Choir Festival

I couldn't go to the Choir Festival last year as its held in the afternoon on a school day and I was busy teaching. But this year luckily I was free, so I asked to go along and listen. It was one of the most interesting events I've been to so far - not only because I love listening to some of the compositions by Japanese composers for Japanese choirs, but also, it was a chance to see all of the students of all the schools together in one place.

The three biggest schools, Akayu, Miyauchi and Okigo, only have their 3rd graders participate, but the four smaller school Urushiyama, Ringo, Nakagawa and Yoshino need all of their students in order to make a decent sized choir (or a choir of any size at all!)

I may not have mentioned before, but each school has a distinct personality about it. I believe this personality is highly influenced by its Principals', who influence the teachers, and in turn, the dynamics of the students' naturally blossom into a whole-school personality, but quite distinct from the other schools. You have Akayu, the biggest school with a military air about it, and its confident 3rd graders shouting out a deafening 'HAI' when they're called up to the stage, standing up and walking down in near military precision. You have Miyauchi, the second biggest school in complete contrast with Akayu, with a slightly more playful and casual attitude, but can work hard when they need to. Okigo students are similiar to Miyauchi's but perhaps a little more rowdy and relaxed.

Then the smaller schools, Urushiyama - despite being the largest of the small schools, its a real rural school with some very innocent, good-natured and solid students, but who essentially don't see the wider world as a place they're interested in (English isn't the most popular subject in that school I can tell you...!), Ringo - an interesting school with quiet shy kids. The school often comes across to me as very proud and proper about its history and its presentation, but once you earn the trust of the students and teachers, you can have a lot of fun with them. Nakagawa - a school with freindly students who have a little bit of a cool edge about them. Perhaps this is due to Nakagawa Junior High being the newest Junior High School in Nanyo, and also because, next to Akayu they have a train station that is situated on Yamagata's main line that connects to all the biggest cities of Yamagata. The Shinkansen runs past the station too....but it doesn't stop.

And last but certainly not least you have Yoshino, the smallest in Nanyo. It's 20/21 students were a sharp contrast to the loud acknowledgement and swift maneuvers of Akayu JH. When they were called to the stage, they got up from the seats a little sheepishly and casually. Very quietly they made their way down to the stage, and probably had the biggest amount of confidence amongst them, to sing in a choir of so few, after hearing Akayu's students try to belt out their 'power song' (as I like to call it - all the big schools sing this particular song that goes well with 'big-dramatic-mono-rhythmic-singing-with-lots-of-big-crescendos-ultimately-leading-up-to-singing-as-loud-as-you-can-to-ensure-maximum-emotional-effect')



The other interesting thing to witness, was the other students reactions to other schools. Students from the big towns know Yoshino exists, but probably have no reason ever to go all the way to the small town, and probably can't understand the way of life around there. Its a sure thing that the personalities and cultures of each town will be disrupted significantly when the merging of schools begins from next year. It's a sad thing, but it is inevitable. I only hope the communities can continue thriving without the junior schools their to support them. Anyway, the choir festival was great - all the schools sang really well!