rice will go into another machine to get the outer coverings taken off. We unloaded 45 sacks, weighing just a bit more than I could lift by myself.
Hard work, but satisfying.
After all was done, we went back to Hiro's house where I was granted the first to shower and bathe. I took my shower and then sat in the bath, which is traditional style bathing, and then sat down for dinner. It was a potage, eggplant and shrimp stirfry, some pickled items, a bitter veggie called goya and tofu.
Then, Hiro and I went to Sega Game World and played the new and improved Taiko game, with extra bonus songs and graphics.
I went home with another bag of Hiro's father's rice, which makes three. Big score!
What's the deal? Why, it's rice-harvesting season! And an Indian summer, meaning it's hot, hot, hot outside.
The three of us spent the better part of the day cutting rice with a rice-cutting machine and a hand-held saw. We loaded filled sacks of rice onto a truck and took them to the dryer where we poured the cut, uncooked, unsheathed rice into a large holding machine to dry. After a few days, the rice will go into another machine to get the outer coverings taken off. We unloaded 45 sacks, weighing just a bit more than I could lift by myself. Hard work, but satisfying.
After all was done, we went back to Hiro's house where I was granted the first to shower and bathe. I took my shower and then sat in the bath, which is traditional style bathing, and then sat down for dinner. It was a potage, eggplant and shrimp stirfry, some pickled items, a bitter veggie called goya and tofu.
Then, Hiro and I went to Sega Game World and played the new and improved Taiko game, with extra bonus songs and graphics.
I went home with another bag of Hiro's father's rice, which makes three. Big score!