Another weekend, another typhoon. Yes, it is the wrong time of the year for these things. Last week it interrupted the election, this weekend, well, it meant a long ride out to the western suburbs of Tokyo in the rain and wind to watch one of my students play in her community orchestra. She plays clarinet (the little one). So as a clarinet-playing (the big one) community-orchestra-supporting person myself, it was all I could do to avail myself of the trip...
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| Acoustically projecting |
And bravo! It was worth it. A very good, enthusiastic community wind ensemble, for people of all ages and starring, at times, a bass clarinet.
The venue was a full-performing arts centre, just right for this kind of orchestra. There are several of these venues dotted throughout Tokyo, and run by local councils. It makes me wonder what it would take for Brisbane to be a bit more proactive in getting these sorts of venues up for the community (other than those built and owned by selected schools). The population of this particular local government area is just 500,000, so it is not a population issue but more of a motivation issue. One community band I played in used to joke that if we called ourselves a sporting organisation, the funding would be unstoppable.
Priorities really. Is anybody listening.
Now that's not quite the one pic:one story play I intended today but I figured attending a concert and getting the playing bug again was creative enough. Inspired.
[Camera : iPhone6s, 6.22pm; 28 October 2017]
