Social Inclusion Workshop

One way to bring out the power of music and put it to good use is through the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra's "Music Creation Workshop."

In the winter of 2020, members of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra visited children in special needs classes at a junior high school in Tokyo four times to conduct music creation workshops. Unable to travel to Japan due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Spencer participated from London, making full use of an online conference system. The piece chosen for the Christmas season was Tchaikovsky's ballet music from The Nutcracker. From this piece, they chose "Arabian Dance" and "Dance of the Reed Flute."

Participants listened to music, expanded their imaginations, and then expressed the images that emerged with their bodies. At the same time, they used various percussion instruments to translate the images into sound. As they worked in groups, the movements that emerged eventually became dance, and combined with the music, a single expressive piece was born. At the end, they performed alongside a chamber music performance by members of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime experience together.

Together with "Mike-san," the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra facilitators, their teachers, and their classmates, the children shared the process of understanding and recreating music. Through these experiences, the children learned to respect others, express their opinions, and understand each other.

Through projects like these, we strive to harness the power of music to benefit all people.