MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Japanese Bands: What Makes Them so Good?

Author(s): Tim Willson
Source: Music Educators Journal, Vol. 72, No. 5 (Jan., 1986), pp. 41-47
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for
Music Education
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3396613
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 by Tim Willson

:JAPANESE
BANDS: 1
| WHAT | _B
MAKES I
P THEM J
g SO GOOD?
1you believe that Japan produces only high-quality cars, sushi,
and an occasional virtuoso violinist or cellist, you have a
s* urprise in store. Many high school.concert bands and an
amazing number of junior high school bands in Japan are
performing on a level equal to America's college bands. Does
- this sound like hyperbole? Ask anyone who has been to the annual
Japanese National Band Contest. He or she will respectfully attest
to the superior qualities of the high school and junior high school
bands entered in the competition. The performances are of such a
im Willson is band director at the American School in Japan, located n Tokyo
dl~~

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quality that it is doubtful whether controls curriculum, hiring, text- factor in acceptance to the "right"
any high school or junior high con- books, and philosophy in elemen- college. The most prestigious
cert bands in the world could sur- tary schools, junior high schools, schools usually place more stu-
pass them. What shocks most of the and public high schools for the en- dents in the higher percentages on
gaijin guests (outsiders or foreign- tire country. This approach pro-the tests, further increasing compe-
vides equity in education without
ers) is the maturity of players' tone, tition to get into these schools. Vo-
technique, and control. The consis- regard to locale, funding, or provin-cational, commercial, and private
tently high performance level of the cial support. School is compulsory academic schools account for
bands has spawned an interest until the third year of junior high about one-half of the nation's high
among listeners from abroad in theschool (age 15), although nearly schoolsall and provide trade skills,
methods used to achieve these as- students continue to high school. business education, or a college
tounding results. The best academic schools are pub- prep program to "overflow students"
Many renowned American musi- who do not get into the public high
lic and have a place in a rigid hierar-
cians and educators in the field of chy of prestige based on academic schools. The neighborhood high
band music are already familiar expectations and peer competition. school is not a fundamental part of
with Japanese bands and band mu- When a student enters high school the educational custom in Japan as
sic through the National Band Con- he or she must consider the lifetime it is in the United States. Students
test or through guest appearances goals of college choice and employ- in Japan may choose to attend any
with professional bands in Japan. ment, since both may greatly de- high school they please as long as
Paul Yoder, Francis McBeth, Wil- pend on the prestige of the high they can pass the entrance exam.
liam Revelli, John Paynter, Alfred school. Once in one of the best Music classes meet twice a week
Reed, James Berdahl, Robert Jager, schools, a Japanese student isin ongrades one through four, with an
Fredrick Fennell, and Donald Huns- the escalator toward an excellent emphasis on building sight-reading
berger are among the many who job with one of Japan's "Fortune skills through singing and solfege
have had an opportunity to observe 500" companies. Without the prop- using fixed do. These classes are
bands closely in Japan. er schools on a resume it is an taught by the classroom teachers. A
uphill battle (usually lost) trained to themusic educator teaches
Exam hell executive world. fifth and sixth graders music. These
Education in Japan is under theAll students must go through astudents are required to identify
pitches, compose melodies, and
battery of tests to enter college, and
supervision of the all-powerful Min-
istry of Education. The ministry their scores are the determining harmonize. Although the recorder

