Tachibana collaborates with J-Pop singer Kalen Anzai

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The band wears white while breaking into the world of J-Pop at singer/songwriter/actress Kalen Anzai new music video “僕らは強くなれる” (=”We can be stronger”) which was shot in August 2019 and published on July 22, 2020 (video above by avex official YouTube-channel, shorter promotional video is here). As per the related press release (click here, in Japanese) the collaboration with Tachibana started already in 2018 under guidance of eminent musician/music producer Yōichi Murata, and with choreographer Ryō Noguchi (former member of WORLD ORDER and their main choreographer).

Note at the school Twitter-account is here, at the school site here (Wayback Machine), and at Band Official Website here (all in Japanese). Illustrations of the band in white by たつまるスタンプ are here, here and here.

Kalen Anzai interview is here, in Japanese.

Avex has also published a music video without vocals, band performance only (see below):

Click picture to watch video

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Attending Bukapi TV show:

Kalen Anzai and 117th Class band members (from top left: Club President Nakamura-san (percussion), Drum Major Aoyama-san (trombone), Student Conductor Takehara-san (alt sax)) attended at TV show Bukapi (ブカピ 部活ONE) hosted by Riko-san (see her Wikipedia here) on July 14, 2020 (video below):

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On July 21, 2020 the second part of the show was broadcasted (this video is not available any more).

Brief translation:

Riko: What’s your favorite music in your repertoire of performances?
Nakamura-san: I like “Sing, Sing, Sing” the most. It’s a cool song.
Takehara-san: The alto sax that I am in charge plays the melody first on “Sing, Sing, Sing”, so when I practiced hard and became able to play while dancing, I finally felt like I could be a friend to all.
Anzai: Oh, that’s nice.
DM: Our practice is always hard, but it’s fun to play the live performance because we can see the smiles of the audience and feel the reaction.

Riko: I’d like to ask a question as a same generation, what do you do on your days off?
Nakamura-san: I go out to play with my friends.
DM: I went to Disneyland by taking a night bus at Golden Week (early May in Japan) in my second year (6 hours by night bus from Kyoto to Tokyo).
Takehara-san: I go shopping in Osaka on my days off. I also love Japanese style barbecuing in the neighborhood.

Anzai: Please tell us the buzzwords used by high school students these days. I don’t know at all.
Nakamura-san ? ? ? ?
Riko: I use the phrase “xxxx (untranslatable)” when I am moved.
Anzai: Do you use that?
Nakamura: Yes I use that.
Staff: Do you use the word “xxxx (untranslatable)”?
Nakamura: Yep.
Anzai: Hahaha. You use them!

Impressions that appeared in the PV:
Nakamura-san: The facilities and equipment at the big studio were really amazing.
Takehara-san: There were a lot of staff members up there, and when my socks were down, some staff fixed me and I felt like I was a true entertainer!
Anzai: You are a true entertainer, aren’t you. We made those white uniforms for shooting.
Riko: Wow.
DM: The choreography was done by a professional at that time, so it was more difficult to move than usual.

A TV program is conducting a project to support third year high school students nationwide and Anzai-san will also cooperate.

Nakamura: I was disappointed that the competition was canceled and I couldn’t practice so it was tough.

At a later date, Anzai signed the CD and presented these to everyone at KT. And the white uniform used for shooting was also presented.
Takehara-san: Awesome! Awesome!
Nakamura-san: This is a memory of my life.
DM (get the uniform): I will display this uniform at my room.

KT members “Riko-san, Anzai-san, please come to our school next time!”

Finally the three band members delivered a message to all high school third year students in Japan:

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Brief translation:

Message from Club President:

I’m sure there are some juniors who have retired and others like us who are still active.

There is no changing the fact that such a great calamity happened during the important time of our senior year of high school. Therefore, we can only live with it. Let’s have fun and do our best in the remaining six months or so of this important time!

Message from Drum Major:

Not only in the brass band, but also in other clubs, I believe that competitions and games are disappearing.

Even though we can’t see them, adults around us are taking action for us. I am grateful for them and will do my best until the end of this year.

Message from Student Conductor:

The situation that prevented me from practicing due to the coronavirus is slowly improving. In the midst of all this, I want to live my life one day at a time, feeling the happiness of being able to do club activities with my friends.

Also, I’m sure that those who are involved in clubs other than the brass band are having a hard time because they don’t have the opportunity to show off the results of their practice. But while I’m happy to be able to participate in club activities now, I want to practice and perform for the last year of this important year so that I can make good memories.

