The 63rd All-Japan Choral Competition

   There was the final round of the 63rd All-Japan Choral Competition in Hyogo, Japan. The junior high and high school categories were done a month early, and it was the time for colligate, work, general chamber, and general large choir categories. Since there were two colligate choirs performed my “Agnus Dei (from Missa pro Pace),” I was able to get tickets for all the performances.

   One of the interesting categories is “work choir.” A work choir is something that I only find in Japan. This is a club activity choir at work. There were choirs from banks, manufacturing companies, city halls, and etc, and the singers are employees of those companies or organizations. It is very nice for companies or employers to support this kind of club activity. An old saying, “all work and no play makes Jack dull boy,” is certainly true. People who have good balance between work, hobby, and family life are the happiest people, and I am sure that they are also the most productive people at work.

   For many reasons, among the all the hobbies one can choose, choral singing is certainly one of the greatest ones. Congratulations to those who won, congratulations to those who were able to sing on the one of the greatest concert hall in Japan at the final round, and congratulations to those who love singing choral music!

 I also attend the reheasal of Tsuru University Mixed Chorus which performed by Agnus Dei. Here is the rehearsal recording mp3 and the YouTube video. Enjoy!

MindManager

   I have been using software called “MindManager” for a while. This software was developed by Mindjet Corporation, and it does help us to create flexible graphic-based outline. This is a great tool when I organize or brainstorm thesis/book ideas. The software’s look resembles Microsoft Office Suite, so anyone who are familiar with Office can use MindManager immediately. Anyone who have experiences writing long documents knows that importance of outline, and MindManger has been helping me a lot.

   I know that in this world, a word-processor software (like Word), a chart software (like Excel), and a presentation software (like PowerPoint) is default tool for business. Since I started to use MindManager, I felt that this software would be “the fourth” software. If you are looking for a tool to organize your idea, I recommend you try MindManager a chance!

The Goonies

   One of my favorite movies is “the Goonies.” I loved this movie since I was a kid, and still watch it from time to time (Yes, I own a DVD). In summary, this movie is an adventure of a group of teenage friends that try to find pirate’s treasure in order to save their families from foreclosure. I will not go into the details of the movie here, but one of the aspects of this movie that I love is music. The main theme songs were by Cindy Lauper and they sound really 80s, and the underscore soundtrack done by Dave Grusin contains some of the most wonderful and memorable underscores ever written in my opinion.

   Anyway, I had been looking for a CD of the underscore soundtrack, but it was impossible to find it. Fortunately, recently a record label named “Varese Sarabande” released the complete original underscore CD, and I finally got it the other day. It made me very happy, and also made me rethink about what makes a piece of music (or other art like movie etc.) timeless and borderless. When it comes to the Goonies, it captured the childhood’s adventurous and curious souls that every kid has and every adult unconsciously wishes to maintain somewhere in his/her heart. Of course, the presentation of the movie is lower than today’s standard with CG and high-resolution audio. However, ultimately those things are not the deciding factors of the quality of the work. 

   I am living in the 21st century, so as a creator, I need to create a work to fit into today’s society, but the survivability of the work is decided by how much the work reaches to the core part of us which doesn’t change over time. I believe that we have been and will value love, friendship, wisdom, effort, beauty and etc, though society and technology changes over time. At least, as long as I can believe that, I can involve in creative work.

Tears at the Competition

　I was fortunate to involve in this years NHK National Choir Competition (N-Con). There are three categories and they are; elementary school, junior high, and high school. One of the features of this competition is that all choirs are “club-activity choir” in school. Because they are club activities, each student’s passion to involve the club does matter a lot for a success of the choir. And when it comes to the final round of the competition, all students are singers who voluntarily spend time to choral music in the morning before class starts, during lunch breaks, and after school.

　Because it is “competition,” the judges have to give the ranking at the end. And it is, indeed, heart-breaking to see many students shedding tears of vexation and regret after the results are given. I wished I could give the gold medal to each one of these students!

Prague (Czech), Los Angeles (USA) and Tokyo (Japan)

I have been very busy since the late September till now, traveling to all over the world to do recording and mixing. Now, I returned to my place finally!

Anyway, I can't provide much information about what I did for some projects, but here are some pictures from the trips. I will let you know more as I am allowed to tell :)

In Prague (Czech)

In LA (USA)...

In Tokyo (Japan)

Special Stage for NHK National Choral Competition

   In Japan, there is an annual choral competition named NHK Choral Competition (N-Con in short). There are 3 categories; elementary, junior high and high school, and over 2000 schools in Japan participate each year.

NHK is the only state broadcast station in Japan, and it is like BBC in England. If you are in the US, you could think it like PBS station. The final round of the competition is to be broadcasted live on TV from NHK Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo.

   This year, I was asked to arrange a song for special stage performance of elementary school category. Special stage is the segment that pickup choir from different participated school performs a choral song with 20 to 30min practice when they are waiting for the results of competition. This year, I arranged "Nbaba Love Song" which is originally an opening theme song for an TV animation. NHK wanted something fun. So, I arranged with Samba rhythm, claps and so on so that audience could participate also.  The competition was done on 10/9, and I was glad that the piece and performance were well received. Also, I was able to talk to some teachers and kids from different schools, and I was glad that kids liked the arrangement although they don't know the original animation. :) As a composer, it is always nice to have feedback from performers.

