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?
I tell of my day-to-day experiences in a funky Japanese town from my American viewpoint. This blog could also be called 'Bizarro World', 'Notes From Kyushu, a Smaller Island', or 'Teaching English in Japan: Smash Your Ego in 10 Easy Lessons."
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Hello!
We trained together in Boulder a few times and I thought I'd wander over and see how the return to Japan was going. Interesting to see the parallels between music practice and Aikido training...
Glad you got a chance to check in.
Yeah, I see those parallels all the time these days. Funny stuff, like feeling my wrist and forearm as one unit when I do tenkan and when I draw the bow across the strings.
I just sent a letter to BA; did you happen to see it?
Julit - Ma Vlast is by Bedrich Smetena, a Czech composer around Dvorak's time; ma vlast means, I think, "The Fatherland". It's usually called "Ma Vlast (The fatherland suite)" when you see it over here, and it's absolutely gorgeous music. "The Moldau", which you might have played or heard, is part of it.
Hope to talk to you tomorrow. Dad
Your orchestra comments remind me: I was at a band rehearsal tonight, and heard a "first": all the clarinets were in tune with each other, at least for a moment. It didn't last long.
On the Brahms/Strauss thing: it's fun to hear the later stuff, then go back and figure out what it came out of in earlier music. In this particular case, I've read that Strauss was not a fan of Brahms, so maybe there's little or no link there. But keep listening - maybe you'll find one! Dad again
Sadly I'm no longer in Boulder - had to return to do the PhD at some point! It's good to be back training with my teacher and dojo, but being able to train full-time was awesome. It's given me a lot to think about for the next few months. How's your training going?
Thanks, Pop. That's a little embarrassing so I'm going to change it. It's so easy to forget names when you get out of practice. I've even played it before.
But anyway, interesting to hear that Stauss wasn't a Brahms fan. So who was Strauss a fan of? And who was a fan of Brahms?
By the way, unfortunately the book on Strauss you lent me didn't make it into the box to Japan. Gulp, it's in my storage unit...
James-my training is going well. Steady group of practitioners with seminars once a month or month and a half. Good atmosphere for learning. Very different from Boulder Aikikai.
Hello. I'm just curious. When you attend a concert do you sit in seats like in America or on the floor with your legs crossed? Mom
In a concert hall, there are regular seats. In the school auditorium, it doubles as the gym, so we sit on the floor for concerts.
As a side note, we trained on hardwood floors at the Aikido seminar I attended yesterday. That was a first for me, and my knees didn't even get (very) bruised!
Post a Comment