What was happening next door

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While backstage between rehearsal and performance last Friday (outside of Nagoya), I could hear another type of music coming from a nearby practice room. As it turns out, a group of senior ladies were practicing on some type Japanese viol. If you know what it is called, please let me know.


They were very sweet, letting me listen to them struggle through familiar Christmas carols. Perhaps they were a class - I don't know for sure. But I do know that they were having fun at what seemed to be a new skill.

This is the music they were using. It's sort of a tabulature. The instrument has three silk strings, tuned to C (low), G, and C (octave higher). It is bowed with a horse-hair bow, and the tension is controlled by your grip.

Being a violin player, I had to try it. They got a kick out of me, trying to put it up under my neck (in jest, of course). I managed to get through "Jingle Bells" with the other ladies. What fun!

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Rambling thoughts

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So it says that I'm a contributor to this blog, but I haven't posted anything yet. I don't consider myself a very good writer, and I don't really like to do it. But I figure I should put something on here since my name is on the site!!!

This is my third trip to Japan with Sonos. In many ways I've enjoyed this one best, because my husband Brian came with me! We've had a great time. It's been really fun showing Brian the stuff I already knew about, from my previous trips. I particularly liked showing him Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland (of course)! DisneySea is such a great park, so many cool little details that Disney is famous for. Having grown up in Burbank, Brian visited Disneyland quite often growing up, and we go at least once a year now. So he really liked the fact that Disney was feeling new to him, not just the same thing once again. That's exactly how I have felt about it in my previous trips as well.

We also really have enjoyed the things that are new to us both. Yesterday we went up to Mt. Takao, about an hour from our hotel by train. We had a great hike, and up at the top there was a great view of Mt. Fuji. On the way there we also visited a temple, and got to see a lot of beautiful scenery. A long hike, and we were ready to be off our feet when we got back to the train!!

And of course there was the earthquake. Not a big deal for two people from California! We lay there and waited for it to end, listened for the possibility of the hotel emergency system kicking in (it didn't), and then turned on the TV to see if there was any report on the English News stations. Nothing there, so no big deal. I realized that I had never experienced an earthquake on anything but a ground floor. It was very different being on the 23rd floor. Very smooth and rocking.

Oh yeah, and then there's the concerts (the real reason that I'm here)! The halls have been beautiful, like usual. The concerts have been pretty good, some better than others. I personally have played some with excellent results, and some not so much. The last concert is today and I'm hoping to nail everything!!!

Brian, Warren and Jan are skipping the last concert and going to the Imperial Palace. Today is the Emperor's Birthday, and so it is open to the public. This is the only day all year that it is. They just couldn't pass up the opportunity, and I don't blame them.

So, another great trip to Japan. I'm so glad that Brian got to come along. I hope we'll get a chance to come back again.

It's all about the friends

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Friends we travel with.

Friends we eat with.

Friends we play with.

Friends we nap with.

Friends we meet here.

Bullet train goes how fast?

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Thanks to Warren's iPhone, we know how fast the bullet train was going. And in what direction.

And sometimes we perform too

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These are some pictures from various rehearsals and performances so far, just to make sure you all know that we ARE actually working here too.

Quartet performing "Sakura" in the lobby during intermission.

We were joined by another handbell choir for one performance. This was the rehearsal for the combined number "Silent Night," arranged by their director.

We couldn't take pictures during the concerts, but occasionally there was an off-stage view available.

Sonos is back-stage, and ready to enter!

Setups were always interesting. We rely on whatever tables are available at each hall. As you can see, it meant sawhorses with platforms on top. These make-shift tables were very sturdy, but too wide, as well as either too tall or too short.

We found a taiko drum backstage, and got permission to use it instead of our hand drum for "Rondo alla Turca." Jeannine got to play it, and she loved it.

One hall had a cool back screen, so we took some artsy photos. I'm sure Jim has a purpose for these.

Harf & Harf

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Mix Guinness and Bass and what do you get? Harf and harf, of course. Michèle loves this.

Sumo

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While eating lunch at the fish market the other day, this fellow was staring down at me from a calendar posted on the wall.


Next to him, was this poster absolutely packed with small, smaller, and microscopic nano-Kanji. Yoshimichi told us that it is a Sumo ranking sheet. Once I read it, I'll be able to make some bets on future matches.