42 MEJ/January '86

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is taught arduously in music class,
bands must be rehearsed outside of
school hours. There are many ele-
mentary bands in Japan, but they
are extracurricular and taught by
any teacher interested and willing
to sponsor the band. No music
teachers are assigned the job of
teaching band or orchestral instru-
ments during the day or at any
other time.
A qualified music teacher contin-
ues to teach music in junior high
school. All courses in music at this
level have student music literacy as
their objective. At the higher levels,
however, music is an elective sub-
ject, and the majority of students do
not participate in music classes due
to the rigors of preparing for the
extremely difficult, and sometimes
suicide-provoking, college entrance
exams (known as shikken jigoku or
examu heru: exam hell).
Bands are usually formed in the
junior high schools. Most schools
purchase the majority of the band's
instruments. The vocational and
commercial high schools generally
have better bands than the academ-
ic schools, simply because the vo-
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?.'; ?, '
cational students are not under the
pressures of the college entrance
exams and can devote more time to N,-" ' .,~~~*~:tx,-?-J
practicing.
Most of the approximately fifty
teacher colleges in Japan have mu-
sic departments that instruct the I,~ ~~~f '-''~' / -'-"
future classroom music teachers
for the schools. However, these col-
leges tend to have little or no inter-
est in training instrumental music
"C,;' ~ ~ ? --
teachers. About ten of Japan's
twenty-five private music schools i' . 2~;
and conservatories have bands. ~~~I~-1C
Foremost among these is Musa-
shino Conservatory's Wind Ensem-
ble, located in Tokyo and currently
under the baton of Antonin Kuhnel
of Czechoslovakia. Musashino's
leadership can in part be attributed
to the work of Toshio Akiyama,
professor of music education and
vanguard of the Japanese band
movement. His leadership and in-
ternational contacts have helped in-
troduce conductors and educators
from abroad to Japan's bands.
Student-run bands
Band is not usually a part of the
school curriculum in Japan. Bands
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usually meet after school hours and
to flourish. The amount of practice spite a lack of formal training, his
are considered a hobby or club time and even initial membership in musicianship and leadership skills
activity. Most junior high and high
the group are determined by the have led his band to the finals of the
school bands practice two hours band members themselves. Quality National Band Contest for many
after school every day including depends on the strength of the years. The range of musical training
Saturday (Japanese children attendband's student organization and the among directors tends to further
school for half a day on Saturday)dedication of members, as well as widen the gulf in quality between
and also a few hours on some Sun- the director's instruction, training, the best and worst Japanese bands.
days. Japanese schools tend to have and popularity. It is important to In spite of many truly outstanding
a student body that is selected and remember that in Japan these bands, the average quality of school
specialized, which means that di- bands are primarily the responsibil- bands in Japan is still, generally
rectors are working with students ity of the student members, not the speaking, below the average quality
who have many common interests. director. The extracurricular nature of bands in America.
Also, Japanese students do not usu- of Japanese bands results in large The school band movement was
ally drive cars or have part-time variance in the quality of bands initiated in Japan around 1930, but
jobs; imagine what a blessing that from school to school. has grown mostly as a result of the
would be for American band direc- Although some band directors American occupation following
tors! Students are often required toare music teachers, many are pri- World War II. The military bands
take an extracurricular activity, but marily teachers of other subjects, stationed in Japan introduced high-
participation in the band specifical-such as literature, electronics, or er quality band music and instru-
ly is usually completely voluntary. math. Many of these directors have ments to Japan and helped stan-
As a club activity, the band is had no formal training in music dardize the instrumentation of Ja-
controlled only in part by the education. Iiichi Tohyama, a mem- pan's bands. Japanese bands
school; it is not subject to govern- ber of the Board of Directors of the continue to emulate America's best
mental regulations and does not Japanese Band Director's Associa- bands to this day. Another impor-
benefit from the distribution of edu- tion, director of the All-Japan High tant change influenced by America
cational materials, such as are pro- School Band, and conductor of the was the rearrangement of the
vided by MENC, commercial pub- outstanding Hamamatsu Commer- schooling to correspond to the
lishers, and universities in America. cial High School Band, is a good American format of six years of
This allows for ineptitude in some example. He teaches social studies elementary, three years of junior
cases, but other programs know no at the Hamamatsu Commercial high school, and three of high
bounds in regard to creativity, re- High School. His primary instru- school (before 1947, Japanese
hearsal time, educational philoso- ment is the harmonica, since it was schools were on a six-five-two sys-
phies and responsibilities, program one of the few affordable instru- tem). These changes eventually
guidelines, or budget. This allows ments during the hardship years helped bands to flourish. In 1958
some of the best bands in the world after the Second World War. De- only 10 percent of all public schools

