Wind band world of Japan, with the exception of the professional band, All Japan Band Competition has become a core. For many amateur bands, the maximum of the goals of the annual is to compete in the National of All Japan Band Competition, and publishers make catalog CDs to propose works they having as "best in All Japan Band Competition" and some maker provide DVD of "analysis of a set piece". Works that have been played in the National of All Japan Band Competition and works which the band has been playing took the excellence award at the district tournament, then, easy to fix as repertoire. Composers want to be played their own works in a variety of concerts not only the competition, it is important to be known their name through this competiton for that.
Already more than 10 years, in Japan it is followed by a "Japanese composer boom". In the past, the wind band works by Japanese composer was few, about 20 years ago, the concert event with a collection of Japanese wind band works was held, with a fire in the boom. The boom turned into a "bubble" then. Many publishers are riding the boom, publishing the works of many of the Japanese composer and create catalog CDs, is one of the factors. But, not only that. Let's listed because There are other several factors.
I. Playing time and the instrumantation has been made aware of the contest:
All Japan Band Competition prescribed playing time is 12 minutes. Since the set piece is about 3'30" every year, it's time to 7'30" is given to the free program. Japanese composer to write a work of length to fall within the time commissioned from the band, and it is possible to write a work that was conscious of Japanese bands' instrumentation. Those works are easily published.
In addition also a characteristic that configuration of the work is often easy to understand for Japanese. When listening to the competition, there is a case where works with the same kind of atmosphere "melodious" and "dramatic" are endlessly played. Conclusion of the work ends up loudly sounded in the tutti. If the band want to play the work of more than 8 minutes, but must be "cut" the work to fit the provisions, contact is easy on the license of the cut if the Japanese composer about it.
II. Works which is recorded in the domestic new album CD affects to selection:
There are some shops dealing with CD overseas. But, domestic new album is a priority in most of the shops. Domestic new album is often includes Japanese work or already established overseas repertoire. Previously, a CD that introduce mainly the new work of overseas, named "New Wind repertoire" had been released every year, now this series has stopped.
III. Easy to each other contact:
This is a natural advantage as a domestic composer. Because most of the Japanese is not good at language other than Japanese. There is also that Japanese composer coaches a lot of band as a instructor or the seminar lecturer. So they have a strong connection to the band and "Komon", it is easy to promote own works, there may be factors such as likely to be picked by the connection. Commissioned for the competition would also be many.
I do not want you to misunderstand, I do not want you to write a work that were aware of the Japanese competition in order to be successful in Japan. Such work is a no longer needed. I do not want to listen to. So, you can coache and instruction, but can not use Japanese, there is no connection, how should you do? Let's think after the next time.
text. Shuhei Umemoto (Thank you, Google translation)
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