March 25th, the 6th day of the Senbatsu High School Baseball Tournament.
Japan Airlines High School Ishikawa, located in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which was heavily damaged by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, appeared on the last card of the first round.
In the bottom of the first inning, as the first batter took his turn to bat, about 100 people began cheering with a brass band in the Alps stands.
The first song is ``Kizora~Marezora~'', the theme song for NHK's TV drama series ``Mare
'', which is set in the Noto Peninsula.
We interviewed high school students who performed with the hope of
remembering the richness of Wajima .
(Otsu Broadcasting Station reporter Kanta Marumo)
Joint cheer practice session
Eleven members of Japan Airlines High School Ishikawa's brass band visited Omi High School in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, along with students from affiliated schools' brass bands.
Japan Airlines High School Ishikawa brass band visits Omi High School
In an effort to support high schools in the disaster area, Omi High School's brass band volunteered to join in supporting Japan Airlines High School Ishikawa, and a joint practice was held.
Everyday life has collapsed
Yuzuki Kyuo is the director of Japan Airlines High School Ishikawa's brass band and plays the alto saxophone.
On New Year's Day, Mr. Kyuubi was involved in the Noto Peninsula earthquake in his hometown of Wajima City.
Yuzuki Kyuubi (photo left)
Yuzuki Kyuubi, Japan Airlines Ishikawa Brass Band:
``An earthquake occurred while I was working part-time at a nearby shrine.When I returned home, my chest of drawers and bookshelves had fallen over, and my tableware had been broken and scattered all over the place. ”
Although no members of the brass band were injured in the earthquake, the school's facilities sustained significant damage, with the ceiling of the brass band's room being torn off.
A shelf that held musical instruments
Kyuubi's home continued to experience water and power outages, and after spending a week at an evacuation center, she moved to her grandparents' apartment in Kanazawa City.
Although the good news of “Senbatsu participation” arrives
Because the school building was damaged in the earthquake and the water supply continued to be cut off, classes were moved online and the brass band members were unable to meet face-to-face.
Meanwhile, January 26th.
The baseball team made it to the top four at last fall's Hokushinetsu tournament, and has now earned a ticket to participate in the Senbatsu tournament for the first time in four years.
(Senbatsu 4 years ago was canceled due to the new coronavirus, and no match was held.)
Japan Airlines High School Ishikawa Baseball Club
Kyuubi says that performing at Koshien was a dream he wanted to make come true during his high school career.
Yuzuki Kyuubi:
``I've been dreaming of performing at Koshien ever since I was in middle school, and when I was selected to participate, I was filled with joy.''
However, in his condominium in Kanazawa City, he was worried that the sound of his instrument would disturb those around him, so although he had a saxophone handy, he was unable to practice.
The brass band was able to begin practicing for the Senbatsu on March 9, more than two months after the earthquake.
It was after I moved to Yamanashi Prefecture, where our affiliated school is located.
Situation at affiliated school
In Yamanashi, he rented a room inside the school and set up a cardboard bed, where he slept and practiced.
Become a big cheering group with “friendship support”
A joint practice with the Omi High School Brass Band will be held on March 22nd.
Kyuubi and his friends left Yamanashi at 7 a.m. and headed for Hikone City.
The reason for the joint support was that the advisor of the Omi brass band and the staff of Japan Airlines Ishikawa knew each other.
Omi High School Brass Band Advisor Teacher Kokoro Higuchi:
``The brass band was not able to function satisfactorily (due to the earthquake), so I told them that if there was anything I could do to help, I would do whatever I could.As I
am a high school student, I would like to do something with music .
I don't think it's such an exaggerated thing to do with disaster recovery, but I think it's really gratifying to be able to use the music we usually do to help people who are in trouble due to the earthquake."
The brass band consists of about 100 people, including 11 members from Japan Airlines Ishikawa and members of the Omi brass band.
The students quickly got to know each other, exchanging gifts between the department heads and quizzing each other on the area where each other's schools are located.
Once the performance began, the students came together as a team, teaching each other how to play their cheering songs.
Omi High School Brass Band Director Momono Mikuni:
``We would like to do our best to support those who were affected by the disaster and those who cannot come to support us, and create music together.''
Remembering “Wajima, rich in nature”
On this day, we practiced 17 cheering songs for Japan Airlines Ishikawa and one chance theme for Omi.
Among them, the members of the Japan Airlines Ishikawa brass band had a special feeling for ``Marezora'', the theme song for the TV drama series ``Mare'', which is set on the Noto Peninsula.
This February, the Japan Airlines Ishikawa brass band performed this song at a charity concert to support areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake held in Yamanashi, and it was decided that the song would be included in support for Senbatsu. It was.
Japan Airlines High School Ishikawa Wind Orchestra Director Kazuya Fujii
Japan Airlines Ishikawa Wind Orchestra Director Kazuya Fujii:
``The applause at the concert was huge, and after seeing the news, I received messages from people in Noto saying things like ``I saw that'' and ``Thank you for playing Kikuu.'' I was very happy to receive it. I feel that the song ``Kisora'' has a special feeling for the people of Noto, and I wanted to deliver it to as many people as possible.''
Yuzuki Kyuo:
``I feel very nostalgic when I'm playing it myself, so I want people who listen to it to remember the beautiful, nature-rich Wajima when ``Mare'' was being broadcast. I hope I can bring smiles to the people of Noto with my energetic sounds.”
From now on through music
The match was postponed for two days due to rain, making it the long-awaited first match for Japan Airlines Ishikawa.
It is said that Mr. Kyuubi was thinking about his hometown while playing ``Kizora~Maresora~''.
Yuzuki Kyuubi:
``The lyrics were playing in my head, and I felt nostalgic, remembering times like that and Wajima before the earthquake.The nature was beautiful and the people were so warm. I love this town, so I want it to be a lively town again, and I was playing while thinking that I wanted to go home as soon as possible."
The match was a 0-1 loss.
However, after his experience at Koshien, Kyuubi felt refreshed.
Yuzuki Kyuubi, Japan Airlines Ishikawa Brass Band:
``Thanks to everyone at Omi High School and the affiliated schools in Yamanashi who helped us through music, we were able to support them, so next we wanted to help the people of Noto.''
I thought it would be great to hold a concert in a place where the people of Noto can come quickly, and where people who are still going through hard times and people living in evacuation centers can also listen to it
.
”
*Broadcast on 630 from Oumi on March 22nd