44 MEJ/January '86

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had bands. Now 70 percent of the not get to perform. The nonper-
high schools and 80 percent of the formers are an important part of
junior high schools have bands. the group. They set up the band at
the contest with amazing speed and
Winning bands care as well as doing other support-
The All-Japan Band Association ive tasks. These members, who are
and the Asahi Newspaper Company usually the younger players, feel the
sponsor the Japan National Band emotions of the contest just as poi-
Contest every year during the week gnantly as the performers do.
coinciding with bunka no hi, the The instrumentation varies from
National Culture Day, on November ensemble to ensemble according to
third. The contest is divided into the requirements of the works be-
three days and categories: one day ing performed. Generally, there is
for junior high bands, one for high an attempt to copy the instrumenta-
school bands, and one for universi- tion of America's most prominent
ty, municipal, and industrial bands. college bands, with a few notable
The contest begins in August with exceptions. It is not uncommon to
the first competition at the local see four string basses in these rela-
level. After many performances at tively small ensembles, and there
district and prefectural (state) lev- are seldom fewer than two. A sec-
els, about twenty-five bands in each tion of four bass clarinets is also
category go on to participate in the common. This indicates an attempt
National Contest. In 1983 there to bolster the depth and color of the
were 3,294 junior high bands and low woodwinds. In addition, there
1,862 senior high bands in the con- are always at least five percussion-
test; a grand total of 5,683 bands ists to cover the percussion parts
participated. that are such an intrinsic and inter-
Japanese bands vary in size as esting part of contemporary Japa-
much as their American counter- nese music.
parts do, but contest rules set a At the contest, two works are
limit of fifty players. Most of the performed by every ensemble. Each
bands that reach the final level of band chooses one of four required
the contest are select groups made pieces, which are announced about
up of the best players from schools' nine months before the contest and
large ensembles. No animosity is are usually written by Japanese
apparent among the players who do composers. These pieces vary in

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style from traditional tonal grams that any American director growing number of internationally
marches, such as "This Glorious would be proud to direct. famous Japanese orchestral and
White World," to music of the most jazz musicians has sparked curios-
abstract style. Traditional Japanese Cultural difference? ity among Westerners about the
instruments are commonly used or A question posed by many Ameri- musical life of Japan.
imitated in these works. The sec- can directors is: "Although the suc- Japanese high school students
ond work performed by each band cess of many of these Japanese are involved in only one extracur-
is one selected by the director and bands is obvious, what part of that ricular school activity throughout
band. It is usually exceedingly diffi- success is due to cultural traits of the year. Baseball players play
cult. American band works are oc- the Japanese and what part is due baseball all year long. Academically
casionally performed. The 1983 to successful instruction?" In other oriented students attend juku, pri-
contest included "Masque" by W. words, "What can I learn from vate after-school schools. Likewise,
Francis McBeth and Mark Hinds- them?" band members participate only in
ley's arrangement of "Till Eulen- American publishers have been band and are not involved in sports
spiegel," which were both per- churning out scores of books at- and other school activities like
formed by junior high bands; Alfred tempting to explain Japan's eco- American students usually are.
Reed's music was played by four nomic successes. Most of these Long hours of practice are expect-
high school bands. Most works, books emphasize the self-discipline ed, and students fulfill this expecta-
however, are orchestral composi- and cooperation that pervade the tion, possibly because participation
tions that have been transcribed by culture. These national characteris- is strictly voluntary. Also, older stu-
the band director or commissioned tics naturally lend themselves to dents "promote" attendance of the
by the band for the contest. Some high achievement in group activi- younger band members. The stu-
of the pieces on the 1983 junior ties such as business, baseball, and dents manage, publicize, set up,
high contest program included ex- bands. But one aspect of Japanese tune, warm up, and hold sectionals
cerpts from the overture to Giu- life that many of these books put on their own. Most bands have a
seppe Verdi's Les Vepres Sici- less emphasis on is that the Japa- hierarchy among the band mem-
liennes, Claude Debussy's "Iberia," nese work incredibly hard at their bers: seniors and other responsible
and Richard Strauss's Salome. High jobs and in their schools. They de- members act as student conduc-
school works are of the difficulty of vote themselves to long hours and tors, stage managers, section lead-
Bela Bartok's "The Magnificent tedious work. The work ethic in ers, warm-up leaders, announcers,
Mandarin," "Sinfonietta" by Leo? Japan is intimidating to most Amer- or repairmen. Some student con-
Janacek, and the first movement of icans and would require consider- ductors may be completely respon-
Serge Prokofiev's Symphony No. 3. able sacrifice to emulate. This same sible for groups outside of the con-
Recently, many of the bands have drive and intensity is devoted to cert band. Jazz bands, drill teams,
been performing original Japanese music in the best bands of Japan. and small ensembles may be initiat-
compositions. Sight-reading is not a This is probably one of the most ed, managed, and conducted by
part of the contest. Three judges important reasons for their success. these students. These honchos
grade the bands and award a gold The time devoted to actual playing (bosses, as in "head honcho") may
or silver medal; usually fewer than in rehearsal can exceed twenty-four even teach the younger students
ten bands in each category receive hours per week with some bands- how to play their instruments! Sec-
the gold medal, the highest award. two hours every day after school, tionals and drilling are often the
Many Americans who attend the six hours on Saturday, and some- direct responsibility of the section
contest remark that the playing times eight hours on Sunday! leader, and this student-helping-stu-
quality represented at the contest is There is a social code in Japan dent method is a very important
due to the bands' "practicing the that demands respect, politeness, part of the rehearsal schedule. The
same two pieces all year long." Al- and self-discipline. The Western ad- section leader, usually a senior,
though the contest is certainly one age that the "squeaky wheel gets takes pride in training the younger
of the highlights of the year, and the oil" is not applicable in Japan. players on their instruments and
most schools put much emphasis In fact, Japanese have a proverb teaching them the traditions of the
on it (as many American school with the opposite meaning: "The band. He or she feels responsible
bands do for contest), the amount nail that sticks up gets pounded for the performance of the section.
of preparation differs from one down." This pressure to conform An example of this was observed in
school to the next as much as it has a positive effect in group activi- a rehearsal of one of Japan's best
does in the United States. Most of ties such as bands. The phenome- bands. A younger clarinet player
the schools that reach the finals of non of the "one-for-all" attitude to- played a wrong note in a run that
the contest give several other con- ward group activities in Japan has the entire section played in unison.
certs throughout the year with had remarkable results in com- The conductor asked him to play
lengthy and varied programs. Gen- merce, industry, and some artistic the part individually, and the stu-
erally, these programs do not re- endeavors. Japanese artists are dent repeated the mistake. At that
peat pieces and contain works of now devoting their disciplined and point the section leader stood,
difficulty similar to the contest liter-
aesthetic approach (which has long bowed, apologized to the director,
ature. Some of these schools have been applied to their traditional and immediately took the student
marching bands and ensembles that arts) to Western music. The in- aside to show him the proper fin-
play popular music. The schools in spired work of violinist Shinichi gering; in a few seconds the part
the finals all have well-rounded pro- Suzuki in music education and the was corrected.

