“The establishment of Toyohashi Symphony Orchestra was such a bliss. It truly depends on our own pride and gratitude on how people in the city of Toyohashi and the society will devote to nurture the orchestra.”

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After nine years of its establishment, the story of shifting from accordions to violins and violas started. It is a bold story of a 7th grade student started to play the violin for the first time and being able to play Brahms’ Symphony just three years later. It was a challenge to the myth that “One cannot play the violin unless starting to play it at a younger age.”
Morishita wrote about the accomplishment with joy as follows.

The day has come. For me, it was the 20th year since I started to aim for an orchestra as a young university student. We made re-debut as “Toyohashi Symphony Orchestra” and it was described as “purely passionate” performance; we were able to perform Brahms’ Symphony No.1 after three years and three months of working on very simple but on the other hand, a short-term cultivation way. Main players in the violin and viola section started to play the instruments after entering the junior high school. 18 of them played the instruments for three years and three months and another 18 people played the instruments for two years and three months.

Behind the spectacular re-debut as a full-fledged orchestra, it meant farewell to members who had spent their youth on playing the accordions and spent hard time together. Morishita roared alone. “Something has been lost in myself. There are too many things in life that cannot be regained.”

Thank you, accordions. Good-bye, Reed Philharmonic.

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Ravel: “Daphnis et Chloe” Suite No.2
Motoyasu Morishita, Conductor
Toyohashi Symphony Orchestra
2nd Tokyo Concert (July 21, 1978)

This performance is from the “Second Tokyo Performance” by the newborn Toyohashi Symphony Orchestra with the violins and the violas.

Article from the music magazine Ongaku-no-tomo stated about the Tokyo Performance as follows.

Dynamic conducting by Mr.Morishita was clearly full of compassion for the orchestra members. Elaborateness of ensemble and precise dynamism were so enthusiastic that you cannot imagine this was performed by average of 17.5-year-old amateur musicians.
The reporter who heard the performance of Toyohashi Symphony Orchestra for the first time was half-stunned, and often his back was thrilling with joy.