Photo: Kiyoshi ARAI
Ensembles Tokyo is a music festival that everyone creates together with artists. We’re looking for people to take part in workshops and then either perform together with artists on the day of the event or help get things rolling by joining others to create giant furoshiki cloths art installation.
Four music workshops will be held in advance. Participants will receive guidance directly from artists to prepare for the event on 4 September, when everyone will spread out giant furoshiki for an on-site art installation and then perform together with the artists. A workshop with Project FUKUSHIMA! will also be held to put together the furoshiki installation. Participants in the music workshops are also invited to bring cloth to be used in making the furoshiki installation. People are welcome to take part in both the music and furoshiki workshops.
*Please see here for more details about Ensembles Tokyo.
In this workshop, participants will collaborate in making a song about Tokyo Station, which is the starting point for all sorts of situations for all sorts of people. Everyone should bring words or phrases that come to mind when they think of Tokyo Station. The two-day workshop will include writing the lyrics and developing the music together with Shinji Ishii and Ikuko Harada, and then everyone will sing the song together on 4 September.
Dates and Time
Saturday, August 27, 13:30-15:30
Saturday, September 3, 13:30-15:30
Venue
Rehearsal Room , Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (1-8-1 Nishi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo)
Participation fee
Adult 1,000 yen, Children(in junior high school or below) 500 yen
*Fee above is for 2 days. Free for preschool children.
Application period
Thursday, June 16 – Wednesday, August 10
Capacity
20
What to Bring
Everyone should bring words and phrases that come to mind when they think of Tokyo Station.
Grown-ups are familiar with playing instruments and think they understand the structures that create sound. Children, on the other hand, are familiar with playing with toys but may never have played music using instruments. Grown-ups and children will trade their normal tools and make music together manipulating a variety of instruments and non-instruments. This workshop will be an opportunity to join Shugo Tokumaru and his band mates and enjoy playing music and making sounds from a slightly different perspective than usual. Then everyone will perform together on 4 September!
Dates and Time
Sunday, August 28, 14:00-16:00
Saturday, September 3, 14:00-16:00
Venue
Rehearsal Room , Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (1-8-1 Nishi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo)
Participation fee
Adult 3,000 yen, Children(in junior high school or below) 1,000 yen
*Fee above is for 2 days. Free for preschool children.
Application period
Thursday, June 16 – Wednesday, August 10
Capacity
30
*Family groups are welcome.
What to Bring
Children of elementary school age or younger should bring instruments. Children of junior high school age and above should, like adults, bring toys or household items or other non-instruments that make sound. Everyone is welcome to participate regardless of their level of experience playing musical instruments. Please contact us if you have difficulty bringing your own instruments; some may be available for loan upon request. Please let us know if you will require a power source.
—listening, hearing, and letting go
The Dalai Lama’s advice for the New Millennium contains many useful thoughts for the improvising musician.
—Take into account that love and great achievements involve great risk
—Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck
—Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer
There isn’t a “right” way or a “wrong” way to improvise. Sound impulses come from each individual, based on their own personal, musical, social and cultural history, and everyone has to negotiate the resulting listening space with self-respect, respect for others, and a sense of responsibility. What works today for me may not work for you tomorrow, and vice-versa, so we are constantly re-configuring, re-negotiating, re-learning and unlearning, and generally re-inventing ourselves and our instruments according to the context, the situation in which we find ourselves. These are some of the ideas we will explore in this very short workshop, culminating in a performance together on September 4th.
Dates and Time
Friday, September 2, 19:00-22:00
Saturday, September 3, 17:00-21:00
Venue
Red Bull Studios Tokyo (1-3-3 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Participation fee
4,000 yen for 2 days
Application period
Thursday, June 16 – Wednesday, August 10
Capacity
20
What to Bring
An instrument that you are able to play. Please let us know if you will require a power source.
In this workshop, participants bring together all sorts of things—percussion instruments, homemade instruments, non-percussion instruments, things that make sound—and perform together. Form a rhythm ensemble with Yasuhiro Yoshigaki and Orquestra Nudge! Nudge! and then perform together on 4 September.
Dates and Time
Tuesday, July 19, 19:00-21:30
Monday, July 25, 19:00-21:30
Sunday, August 28, 9:30-12:00
Saturday, September 3, 17:00-20:00
*You can participate for only one day or join after the program has started.
Venue
July 19: Rehearsal Room M3, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (1-8-1 Nishi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo)
July 25, August 28 and September 3: Sumida Triphony Hall, Practice room 1 (1-2-3 Kinshi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo)
Participation fee
Adult 2,000 yen, Children(in junior high school or below) 500 yen
*Fee above is for 1 day. Free for preschool children.
Application period
Open from Thursday, June 16
*Same-day admission permitted
Capacity
50
What to Bring
Bring anything you want as long as it’s a percussion instrument, homemade instrument, non-percussion instrument, or something that makes sound. Please let us know if you will require a power source.
Workshop participants will create giant furoshiki, using sewing machines to join together cloth gathered from many different areas. Those who have never used a sewing machine before are welcome to take part, and it’s okay if you can only join in for a short time. The giant furoshiki will be used to decorate the venue as backdrops and tents. Let’s spread the thoughts of all sorts of people throughout the venue on 4 September.
Dates and Time
Saturday, August 27 – Saturday, September 3
Weekdays 13:00-21:00
Weekends 11:00-19:00
*Please come and join anytime during the hours above.
Application period
Open from Thursday, June 16
*Same-day admission permitted
Venue
P3 art and environment (1F Annex Bldg., 4-34-1 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
Participation fee
Free
What to Bring
Please bring cloth to be used in creating the furoshiki. Beautiful colors and large pieces are especially welcome. It is okay to bring leftover material from home. Small pieces are fine too!
*There is the possibility that workshops may go slightly beyond their scheduled end time. Please plan accordingly.
*The contents are subject to change
Please apply from the official website of the event.
Ensembles Tokyo Executive Committee office
E-mail：info@ensembles.info