And I will do my best so that I can say: “Although we had some mishaps because of the coronavirus, it was a good memory to be one of the members of the club during that difficult time”.

On August 3, 2020 Bukapi YouTube-channel published additional video featuring band practice discussion:

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Brief translation:

Riko: I would like to ask you how to practice at Kyoto Tachibana High School, which has both a brass band and a marching band.
By the way, what kind of practice did Anzai practice during the brass band?

Anzai: During my personal practice, I faced the metronome all day long and looked at it. That’s the end of the day.

Riko: That kind of thing (laughs). I knew for the first time.

Anzai: When I heard the sound of the metronome, I lost the time interval and the day ended in no time.

Riko: Well, is that so?

Anzai: I felt as if I could hear a tingling sound in the empty ear (even when there was no metronome).

Riko: That’s right. So how do everyone at Tachibana High School practice?

Nakamura: We will practice step by step in individual practice, part practice, joint performance.
First of all, the personal practice begins after the score is handed out.
It enables you to read and understand the score, perform according to the score properly, and after that, proceed to practice by part.
When we move to practice by part, the leader of the part plays a central role in performing the ensemble of the parts, sharing the image of the performance, and thinking about how to change.
Finally, I ask the advisor’s teacher to make the whole performance.
Marching practice will follow.
Thinking about marching choreography…

Riko: Well, how hard! great.
Anzai: It’s really difficult.

Riko: Marching band practice, what exactly does it do?

Nakamura: Particles? ? Wang? ? XXX (I can’t hear).
There is also a basic practice for marching, which we call “MM”, meaning marching maneuvering.
By doing that, we train our cores and train our bodies to build a solid core.

Riko: You mentioned that you train yourself with core training, but I can only think of core training that sports club activities do.
How do you do your core training?

Nakamura: There are many types.
First of all, keep the posture of High Mark Time without moving. It gains leg muscles.
Then (while slowly changing poses), you can control the trunk by suppressing fluctuations and thinking about the center of gravity to develop a sense of balance. These are called balance exercises.

Other practical techniques that are actually used for marching, mark time practice, are treading.
Practice stepping so that everyone looks together.
Marking requires walking 5m in 8 steps.
It’s a common understanding.
Using that recognition, I also practice putting a mark on the ground, walking with several people, and making an image of everyone walking beautifully.

Anzai: Great! You can walk 5m8 in your daily life, right? (Laughs)
I was also ordered a lot of abdominal muscle training in the brass band days.
When marching is added to the brass band, the muscles of the legs are also needed.
It’s tough! It’s really a sports club activity. It’s not a cultural club.

Riko: Training, I thought that wasn’t something that the brass band usually does.
I didn’t know there are many types of training.

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Making-of-videos by Avex:

Avex is also publishing a string of making-of-videos, Part 1 below:

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Brief translation:

Band part training at Kyoto Tachibana High School in summer 2018

0:38 This time, I am Yoichi Murata, who was in charge of arranging the songs that everyone played. Nice to meet you everyone.
I’m usually a professional trombone player.
I want to listen to the song you play all the time. Is it okay?

1:32 Today and tomorrow, I’d like to practice two bokura ha tuyokunareru’s marching version and singing voice version together.

Percussion part: A little bit, this sound is difficult. It can be reproduced by marching style two bass drums.

2:02 Please feel a little stronger in the lower part of the octave.

2:18 The baritone saxophone part is the same as the brass instrument. I have four baritons so I cast an octave rainbow (maybe it’s wrong)

2:47 You may leave the sound of afterglow.
However, the next sound should not be weakened.

3:00 It has improved significantly. It feels like a Hyatt (?).
You are currently doing good fingering, so if you keep practicing normally, this song will also be good.
Please continue with that feeling.

Spring 2019

3:16 Last time I came in August last year, I would like to hear the current performance that the third grader graduated and other grades were promoted.

3:36 Perhaps the performance may not match, but it should be corrected.

3:49 Now, basically only the 2nd and 3rd graders are playing, right? I would like to hear the performance that the first graders joined.

4:06 Well, it’s easier for me to blow (rather than explain by mouth), surely.
Do you understand somehow? All you have to do is XXX (not hear).
Flute part: XXX is less than before.
Murata: I think it’s good. XXX.
Flute Part: Thank you.
Organizer? (Sake T-shirt): We are part of thinking about choreography, but everything is XXX from the beginning.
Murata: Maybe XXX.
Organizer: Thank you.

