Orchestra

The Orchestra was founded in 1986 as a starting point for getting students to make themselves more familiar with music as part of an integrated education program.

The club is open to any students in Grade 4 or higher, even if they have no previous experience with a musical instrument. The orchestra is basically made up of two sections, but the actual formation can be irregular because students’ wishes and choices are also given consideration.

The club’s main activities include holding a “Little Concert” in December and participating in the annual “All Gakushuin Music Concert” in April.

The “Little Concert” programme includes performances by well-known musicians in between those of the elementary school students. At the all-Gakushuin concert, the school takes part in a joint performance with the Gakushuin Music Society that is headed by the Gakushuin Alumni Orchestra.

As for outside performances, the orchestra has appeared twice on NHK’s Fue wa Utau (“Recorder Sings”) programme.

Although commuting to and from school limits practice time, the students put their hearts into every single note they play in their short practice sessions, working hard to build a rich sound together.