And the band plays on

So I'm a trombone player. In the sense that I have played trombone. In Junior high, High school and then a little bit of college did I toot on that old slide trombone. That being said, I really haven't played since then. Well, except during the winter with the dogs, when I worked up "Oh Holy Night" cause I had nothing better to do on Christmas (the pups didn't care for that at all.)

I thought about joining the Brass Band club when I first arrived in Japan last year but decided against it because as club events go in Junior High, and High School for that matter, it/they require a hefty commitment. In all earnestness, the members of Shinji’s Band as well, as most members across the country, practice every day for at least 3 hours. You can also find them in the school practicing saturdays, sundays and school breaks.

Well, before the sumer break that just ended, the band director approached me and asked if I'd be interested/around for the a concert in the middle of August. I had already decided to hang around for the summer and told the man so, therefore signing myself up for the concert. This particular concert just so happen to be the current 3rd graders last performance. When the fall term starts, students are expected to cease all after school extracurricular activities and begin studying for their entrance exams that take place next spring.

The main reason I stayed with this job for a second year is because of these students who are now 3rd graders. They are a great bunch and when I first met them, they were just beginning their 2nd year of junior high. Last year I posted a blog about two girls who make up the Trombone section, Ayumi and Shiomi. Well, this being their last concert I figured it'd be fun to play with them one more time, and man was I right.

As long as I've been playing trombone, I've been playing 2nd part, letting the likes of Kevin's and Hollis's (and a whole bunch of people in university) play the higher range notes. I even communicated this to the band director who merely laughed it off as if I were being modest in my awesome trombone playing ability. I wound up playing first part, but my lips felt like mince meat after every practice at which Ayumi just laughed and laughed.

We practiced for several days together in the big community center hall in which we gave our final performance. There was a good turn out for the big day who I'm sure were mostly parents of the instrument wielding students. The concert was just like every other I'd ever participated in.....except for my introduction this time as a special guest. There was a short Q&A with one of the sax players, an extremely shy girl...in english, which I'm sure the audience loved. We didn’t rehearse this little interview before hand, and after a couple of generic "who are you" type questions, I was caught a little off guard by the last one when she asked me what my blood-type was.


The concert went off without a hitch and as everything was being packed up and loaded into trucks to be taken to the Junior High, a small gaggle of the girls approached me, giggling and acting goofy as girls do, and by invited the band director and I to the "after party". The after party was hosted by the parents of the 3rd grade students.... and it was a blast. I'll admit I almost didn't go, because lets be honest, how cool is it to have dinner next to the english teacher who mostly says "I don’t understand" to anything you ask him. Somehow I talked myself into it, and I'm glad I did.

The food provided was massive and made one of the better buffets (known here as "viking style") that I've ever seen. There were many speeches made, one by me, and even in Japanese.... suffice it to say, it was simple, large amounts of fried foods eaten, juice and cola drunk and then......Karaoke sung!

Needless to say I like Karaoke! More so when only months ago, one of the Japanese English Teachers and I taught the 3rd graders "Stand by Me". My only regret is that I have no video to prove this, but I got to sing said song with 10-15 teenagers, some singing along, some pretending they didn't remember the words. It was classic.

Without doubt the funniest part of the evening, were the parents. Who upon arrival, because they all came by a group bus they had rented for the evening, drank a decent amount of beer. Not enough to get rowdy per say, but enough to tease, cheer, berate, and sing along with the kids holding the microphones. Some of the students were so mortified when they were asked/forced to sing, they were only able to stand in front of everyone, microphone in hand, and stare at their shoelaces. All the while, moms and dads, laughing it up.

It was another good night, the likes of which the summer had been full of.