![[Held on Wed, 4/29] Kurashiki Citizens’ Wind Orchestra Green Harmony 55th Annual Concert 〜 57 Years Rooted in the Community. A Sound Shaped by Layers of History](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20090954/d88f537982c0f486d9c87c73e7532251.jpg)
When it comes to concert band music, some of you may be familiar with hearing it at school club activities or in performances cheering on baseball teams.
The Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony, made up of working adults, is a community concert band with a history spanning more than 50 years since its founding.
The Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony holds a regular concert every April, and this year marks its 55th. This concert will feature a special program with not only music but also singing and dancing.
We spoke with the group about the program and highlights of its 55th regular concert.
The information presented here is current as of the article's publication in April 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony
The Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony is an organization with a history among the longest of any community concert band in the prefecture.
It was founded in 1968 by eight high school students who had been members of the wind band at Chayamachi Junior High School (now Toyo Junior High School), including Sato Michiro, who currently conducts the group. At the time of its founding, it began performing under the name “Green Harmony,” which it has retained to this day.
The group began with a concert at Chayamachi Community Center and is notable for having grown out of connections among local residents. Since then, it has held 55 regular concerts, continuing its community-based activities for more than half a century.
Members of the Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony
The Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony has about 80 members, ranging in age from teenagers who have just graduated from high school to people in their 70s. Its members come not only from Kurashiki City but also from Okayama City and Fukuyama City.
Many members have been with the group for more than 30 years. Even those who left because of busy work or childcare reportedly return, saying, “I want to play here again.” The group seems to be more than just a place to perform—it has become a place where members belong.
Activities
Rehearsals are held every Tuesday at the Exchange Building in Kurashiki Fureai-no-Oka Park and every other Sunday at Chayamachi Community Center.
The group's main activities are as follows:
- Regular concerts
- Performances at local events
- Participation in the All-Japan Band Competition and the All-Japan Ensemble Contest
In addition to its annual regular concert, the group's culmination of the year's work, it performs about five times a year at events such as the summer concert and autumn cultural festival at Chayamachi Community Center, as well as local festivals.
It also performs every March at the Kurashiki Amateur Top Concert, part of the Kurashiki Music Festival program.
The group is highly accomplished, having competed in the Chugoku regional and national competitions.
Overview of the 55th Regular Concert
The 55th regular concert, to be held on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (a national holiday), features a special program symbolizing the Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony's “55-year journey.”
The program will consist of around 10 pieces, including music based on familiar children's songs and pieces used in the region's traditional folk culture.
In addition to current members, the concert will also feature a performance by the “Family Band,” which is open to volunteers, primarily alumni and their families. The group is planning a stage full of engaging elements for the audience.
We spoke with representative Matsumoto Emi about what makes the regular concert special.
Interview with a Representative
Could you tell us about the program for the 55th regular concert?
Matsumoto (honorific omitted)
This program strongly reflects the orchestra's history and its affection for the local community.
The symphonic poem “Pines of Rome” is a piece our orchestra also performed at its 30th regular concert in 2000. Its festive, brilliant sound may bring celebrations to mind.
The piece “Fantasy on a Theme by Nosho Benjiro: Moonlit Night” will be premiered at this concert.
It features Nosho Benjiro, known for children's songs such as “The Rabbit and the Tortoise,” and is interwoven with phrases from children's songs that many people will recognize.
“Chayamachi Bokke Oni Bokke” was composed by conductor Sato, who is also from Chayamachi, to mark the 50th anniversary in 2025 of the Chayamachi Oni Preservation Society, which works to preserve Chayamachi's folk culture.
Musical theater actor Oka Satoshi, who is from Chayamachi, will join as a guest. Oka's singing will be accompanied by a powerful dance performed by members of the Chayamachi Oni Preservation Society wearing oni masks.
We have also prepared many pieces, including a Henry Mancini medley, that we hope will make audience members think, “Oh, I know this one.”
What is the Family Band?
Matsumoto
The Family Band was first organized for the 30th regular concert in 2000.
It began as a project for orchestra alumni and their families to perform alongside current members, but now anyone who wishes to can take part.
Some alumni who are picking up their instruments for the first time in 20 years will participate, as will people who have long been interested in Green Harmony and want to try it out. Some come for a trial session, get to know the members, and end up joining the orchestra.
This year, nearly 70 people have signed up, bringing the total to close to 150 when combined with the members. We hope you enjoy the powerful stage, combining music and dance.
What are the highlights of the concert?
Matsumoto
Please look forward to a stage program that people of all ages can enjoy, featuring not only major classical works but also singing and dancing.
Guest Oka Satoshi will sing, members of the Chayamachi Oni Preservation Society will dance, and our own members will also perform a dance.
Also, one-third of the members who played “Pines of Rome” at the 30th concert 26 years ago will be on the same stage again this time. We hope you will take time to listen to the sound of an orchestra bringing together a wide range of ages.
Do you have a message for our readers?
Matsumoto
This year's regular concert is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Kurashiki Citizens' Wind Orchestra Green Harmony's 55-year history. We believe that this concert, with singing and dancing woven into the performance, will leave you thoroughly satisfied.
We warmly invite everyone to attend, whether you already know our orchestra or are learning about it for the first time.
From the Writer
During the ensemble rehearsal, I was struck by the careful attention to subtle musical expression and the richness of the sound when everyone played together. Since I was only able to hear part of the program during the interview, I found myself thinking, “I can't wait to hear the whole thing.”
Come and enjoy the sound of concert band music shaped by more than 50 years of history.
Kurashiki Civic Wind Orchestra Green Harmony 55th Annual Concert Information
| Name | Kurashiki Civic Wind Orchestra Green Harmony 55th Annual Concert |
|---|---|
| Date | April 29, 2026 (Wednesday, public holiday) Doors open: 1:00 p.m. Concert begins: 2:00 p.m. |
| Location | Kurashiki Civic Hall Main Hall |
| Admission (tax included) | Advance tickets: 800 yen Tickets at the door: 1,000 yen |
| Website | Kurashiki Civic Wind Orchestra Green Harmony Instagram |
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