46 MEJ/January '86

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 The "band advisor" is honored as
an authority figure beyond the
dreams of most American directors.
Students do not talk in class, they
listen attentively to any suggestion,
and they stand, bow, and thank the
director in unison whenever he or
she enters or leaves the room. The
director or sensei (the same honor-
ific applies to teacher, doctor, law-
yer, or any person held in respect)
is essentially responsible for con-
ducting and teaching. He also ad-
vises the students on concert pro-
gramming, rehearsal scheduling,
music selection, and other aspects
of organization. An important fac-
tor to remember before getting too
envious is that the band director is
not usually paid for his job. He
volunteers his time and talents be-
cause he enjoys bands and also
because he has an obligation to
accept responsibility for an ex-
tracurricular activity in the school
where he teaches. The schools
strongly encourage and often ex-
pect teachers to sponsor an after-
school activity. So band directors
have a regular teaching day that
lasts from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
followed by two hours of band. As
mentioned previously, classes are
also taught on Saturdays, and the
band practices on Sundays, too.
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There are about 240 school days
per year (as opposed to the average
180 in U.S. schools), and bands
have little vacation time.
In summary, the best of the Japa-
nese bands are successful because
they spend long hours in rehearsal;
students take a prominent role in
the organization, preparation, and
administration of the ensemble; stu-
dents participate in only one ex-
tracurricular activity; there is a
strong sense of fellowship and
cooperation; older students are in-
volved in instructing the younger
students; and the director is an ab-
solute authority. Of course, the nat-
ural talent of the director in foster-
ing responsibility in the students,
providing music instruction, and
aesthetically interpreting the
sounds the band makes is of pri-
mary importance in any band. In
addition, there is active parental
support. It is hard to determine
what part of all this is cultural, and
perhaps the greater ease with
which student responsibility is cul-
tivated in Japan is not something
that could be readily imported to
America. But as you can see, there
are many qualities of the Japanese
system of student involvement that
Americans might adapt to the ad-
vantage of their programs. II
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