My Third Grade of Japanese Drum Performance

By Yuka

              I had a special experience, which I would never go through in the future, at Kyoto-Tachibana High School in Japan. In the high school, I was belonging to Japanese Drum Club for three years. Our club is one of the strongest teams, and we always in the national competition take the prize every year. The national competition is a very important event in our club, so we have very strong thought to apply to the event. My third (final) grade of Japanese Drum performance became the most serious and nervous time to be a member for the national competition.

              In our club, there is the most important music in our songs. The title of music is Kyo-no-Shiki. This music is expressing about all seasons of Kyoto. This music is performed every year in the event for a long time. Therefore, I had looked at the performance of the seniors for two years, and I was strongly influenced by them. I really wanted to play the music in the national competition, and I would be fun. The seniors looked very powerful, and their faces were shining on the stage. Therefore, I always practiced Japanese Drum very hard to be one of good players in the club.

When I became third grade, I started to realize that the music was not only fun but also serious. I had responsibility and pressure that we should get the prize in the national competition. Also, there was an audition to decide the performers who play the music in the event. If I failed the audition, I couldn’t perform there. Therefore, I was very nervous. In June, we had the audition for the event. Our coach examined our performance. There are eight parts in the music. For example, Kumioke is one of the main parts in the music. It combines five drums. Also, we have Big Drum, which always put on the middle of the stage. My part was “Yagura,” which lays a long trunk drum and put it on a long stand with four legs. All parts were difficult, and also my part needed more rhythmical sense. In the audition, everyone is so quiet, and tension ran through in the area. I just heard sounds of Japanese Drum and coach’s voice. Also, my hands were sweaty and my heart moved so fast. After finished that, the coach called out our names, which perform the music, orderly and quietly. He said “I chose twenty-four performers in the music. The group is not only senior but also junior.” At the time, I couldn't breathe and beat my heart very fast. I thought my heart was almost jumping out. Then the coach said “Ms. Sakaguchi.” I cried tears of joy. I replied “Yes” with lively voice. Also, he advised with smile “Your performance was very aggressive, and I saw your very happy face.” After that, the coach said that we do not satisfy until finish the event. After that, I focused my mind again, and I practiced the music more and more with my teammates.

On August 2nd at 8:00 am, we arrived at Mie prefecture, where is held the national competition. We felt very pleased because I arrived at here as one of the performers. On the other hand, I became tense more and more when we looked the beautiful large stage in the hall. Also, the space of auditoriums was very large, and it could enter more than 3,000 audiences. I said “I cannot believe I can perform here.” In addition, my one of the teammate replied very lively voice “We came here to show good performance to audiences.” After that, we moved to another hall to practice the music. I felt strong pressure and made me very nervous while I was playing the music. My hands and legs were shaking, and I had a dry mouth. Next, the coach said that we should relax and have fun to play Kyou-no-Shiki in here. Also, he said that we have not thought the prize, whatever the results; the important is to do our best. After he said, my mind relaxed and became smile. We said to each other that we can do it, and we practiced more than other teams. I thank to my teammate, especially my same age teammate. The coach and my teammate encouraged me.

At 1:00 pm, our performance started. The MC was speaking about our school and club. After finished that, the thick curtain opened slowly, and I heard the deep sounds of Shakuhachi, which like a thick pipe. I was closing my eyes and breathing slowly. After finished the part of “Shinobue,” which is kind of bamboo flute, my part stood up slowly and readied for beating the drum. When I beat the drum, sound of the drum carried throughout the large hall. We imaged winter in the music. Therefore, it was so quiet and only heard the drum. After finished the scene of winter, the music moved to spring. We sang “Sakauta,” which expressed the process of making Sake. While we were singing, we were looking each other’s faces. Everyone was very smile and their smiles were shining. Next, we performed the scene of summer. This scene was played only Kumioke and big drum, so I sit down in front of Yagura. The scene’s image was thunder. After that, our last scene was fall. Every part performed in the scene, and this image was festival. I didn't feel tired. I was very excited and aggressive. The last scene made me very powerful. In the scene, it was very lively with the sounds of Shinobue, bell, and drums. I convinced that I love to play Japanese Drum so much while I was performing.  

After finished the performance, I felt the time pass so quickly. However, I did my best for ten minutes and had fun. I heard a lot of clapping from audiences, and many audiences were standing up with smile. When I looked everyone’s faces, they looked very satisfied and smile. After that, the coach said that everyone did good performance, and he was very glad to us. After finished packing, we returned auditoriums, and we were listened other school’s performances.

At 5:00 pm, many performers from other schools gather in the hall. Some performers were very smile and chatting and others were very serious faces and cried. Next, the result was announced in front of everyone. In the hall, everyone was very quiet and just hear the sound of breathing. The results were announced from the third place in order. When the judge said the third place, the school stood up with vigor, and they were crying and screamed with smile. At the time, I was just praying the result. Next, the judge announced that the second place is Kyoto-Tachibana High School. When he said our name, we screamed very loud and stood up. Some my teammates were crying with glad.  My pressure went away, and I had very big smile. I felt relieved to hear the result. Some other schools were clapping toward of us.

When the judgment finished, we run to the coach and our parents, and they greeted with applause us. We informed the result of the national competition to them. They were very smile and said to us “Good performance.” I was very glad that I could perform Kyo-no-Shiki in the national competition and get the prize. The event gave me confidence that I try my best in everything. I would never forget the event in the future.