Summer 2019

Wow wow! Would you like to listen to it? All performances matched.
The approach to rhythm has changed, hasn’t it?
That’s reflected in a good way, let’s go this way.
KT: With a vocal start version (while holding two fingers up). .. .. And the XXX start version.
Trumpet part: It turned out to be so funny.

5:43 This is the end of today’s practice.
All KT: Thank you.

We can be stronger!

Part 2 below:

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Brief translation:

0:38 DM: Three people? With the signature? (Sounds like SANINTOMO) We’ll start the performance after a short rest, so let’s make it start smoothly like “Tattata, Tatata”.

The place of “(Singing the rhythm)” in the intro…

1:10 Murata: Good morning. I look forward to working with you today.
Yes, today is the long-awaited XXX (recording?).
Well, your dance lesson seems to be back next month, but today I will be the last to be involved.
Well, I want to record the part separately, so the first thing to do is play only the first intro.
Are you okay? Yes, let’s go.

The phrase “1.2.3. Dadder” isn’t it?
So make sure that XXX (demate? demand?) takes towards the second half.
In places with poor acoustics such as classrooms, the sound is lost the moment you hold your breath.
Sounds will remain in such halls, so don’t push your breath.
Gently hold your breath, and the sound remains gracefully.
I think it will be better if you do that.

2:47 Murata: I want the phrase from the 3rd beat of the 29th measure, I want to record from there.
Because it starts counting just before “B”. .. ..

So this may be the last recording, right?

Sounds good! It was the best! It was the best performance today!
Now that this song is complete, thank you all.
Before taking a break, change the arrangement of the chairs according to the big band (for brass band).

3:51 Murata: Thank you for your continued support.
Compared to when I was practicing, my tempo has increased by two.
As a test, play 2-5 bars of the intro with only percussion instruments.
Isn’t one alone enough?
Someone: Yes, one went to the bathroom.
Ah, even though I don’t have to say that, I understand (he worries that hearing a woman going to the bathroom would be sexual harassment).

Isn’t it all right to finish? Isn’t it okay to play now?
Let’s listen to the performance.

Yes, the end of all sounds are correct. There is no problem and it is OK.

I hope you can play with a little effort.
Would you like to play like that?

Yes, I feel good.

How many boys are there?
Someone: Six.
Ah, there are 6 people (more than impressions).
But the total number of this band is about 90, right?
After all, there are few boys.

Where is the next competition (in the marching contest) after the Kansai competition?
Someone: It’s a national convention.
It will be a national convention soon, I see.
Is it possible to go to the national convention this year?
Someone: We are going!
It’s just like that! Please attack with a bullish posture.

Wish in Bloom!!!
(Laughs)

Subtitles: We can be stronger “Bokura ha tuyoku nare ru”

And Part 3 below:

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Brief translation:

0:05 Male choreographer (=Ryō Noguchi): Good morning.
I’ll write a whiteboard of what I’m doing today and I want you to understand it.
We also select groups.
Let everyone do their best and follow us.
So thank you.

0:24 Female choreographer: From now on, I will explain the flow from the first step.
The very first thing is to pick 21 people.
We will select the people who will be responsible for each instrument, and each of them will choose three people.
From there (increasing the number of performers from the first 21), the number of people gradually increased, and I felt like I was heading further (to the last?). .. ..

0:44 Flute? Piccolo? :so. .. ..
Male choreographer: Oh, right? This time [she or you]? That means you are in charge of the color guard.
However, thinking that this band is a separate formation, I will give you again (re-think?) XXX. .. ..

0:46 Female choreographer: Tuba-san. .. .. Trombone part-san. .. ..
The first people to appear are called group “A”.
The people who will appear next are called group “B”.
Select three people who belong to the group “A”.

0:57 Someone from KT: Then, in order from the flute, the parts are arranged in the order of XXX (sitting brass band?).

1:12 Male choreographer: There are 6 in the horizontal row and 9 in the vertical row.

1:22 Male choreographer: The outer group moves clockwise. So everyone in this line goes backwards.

1:37 Male choreographer: Is it good to say the technique that the instrument you are in charge of slips through?
The people in this video look very close to each other, right?
We want this narrow feeling (like a video).

1:48 Someone from KT: Let’s break up in half.
You’re jumping with this rhythm, right?
The time to bend down is 4 beats.

2:05 Female choreographer; after performing such an action. The second person in the “intro part of the song” (swings his legs down). The third person in the “continuation of the intro” (swings his legs down). “Jean, Jean” (and look forward)

2:27 Someone: After you’re done, please line up your shoulders firmly, I want you to be aware of that and reach the end.