Premiere of Cantata Amoris

The world premiere of "Cantata Amoris" was a big success, and I would like to thank the members of the Panasonic Choir for giving me an opportunity to write the work. I also would like to thank the members of Kansai University Egolado and Koube University Apollon, and other participated collegiate singers from different universities. Once I get the recordings, I will upload them as usual.

For the time being, here are recordings from the rehearsal...

-Cantata Amoris-

1. Sectamini Caritatem

2. Diligamus Invicem

3. Nihil Sum 

4. Deus Caritas Est (sorry, I failed to record the 4th movement)

Gloria (from Missa pro Pace)

At after-concert party, the Panasonic Choir gave me their new digital camera which contains pictures from the rehearsal. I was really touched by this, because we could buy a camera, but we can't buy memories.

Rehearsal...

Giving last-minutes advices...

Rehearsalcontinues...

After the concert...

With Mr. Honjo (conductor)...

"Cantata Amoris (Cantata of Love)" is 25min 4-movement a cappella choral work for mixed chorus. The text was prepared by the composer on the theme of "Love." Special Thanks to Dr. Robert Zaslavsky for advices on the title.

Cantata Amoris

©2010 Kentaro Sato (Ken-P)

1. Sectamini Caritatem
Ubi cáritas et ámor, Déus íbi est.
Ergo, sectámini caritátem,
quóniam ubi cáritas et ámor, Déus íbi est.

2. Diligamus Invicem
Caríssimi, diligámus ínvicem,
quóniam cáritas ex Déo est.
Déum némo vídit úmquam.
si diligámus ínvicem,
Déus in nóbis mánet,
et cáritas éjus in nóbis consummáta est.
Qui non díligit, non cognóvit Déum,
quóniam Déus cáritas est.
Caríssimi, diligámus ínvicem,
quóniam cáritas ex Déo est.

3. Nihil Sum
Si línguis hóminum lóquar et angelórum,
caritátem áutem non hábeam,
fáctus sum vélut aes sónans, aut cýmbalum tínniens.
Et si habúero prophétiam
et nóverim mystéria ómnia
et ómnem sciéntiam,
et si habúero ómnem fídem,
íta ut móntes tránsferam,
caritátem áutem non habúero,
níhil sum.
Et si distribúero in cíbos ómnes facultátes méas
et si tradídero córpus méum, ut glórier,
caritátem áutem non habúero,
níhil míhi pródest.
Ergo, sectámini caritátem,
quóniam si caritátem áutem non habúero,
níhil sum.

4. Deus Caritas Est
Ubi cáritas et ámor, Déus íbi est.
Congregávit nos in únum ámor Déi.
Exultémus, et in ípso iucundémur;
Déo Grátias, et ex córde diligámus nos sincéro.
Cáritas pátiens est, benígna est.
Cáritas non aemulátur, non ágit supérbe,
non inflátur, non est ambitiósa,
non quáerit quáe súa sunt, non irritátur,
non cógitat málum, non gáudet súper iniquitátem,
congáudet áutem veritáti.
Cáritas ómnia súffert, ómnia crédit,
ómnia spérat, ómnia sústinet.
Cáritas númquam éxcidit, quóniam Déus cáritas est.
Ubi cáritas et ámor, Déus íbi est.
Sectámini caritátem.
Dóminus Vobíscum, et Déus cáritas est.
Allelúia.
Ubi cáritas et ámor, Déus íbi est.
Caríssimi, diligámus ínvicem.
Allelúia.
Congregávit nos in únum ámor Déi.
Exultémus, et in ípso iucundémur;
Déo Grátias, et ex córde diligámus nos sincéro.
Allelúia.
Amen.

Cantata of Love

©2010 Kentaro Sato (Ken-P)

1. Sectamini Caritatem
Where charity and love are, God is there.
So, follow the way of love,
because where charity and love are, God is there.

2. Diligamus Invicem
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another,
God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
Whoever is without love does not know God,
for God is love.
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God.

3. Nihil Sum
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
and have not love,
I become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries,
and all knowledge;
and though I have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains,
and have not love,
I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not love,
it profits me nothing.
So, follow the way of love.
because if I have not love,
I am nothing.

4. Deus Caritas Est
Where charity and love are, God is there.
The love of God has gathered us together into one.
Let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Let us thank God, and love each other from the depths of our heart.
Love is patient, is kind.
Love is not jealous, is not pompous,
is not inflated, is not rude,
does not seek its own interests, is not quick-tempered,
does not brood over injury, does not rejoice over wrongdoing,
but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails, because God is love.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Follow the way of love.
God is with you, and God is Love.
Alleluia.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Beloved, let us love one another,
Alleluia.
The love of God has gathered us together into one.
Let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
Let us thank God, and love each other from the depths of our hearts.
Alleluia,
Amen.