We asked him about his approach to music as a violinist.
In addition to their daily school life as high school students, our students also have an aspect of being active in society as artists and musicians. In this issue, we interviewed Mr. Kohshiro Takeuchi, who won the third prize in the Violin Division of the 90th Japan Music Competition, to get a closer look at this aspect of his life.
-You took on the great challenge of competing in the Japan Music Competition.
I decided to enter the competition on the recommendation of my teacher. I took on the challenge because I thought it was a path that every violinist must take. Because of the corona, I did not have much interaction with the other contestants. In the past, the waiting rooms were shared, but this time each contestant was given a practice room, so I was able to practice calmly.
-The schedule for the preliminary round was very tight, wasn't it? Were there any difficulties or things you noticed?
The first qualifying round was on the third day, so it was physically challenging to perform three times in four days... I had no experience performing on two consecutive days... Scheduling was also a challenge because we knew the time of the show the day before. I realized that it is truly amazing that professionals are able to perform no matter what their schedule is.I don't remember much about the performance, but I enjoyed it so much that it didn't feel like a real performance.
-How did you feel when you heard that you came in third?
I wanted more than 2nd place!
-But we were happy!
-We did! I was like, "Yay!
-You had practiced with the University's orchestra before the finals.
It was the first time for me to play with the orchestra. I received advice from the professors who were present, and first of all, I was conscious of getting used to the sound of the orchestra. I had already learned a lot about orchestras from my teachers, so it was not that difficult to get used to the sound of an orchestra.
-I think there were some things that changed after the competition compared to what I had done before.
After the performance, I had to give an interview, so it had been more than an hour, but my friends were waiting for me in the lobby. （I was so happy (I received a picture of the teacher who had gotten tired of waiting and fallen asleep on the way to the stage via LINE (laugh)).
After entering high school, I was able to play much more calmly on stage. I used to play faster and faster...lol. After entering high school, I had more opportunities to play in ensembles with my friends, and I gained a lot of experience in competitions and other events, which I think helped me to grow.
-Does your life at the Tokyo College of Music High School have an impact on your performance activities?
My friends inspire me. I have made many friends with whom I can talk about music, and I have had the opportunity to play with other instruments, which is a great learning experience. I feel that I am acquiring performance skills in the performance.
-What are your goals for the future?
I hope to be able to create my own stable music no matter where or what kind of composition.
Thank you very much.
I look forward to hearing more from you in the future!
