Tohoku Dream Project 2024 Exchange Event Report

Prior to the Tohoku Dream Project in Iwate on August 5th and in Fukushima on August 11th, members of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra held an "exchange event" to interact with each organization and learn about each other's activities.

Tohoku Dream Project 2024 Fun Orchestra in Iwate Exchange Event

Kuzumaki Town Kuzumaki Junior High School (visited on July 5th) and the four-school joint "Connecting" Kizuna Choir (visited on July 6th)

On July 5th, the Japan Philharmonic String Quartet visited Kuzumaki Town Kuzumaki Junior High School, where they performed the Kuzumaki Kagura dance "Torimai."
Local residents also gathered at the venue, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The first half of the event was a concert. Starting with the local folk song "Nambu Ushioi Uta," the musicians delivered a powerful live performance of classical masterpieces, anime theme songs, jazz, and more, interspersed with narration. Finally, the students all sang the school song together, and the cheerful voices of all 53 students filled the gymnasium.
The second half of the social event was a question and answer session. Hands went up one after another. Each musician answered questions honestly, such as "What was the most nerve-wracking moment you've ever experienced?" and "When do you feel glad to be involved in this activity?"
Afterwards, a commemorative photo was taken with a banner reading "Congratulations on participating in the National Chinese Festival with Kuzumaki Kagura 'Torimai'" in the background.
As we departed the school, all the students sang "The Winds of Ihatov" in front of the bus and waved goodbye. We left Kuzumaki Highlands, the "town of milk and wine," with a refreshing breeze, deeply moved by this wonderful experience of connecting with each other through music.

The next day, we visited the four-school joint "Connecting" Bonds Choir.
The event began with the choir performing songs that will be performed at the main concert in August, including Galaxy Express 999. Members of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra commented on the choir's singing, saying things like, "We were moved," and "The lyrics really touched our hearts."
Next came a performance by the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. They performed a wide range of music, including the Iwate Prefecture folk song "Nambu Ushioiuta" as well as classical, pop, and jazz, and enjoyed the sound of the string quartet.
After the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra's performance, the students split into groups to share their impressions of the performance. At first, they seemed nervous, but they soon became more comfortable talking about their favorite music. At the end, they performed "Furusato" together with the choir, getting themselves fired up for the big day in August.

~Profiles of each organization~

Kuzumaki Kagura "Chicken Dance" (Kuzumaki Town Kuzumaki Junior High School)

The entire Kuzumaki Junior High School is involved in activities to pass on the tradition of "Kuzumaki Kagura," and performs it for the local community at the school festival. In addition to passing it down from senior to junior, the school continues to preserve Kagura with the cooperation of the preservation society and the Kuzumaki High School Folk Performing Arts Club.

Four-School Joint "Connecting" Bonds Choir

This is a joint choir made up of four high schools (Kuji High School, Miyako High School, Kamaishi High School, and Takada High School) located in the coastal region of Iwate Prefecture. Founded in 2022 with the aim of promoting choral culture in the coastal region and with the hope of recovery from the earthquake disaster, the choir has been involved in planning the "Connecting" Bonds Concert, and has also performed in Kyoto Prefecture, Miyako City, and other places.

Tohoku Dream Project 2024 Fun Orchestra in Fukushima Exchange Event

Ukedo Rice Planting Dance [Ukedo Performing Arts Preservation Society] (visited on May 12th)

We invited Shigeko Sasaki, Chairperson of the Ukedo Performing Arts Preservation Society, to a concert by the Japan Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet held in Futaba Town.
Before the concert, we had a chance to chat with members of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and Mr. Sasaki. Mr. Sasaki has been working tirelessly to preserve the rice-planting dance. He spoke about the situation in the Ukedo area at the time of the earthquake, how the tradition of rice-planting dance continued despite residents being forced to evacuate, and his current rice-planting dance activities. In February of this year, the Kusano Shrine in the Ukedo area, which was devastated by the tsunami, was rebuilt, and a rice-planting dance was dedicated at the Anba Festival. While there have likely been countless challenges along the way, too numerous to mention here, he spoke with a bright and positive attitude that touched my heart: "We've come this far thanks to the help and support of so many people. I'm grateful to everyone. I hope our dance can provide emotional support to everyone."
Through this Tohoku Dream Project, I strongly felt that I wanted to introduce to many people that there are people who, even though they have left Ukedo, still think of their hometown and continue to preserve its traditions.

Tamura Municipal Funabiki Junior High School Brass Band (visited June 25th)

Members of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra's brass quintet visited Tamura City Funahiki Junior High School and provided musical instrument instruction to the wind ensemble. Instruction focused on the brass quintet's instruments (trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba) and the euphonium. The first day's clinic was held after school, with the students split into separate classrooms and focused on basic instrument holding and sound production techniques. The following day, on the 26th, the clinic took place in the rehearsal rooms of the Tamura Cultural Center, where they focused on practical instruction on the pieces they would actually perform. That afternoon, the "Tamura City Community Concert" (sponsored by the Tamura City Board of Education) was held, featuring a solo performance by Funahiki Junior High School, a joint performance with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, and a solo performance by the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet, all for the benefit of third-year students from all junior high schools in the city and local residents.
After the clinics for each instrument, it was time for ensemble practice. The musicians took turns in their respective sections, performing alongside the students. It must have been inspiring for them to hear the sounds of professional musicians up close. The brass band's lively performance was met with warm applause from the audience, making this an interactive event that has greatly increased anticipation for the performance on August 11th.

~Profiles of each organization~

Ukedo Rice Planting Dance (Ukedo Performing Arts Preservation Society)

The Ukedo rice planting dance is a folk art form dating back to the end of the Edo period. It has been offered at the Anba Festival of Kusano Shrine, a shrine listed in the Engishiki, as a prayer for safe voyages and bountiful catches and harvests. The tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake swept away the shrine, its costumes, and all of its equipment. Furthermore, the nuclear accident forced the evacuation of Namie residents, who were scattered. However, five months after the disaster, the dance resumed. For six years, the dance visited temporary housing in Fukushima City and Nihonmatsu City on the day of the Anba Festival in February of the year following the disaster, offering encouragement to those affected. In addition to events within the prefecture, the dance has also offered offerings at Meiji Shrine, Izumo Taisha Shrine, and Ise Grand Shrine. On February 18, 2024, 13 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Kusano Shrine will be rebuilt, and the rice planting dance will be dedicated at the Anba Festival and the completion ceremony for the new shrine building.

Tamura Municipal Funabiki Junior High School Brass Band

The Funebiki Junior High School brass band is made up of students who love music and instruments, and they practice hard every day with the goal of "moving the hearts of those who listen to them." Last year, they were able to participate in the All Japan Marching Contest for the first time in two years.