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The Last Day of Brass Band
With two-and-a-half weeks to go of my stay in Japan, it’s apparent that things are beginning to come to an end. Friday and yesterday were my last two days of Brass Band. With the end of Brass Band (for me), I feel an important chapter of my life has come to a close, one which I actually found out started before I even came to Japan. As it turns out, my entering Brass Band was caused by an email I sent the Nomuras’, asking if there was anywhere I could play the horn or piano, and if there were horns at school. After reading this message, Mrs. Nomura called Kojo High School and asked the Brass Band teachers to let me join.
Anyway, on Friday, there was no school, so practice began at 8:50. Ensemble practice started at 9:30, and even though I hadn’t practiced in an ensemble with the Brass Band for months, I was told that I could join because only the basics would be practiced. And that’s what happened: we practiced basics from the “Band Study” book with warm-ups and exercises that the Brass Band always uses. We tuned, practiced long tones (scales where each note is held for eight counts, with four beats of rest in between, followed by a “cadenza” with four measures of whole-note chords), and a few other exercises until 12:00, with break from 10:40 to 10:50. I thought it was cool that the ensemble was conducted by one of Brass Band members (a saxophone player, more specifically), because the teacher could not make it. Lunch was 12:00-13:00.
The afternoon practice consisted of marching outside, during which time I practiced horn alone in the music room. Everybody returned at about 17:00, at which time the closing took place. The leaving time was 18:00.
Yesterday, my last day of Brass Band, was another day off from school (actually, Friday and Monday were teacher conference days, so people had to leave Brass Band for short periods of time throughout the days), so Brass Band started at 8:50. Just like on Friday, there was an ensemble from 9:30 to 12:00, directed by a Brass Band member, in which long tones, eighth-note scales, and rhythm exercises were played, with sufficient tuning done as well. Again, lunch was 12:00-13:00.
At 13:00, everybody began making preparations for ensemble practice in the gymnasium, bringing both Marching Band and Brass Band instruments, as well as stands and other stuff, down to the second floor. I helped with this process, which lasted until about 14:00. This is when a thought that has come to me a few times before, struck again: if the Brass Band is always going places (including the gymnasium), then why are all of the instruments stored on the two upper floors of the school? Moreover, why are they stored on TWO floors? I mean, with all of the percussion stored on the third floor, one has to move everything up one floor for ensembles in the music room, down one floor for practice in the gymnasium, and down two floors for travel outside the school.
Anyway, when everything was ready in the gymnasium, I was told I could practice alone in the music room, which I did for a few hours, until a few people came back during a break. When I asked, they said that it would be fine if I went and listened to the Brass Band play in the gymnasium – it WAS my last day, after all.
So I listened to ensemble practice until 18:00. I heard a lot of music I hadn’t heard the Brass Band play before, but some familiar pieces too. The one that brought back the most memories was The Incredibles—it was the first thing I ever heard the Brass Band play, the day I first visited Kojo High School. I remember I had been pleasantly surprised at the time by the coincidence that I had just played The Incredibles in a PHS concert…
Anyway, at 18:00, everybody packed up, and quickly got ready for a going-away party FOR ME. By about 18:45, everybody was in a room on the third floor at the end of a hallway, where I had played horn a couple of times. I was told to wait outside while everybody got ready, and was eventually led into the room. When I entered, everybody had little ‘confetti guns’ (like one would expect to see at a birthday party when the person whose birthday it is comes in and everybody says “SURPRISE!”), and clapped and cheered.
I was led in front of everybody, where I was supposed to make a speech. I was told (a few hours ago) that it would be good if I made a speech first in English, and then translated it into Japanese, so that’s what I tried to do. Once I got to the Japanese version of my speech, though, one of the first things I said was “thank you” (in Japanese). At that, everybody cheered and clapped, and my speech ended there.
First, I got some gifts from the Brass Band. I got a photo album of me and the Brass Band. I got a high-quality “jumper” that says “Yamaguchi Kojo Wind Ensemble and Marching Band” (I had asked Mr. Uchida if he would order it about a month ago, and fully intended to pay for it, but Mr. Uchida gave it to me for free). I also got three boards (from first, second, and third-year students) with hand-written messages from every Brass Band member and the teachers. Unfortunately for me, I had barely brought anything to give back in return.
After that, everybody took group pictures, with me in the middle. Then, we all had snacks and drinks, and took more pictures. When the party ended at 19:30, I had hardly even realized that any time had passed since 18:45, I was having so much fun (poetic, isn’t it?). The leaving time was 20:00, and I walked home with the usual group wearing my new jumper. We took a few pictures before saying goodbye.
And so that was my last day in Brass Band. In many ways, it seemed like a normal day, with ensemble practice and all, but the atmosphere was different than usual. I had a good time.
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