INTERVIEWS

BAND	Osaka Harmony Brass
INTERVIEWEE	Ryota Kihara, Eb Bass and Vice Chairman
INTERVIEWER	Lucas Burns
LUCAS: Joining me now on the program is Ryota Kihara, Eb Bass and chairman of the Osaka Harmony Brass. Welcome to brasscast. RYOTA: Hello Lucas. Thank you so much for your invitation LUCAS: Can you tell me a little bit about the history of the band? RYOTA: Yes, Osaka Harmony Brass is a young band founded in 2000 by Kansai area ‘s amateur brass players. We have 3 rehearsal each month under our musical director Mr.Okamoto. LUCAS: So the band is fairly young. I have been lucky enough to go to a concert of Osaka Harmony Brass, and I was very impressed not only by the sound, but also the fact the band has many young people. Does the band look for these young people, or do they find the band? RYOTA: Most member was found by the band when the band was founded. About other members, they found the band by our concert or web site. By the way, our members are organized from high school student to general manager of listed company. LUCAS: When did you join the band? RYOTA: I am one of founders and named Osaka Harmony Brass. I wanted to put our local name Osaka and Brass point to brass band in band name. Harmony was put because of I want people to know that our band plays music. LUCAS: British Style brass Bands aren’t that common in Japan. Had you played in one before Osaka Harmony Brass? RYOTA: Yes. I started brass instrument in junior high school wind band. American style wind band is flourishing in Japanese school. But recently, british style brass band increase in community band because of fantastic movie Brassed Off or Japanese professional brass band like the Breeze Brass Band and the Vivid Brass Tokyo LUCAS: How many concerts does the band do each year? And does Osaka Harmony Brass perform at other events as well? RYOTA: We have 6 or 7 concerts each year. Autumn concert is especially serious concert. This concert is programmed original classics and contemporary music for brass band. For example Percy Fletcher, Eric Ball, Philip Wilby, Torstein Aagaard Nilsen’s works. In 2004 We gave world premiere Music for Osaka by Darrol Barry. Other concerts are light music concerts, Christmas concert and concerts for local community LUCAS: What can you tell me about the conductor of the band? RYOTA: Our musical director Mr. Atsuhiko Okamoto is cornet player and conductor. He studied trumpet under Mr. Soken NHK symphony Orchestra former principal trumpet and cornet under Prof. David King in Salford univ. He was the Breeze Brass Band principal cornet for 10 years. Now he live in Shizuoka it take about 3 hours by train to come our band room LUCAS: Now, I believe that Osaka Harmony Brass is going to Brisbane, in Australia in April, to compete in the Australian National Brass and Concert Band Championships. This is your second trip there, once for the 2003 Newcastle Championships, and now for 2006. How was the last trip to Australia, and how are your preparations going for the visit this year. RYOTA: Large scale Japanese Brass Band Championships is nothing. So our last trip gave us to wonderful experience. I believe next trip will give us them, too. This time, We will play some Japanese tune in gala concert. We want to enjoy all contest program. Thank you LUCAS: Well, good luck for the nationals in Australia, in both the “A Grade” section and also in the Gala concert. I’ve been speaking with Ryota Kihara, from the Osaka Harmony Brass.