Rei Saeki
At the beginning of March, five of the high school musicians represented Saint Maur as members of the KPASS Honor Band. The Honor Band is a band made up of the highest skilled musicians of the KPASS international schools; the selected students auditioned for the opportunity to be a part of this prestigious event, and being selected is a reflection of hard work, dedication, and skill. Over the course of three days, they collaborated with other top musicians from six other Kanto international schools and a renowned guest conductor to produce a stunning performance.
One of the musicians, Yura (G11) reflected “It was an amazing experience to be able to create something with people who share the same love for music. My favorite part was the piece Takarajima because there was a section where everyone stood up and played, the sense of unity and excitement from everyone was refreshing after the hectic 3 days”. This year the theme was Japanese music, and the musical selections posed an opportunity to challenge various genres of music; marches, chorales, sambas, and even a student-composed piece. Not only was this an eye-opening experience in expanding musical knowledge, but an opportunity to have insight into other students’ interpretations and styles of music, which in no doubt improved the skillsets of the musicians.
Due to the pandemic, it was the first time in 3 years the Honor Band could perform without any COVID guidelines. The pandemic had posed significant challenges in the Fine Arts and especially in the music realm. After not being able to have normal face-to-face concerts, the importance of them was a lot more significant to the musicians. From previously experiencing filmed, no-audience concerts, the distinct environment of live performances was a precious experience, and the musicians were extremely grateful for the opportunity to show off their hard work, and to be able to spread their passion for music.
Much appreciation and acknowledgement towards the American School of Japan (ASIJ) for hosting and organizing this event as well as Ms. Foster and Mr. Doherty for their continuous support and assistance.
Rei Saeki