Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble is a club that was established in 1977.
They are actively participating in contests and performing at local schools upon request.
The author was a member of the wind ensemble during middle school and remembers watching the marching performance of the Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble at the Kurashiki City School Music Festival held every year.
I still remember being inspired and moved by their synchronized performance and powerful movements.
I spoke with Mr. Tsunekuni Shingo, a teacher at Kurashiki Suisho High School and the advisor of the wind ensemble, about the club's activities and their thoughts on them.
About Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble
In the 2023 academic year, the Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble has about 30 members, some of whom started playing in the wind ensemble in high school.
Although it is a small ensemble, it takes advantage of its small size, allowing each individual to shine.
In addition to seated performances, they also perform in marching style.
They began their marching activities in April 2010, and they are now in their 14th year as of the 2023 academic year.
Marching refers to a performance style that includes not only the playing of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments but also visual expressions.
The nickname for their marching activities is Crystal Sounds, a name given by Mr. Ooshiro Masanobu, who instructs a marching powerhouse school in Okinawa, and Mr. Steve Urisney.
The name "Suisho" (meaning "crystal") is linked to the idea of delivering music that is polished like a crystal, emphasizing the importance of sound and the desire to deliver music that is refined like crystal.
In 2015, they became the first high school marching band from Okayama Prefecture to participate in the "National Marching Band Competition" held at Saitama Super Arena.
In addition to participating in marching competitions, they also perform at local events and schools, and it is said that they will perform more than 30 times on stage in the 2024 academic year.
The Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble operates under the motto, "Aiming for the 'Heart Grand Prix'." While achieving good results in competitions is important, they believe that it is even more important for the members' hearts to be enriched and polished through their activities.
Activities of the Wind Ensemble and Thoughts
The Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble primarily engages in activities such as participating in marching competitions and performing at local events and schools.
They have participated in events and competitions such as the National Marching & Baton Stage Competition, Okinawa Super Marching, and the National High School Comprehensive Cultural Festival.
In February 2024, they participated in the "22nd National Marching Stage Competition" and won a gold prize.
The annual activity schedule for the wind ensemble is decided through meetings, where they share what activities to undertake and why they are doing them with the advisor and members.
The schedule for competitions is usually decided around April, while requested performances are arranged as requests come in.
Requested Performances in the Community
The Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble also performs at local events and upon request from elementary and middle schools.
Unlike listening to judges' comments at contests, performing at local events and schools allows them to feel the audience's reactions up close, which is one of the charms of these performances.
When they perform at kindergartens, nursery schools, and elementary schools, they receive feedback in the form of messages or letters after the performance, which brings them comfort and serves as "nourishment for the heart."
Sometimes, they perform at the nursery schools attended by the members or at the elementary schools that the members graduated from.
During these performances, they can show their growth to the teachers who took care of them when they were younger.
Because they are active in the community, they can share their performances with more people and bring joy to them.
"We are thinking about how to enrich the members themselves and provide various experiences while engaging in activities," says Mr. Tsunekuni.
After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were times when schools were closed, and it was uncertain when club activities could resume.
In response, rather than focusing solely on wind ensemble competitions and marching events throughout the year, they wanted to provide more fulfilling activities for the students, leading to the current form of activities in the Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble.
One change in their activities during the pandemic was the use of remote learning.
Even during the pandemic, they were able to have remote lessons with instructors living outside Okayama Prefecture, resulting in an increased frequency of lessons compared to when the instructors came to the school.
They also had opportunities to interact remotely with teams from distant locations.
"There is no need to forcibly return to how things were before the pandemic; we can continue to use what we have gained," says Mr. Tsunekuni.
The Charm of Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble
The Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble is characterized by the fact that each member actively contributes to creating each stage.
Some teams do not involve members in deciding the pieces for competitions.
However, in the Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble, they not only solicit song suggestions from members for competition pieces and titles for original songs but also allow members to come up with choreography for solo performances, enabling students to participate creatively in activities.
Additionally, the theme and production of their regular concerts are decided with input from the members, and it is said that the wind ensemble members also design the flyers.
While it is certainly not easy, they are all working together to create a stage that they can proudly say is "our own performance."
Rather than giving directives like "do this," Mr. Tsunekuni supports the students by making suggestions like "how about trying this?" to encourage their active participation in activities.
The Two Popular Members "Sunkun" and "Minchan"
In February 2023, the two students, "Sunkun" and "Minchan," went viral on the official TikTok of Kurashiki Suisho High School with the introduction of their new uniforms.
These two are members of the wind ensemble.
Following the viral success of the introduction of the new high school uniforms, videos introducing their gym clothes and wind ensemble uniforms were also uploaded.
Although it is the official TikTok of the high school, Sunkun and Minchan have gained a following due to their popularity.
Additionally, the videos featuring the two have received many comments expressing sadness about their graduation.
While they gained popularity on social media, it is said that they filmed the videos in between their activities in the wind ensemble, and it did not affect their participation in the ensemble.
"We enjoyed both club activities and filming for TikTok," Mr. Tsunekuni shared.
The Future of the Wind Ensemble and "Club Activities"
Mr. Tsunekuni states, "In the future activities of the Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble, I want to prioritize making it an activity that is attractive to the students."
He feels that there is an accelerating trend of students distancing themselves from club activities in the current post-COVID era.
In the past, being involved in club activities was one of the joys of student life, but now there are many enjoyable and fulfilling things outside of club activities.
Nevertheless, there are things that can only be done through club activities and things that can only be experienced in club activities.
Creating something as a group and striving towards a common goal cannot be done alone.
The Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble will continue to encourage members to take initiative and enrich their hearts, so that when they look back, they can proudly say, "That was a great experience."
Conclusion
The expressions of the wind ensemble members are lively, and it seems they are truly enjoying their club activities.
You can see the stages they create at their regular concerts.
The regular concert of the Kurashiki Suisho High School Wind Ensemble will be held on March 14, 2024 (Thursday) at Kurashiki Civic Hall.
Please go and see their music, polished like crystal, and their powerful performances.
Data of the Kurashiki Suisho High School Brass Band
| Name | Kurashiki Suisho High School Brass Band |
|---|---|
| Address | 155 Hirata, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-3565 |
| Homepage | Kurashiki Suisho High School |
