One of the reasons why I chose Waseda University was because of the vast amount of extracurricular activities I could choose from. So naturally, when I entered Waseda in September of 2015, I quickly searched for activities I was interested in. I have played the violin since I was in third grade, so I thought that orchestra would be the perfect place for me to communicate with other people through something other than words.
So my search commenced. After a plethora of emails, sit-ins at rehearsals and even participating in a rehearsal, I decided to join Waseda Philharmonic Orchestra, more commonly known as Wasephil. I was drawn to their friendliness and passion. In addition, Wasephil was a significantly smaller size orchestra (around 120 members) and I would always be guaranteed to perform. However, I hesitated before joining, especially because of the costs to join the orchestra. At around 200,000 yen (or $2,000) a year, it certainly cost more than my public school orchestra training. When I consulted my parents about it, they told me that if I was interested in joining, I should pursue it. In December of 2015, I signed a paper and paid a small fee to Wasephil. I was officially in.
But orchestra definitely was not as easy as I made it out to be. When I went to my first rehearsal in January of the next year, there was a lot of music lingo in Japanese that I did not understand. Even though there were three rehearsals a week, most of them lasting around three hours, I struggled to communicate with my fellow orchestra members. In addition, most of the people had performed together for months, and they had all established very strong bonds and I did not feel like I belonged. The feeling of being able to play with an ensemble trumped my insecurities, so I continued playing.
A lot of things changed during our gasshuku (or a ‘retreat’ in English) in February that lasted for 5 days. Once again, I was hit with a wave of new experiences. I had never played my violin for nearly 12 hours straight each day nor had such a rigid regimen. At the beginning of the gasshuku, it was stressful. Speaking in Japanese day in and day out was not something that I did very often and it took a toll on my well-being. However, I roomed with 8 other girls who were in my grade and played the violin during this retreat. By being with them nearly every waking hour, I began to be more comfortable with them and I started to enjoy the whole Japanese orchestra experience a little bit more.
Things got better from there. From making the official poster for recruitment of orchestra members in March, helping out at the Waseda campus to consult with new members, to putting up posters around Waseda to advertise our concert in May, I took initiative and tried to help my orchestra in ways other than playing. Through these experiences, I made new friends from all facets of the orchestra and it made coming to rehearsal less of a chore than it already was.
On May 28, 2016, I had my first concert with Wasephil. We played 3 pieces, and after finishing each piece I felt a rush inside. It was such a rewarding experience to go from knowing nearly nothing about how an orchestra in Japan functions to feeling a sense of euphoria after performing in front of such a large crowd. It made the late nights, rigorous practice sessions and the stress all worth it. I will never, ever forget that day.
I have learned so much through my experience in Wasephil. First, I learned many things about Japanese culture that I did not pick up on while I stayed during my summers, including how to use keigo (polite Japanese) for prolonged periods of time and how the Japanese youth think and function in general. Second, I have gained so much as a violinist and a musician. Throughout high school, I was never intrinsically motivated to practice, but in Wasephil I learned how it felt to truly love your craft. Last but not least, I learned that I have a large group of musicians and friends who will support me through no matter what I do. We have spent so many hours together laughing and crying and playing, and I would not trade these friends or experiences for anything.
This article was written by a HC Waseda Guest Writer, Megumi Kitamoto.