*Orchestra A
Conductor: Shimpei Sasaki
Concert Master: Yukihiro Nishimoto
Concert Program:
R. Wagner: “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg” Prelude to Act 1
R. Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries from “Die Walkure”
R. Strauss: “Don Juan”

*Orchestra B
Conductor: Masahiro Izaki
Concert Master: Akihiro Miura
Concert Program:
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No.2

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  Rehearsal of “B Orchestra” in the hall

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  Overseas participants introduced at the official reception

The Japan Amateur Orchestra Organization (JAO), a federation in Japan, holds the “Amateur Orchestra Festival” annually. The festival is held across various regions in Japan and leverages the unique characteristics of each location. The 51th festival was held in Akita-city, located in the Tohoku region of Japan. This year marked a significant milestone as the festival fulfilled a long-standing wish to invite participants from overseas. Due to the disruptions caused by the covid pandemic, it has been four years since international members were last invited. This year, the festival welcomed participants from Singapore (2), Korea (2), Shanghai (2), Beijing (2), Taiwan (2), Shanghai (2), and Germany (BDLO) (4).

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  Toast at the reception party

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  View of the venue “Miruhasu” over the lotus of a moat

The festival unfolded at “Akita Arts Theatre Miruhasu”, a recently inaugurated hall collaboratively managed by the prefecture and city. The name “Miruhasu” draws inspiration from the vast expanse of lotus blossoms adorning the pond in front of the hall. Additionally, interior walls of the hall showcase the generous use of locally sourced lumber from Akita, resulting in remarkable acoustic sounds. In this enriched setting, participants from around the world immersed themselves in a vibrant three-day festival, sharing the experience with their Japanese counterparts.

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  Between rehearsals

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  Between rehearsals

A welcome party for overseas participants, reception hosted by each section, and an official reception were held every evening and participants enjoyed specialty food and drinks of Akita. They were welcomed by “Namahage” (a local performer) which was a typical Akita performance. The official party was likewise the first time in four years, and with the feeling of enjoyment and overcoming the covid pandemic, all participants deepened exchanges.

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  Social gathering of viola section (Members from Korea also participated)

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  “Namahage” appears at each section’s reception party!

On the final day, “Don Juan” by R. Strauss and the Symphony No.2 by Rachmaninov were performed by A and B Orchestras at the special concert, bringing the three-day festival to a close.

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  “A Orchestra” performing enthusiastically at the concert

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  The festival ended with the convention flag handed over to Tokyo, the next host of the festival.

Following are the comments from oversea participants of the festival and we hereby share them with you:

“I appreciate JAO for inviting us. I had a lot of experiences that we would never be able to experience in Korea.”

“Special thanks to the wonderful concertmaster and the conductor for the fantastic performances. The great acoustics of the hall made us focus on the music.”

“I think the solidarity with the orchestra members really helped the performance.”

“The greatest credit goes to the observers and the staff who dedicated themselves to make the wonderful performance happen.”

“It was my first experience with such a structured and orderly performance; I was able to absorb many things.”

“I hope wonderful concerts will continue to take place for amateur musicians in Japan and I also hope that members from Korea will join again in the future.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to experience the feeling of oneness through music.”

“I am confident that the wonderful performance will always remain as an unforgettable memory in my life.”