2:55 Female choreographer: Let’s start from the beginning, with a feeling of “rhythm”.
‥
3:06 Male choreographer: Which is the current line of eight people?
Female choreographer: Moved. And “4.2.3.4” has stopped.
Male choreographer: Kick at the signal of 6! With all your strength!

3:39 Female choreographer: When everyone reaches the finish. .. ..

3:53 Male choreographer: Be careful of the inclination of your face.
Tilt it with your body and shoulders as much as possible.
Please try again, being aware of the inclination.

4:08 Someone from KT: First, reverse. Use XXX to reverse “eyes or chest?”

4:28 Male choreographer: Then, please be careful only for injuries.
Maybe you can only do it once. Let’s go carefully!

5:36 2 choreographers: Thank you everyone.

5:41 Male choreographer: This time, the practice is only left for a very short time, but I want to do my best towards August 12 to improve the quality of the performance.
I want to see a performance that everyone has gathered together.

Female choreographer: I think, I can only do it with everyone here now, and I can only do it at the current timing.
It is our chance to receive it, I want to make good things with everyone, I want to do my best to the end.
I’m usually in Tokyo and I’m a long way from you, but my heart is one with you, I want to work together towards the same goal.
Let’s do our best together!

Thank you everyone. Thank you for your continued support.

Subtitles: We can be stronger (bokura ha tuyoku nare ru)

Finally Part 4 below:

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Brief translation:

This time, there was a lot of noise and it was difficult to hear their voice.
The noise in the first half is semi, and I think “Abra semi” and “Kuma semi” are mixed.
You can see they are practicing without air conditioning even in August.
I think the noise in the second half is the sound of the equipment and the drone.
After changing clothes, it seems that the air conditioner was turned on.

0:11 Subtitles of “2019 Summer Music Video Shooting Production, National Kyoto International House”

0:34 Where do you put xxx?
0:38 There are five people including myself. .. ..
0:48 We will shoot today and tomorrow. Thank you for your cooperation.
0:55 By the way, I’ve lost one person. What is the part of that instrument?
It’s a horn.
1:08 When we first participated in the practice, they were saying “do this!”
1:20 If you notice it on the way. If it doesn’t fit, please XXX for now.
1:25 Shoulder. Let’s cross our shoulders.
1:42 Nice to meet you everyone, I am Karen Anzai. Hello.
Thank you very much for your cooperation with my MV.
I am very happy to be able to play with you.
We kindly ask for your cooperation in achieving the best MV.
Thank you so much, I count on you.
2:20 Male choreographer: 5 No, 6 people.
CG: Do you feel like we’re moving between the band guys?
Male choreographer: Yes, that’s right.
2:27 You are turning with your right foot. Please use your left foot.
3:15 Where are the boxes and the contents?
3:26 Do not move as it is!
3:36 Be aware of it properly!
3:45 Two human feet are together. I don’t think it’s possible to match it exactly like this, but I want to do it well. .. .. (While showing the video?)
3:51 When marching, please move forward as if sticking.
In the line where you should be. Please follow there.
4:11 This part is definitely something you should do well. let’s do our best!
4:15 Interval between before and after. .. ..
4:17 Even if you make a mistake, do not let others know. Do as usual, without showing on your face.
4:25 When everyone came in, everyone. each. .. .. XXX
4:40 Properly score the xxx. .. ..
Then, with one hand. .. ..
4:47 On the other side. .. ..
4:51 5,6, Opposition, 1,2,3,4,5,6,
5:11 Hi, then the production will start.
Yes, everyone XXX if you like. .. ..
5:37 I want you to have a solid sense of when you stop. If you carve a certain rhythm with your body, your body will be attracted to that rhythm.
I think that it will be improved if you change that consciousness.
At points 7 and 8, you try not to be late, but at the same time do your best to move forward.
6:19 Value the power of the eyes (with a strong will for the eyes). Yes.
6:31 If everything is ok, you will have a lunch break.
6:40 When it is connected to the X measure, it changes to V shape.
6:48 Yes, um. Karen Anzai will come in. Thank you.
I’ve been watching for a while, and I was very impressed. Thank you very much.
Please help me with you in the future of today.
7:17 Then, XXX people will continue XXX after this, but other people will end.
Thank you.
7:29 If you’re just a back band, you’re in the back, but it’s not, you’re the star in this video.
7:58 I will cut the shooting. OK, thank you all.
8:12 Kyoto Tachibana High School “boku ra ha tuyoku nare ru” (we can be stronger)

Subtitles: We can be strong.

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