A Piano Duet Begins at the Street Piano - What is Born from a Battle of Introductions

Ensembles and choirs are fun, aren't they?

Having grown up enjoying music in various styles such as
piano, jazz bands, wind orchestras, and choirs,
ensembles and choirs are an important style of communication for me.

It's fun to face the piano alone and play as the mood takes you, but
it's also fun to layer sounds with someone else to create a single piece of music.
Once you know that joy, there's no going back.

The movie 'Whiplash' was an intense film, but
including the grueling practice scenes, it reminded me of my musical experiences in my teens,
and it made me itch to play in a session again...!

It's fun to communicate with friends through eye contact and breathing.

In big band jazz, the piano is sometimes positioned facing the bass and drums (the rhythm section of three!),
and it's exciting to make eye contact with my rhythm section bandmates over the piano
and align our rhythms.

In a wind orchestra, you can't just call out "One, two!", so
you match timing through breaths, eye contact, and instrument movements, which is also fun...
When we make mistakes or the rhythm or pitch gets shaky, we also lock eyes with each other, and the thrill of communicating things like "Oops" or "Let's get back on track quickly" without using words is one of the best parts.

The performance scenes in the live-action version of 'Nodame Cantabile' capture that expression very well,
and I love how they brilliantly portray the way they communicate through gazes and expressions without speaking a word.

A piano duet begins at the street piano

Regarding the battle of introductions with Io-sama that has been continuing since the other day,
they wrote another wonderful article today!

The trigger for this battle of introductions was this article.
It started when I created a collaborative magazine called "Street Note" inspired by street pianos, and Io-sama joined in.

Io-sama also seems to be a piano player, so
I've started to think on my own that this recent battle of introductions might be like a piano duet.

It's not a duet where the melody and accompaniment parts are clearly separated,
but a duet where each of the two parts has a melody and they are played by connecting them.
One person plays the main theme, the other develops it,
and the feeling of continuing to develop that development in response.

If you keep repeating the development, by the time you realize it, you might have finished a completely new piece of music that no one has ever heard before.

On how I perceive note

In today's article, they are empathizing with how I perceive note. They are affirming what I wrote in my article titled "

note is a handmade market" based on their own real-life experiences, and I empathize with their empathy. They have brilliantly expressed things that I couldn't quite put into words in my own article.

Before the pandemic started, I once helped a friend who had a booth at a handmade goods flea market, and I think note is similar to that space, which was filled with a chaotic mix of many things and information overflowing with "likes."

Because everyone is sharing the things and activities they love, I feel like a gentle and wonderful space filled with love is being created, which is why I love note so much! ( ˘꒳˘ )♡

Yes, exactly! That's it!
I am truly surprised that they were able to grasp what I wanted to say from my clumsy writing and return such a spot-on expression. Amazing!

It seems Io-sama is planning to post a paid article on Saturday discussing Ryunosuke Akutagawa's "Hell Screen." I am very much looking forward to an article seriously discussed by Io-sama, who is well-versed in literature.
It seems part of it will be available for free, so please check it out!

Spontaneous sessions are also fun

Something like a collaborative project with Io-sama has started spontaneously, but
drop-in participation is also very welcome! Probably!

One of the things I loved doing when I was in a student jazz band
is what we call a spontaneously starting session.

During a break, bandmate A from the trombone section starts practicing individually.
→ Bandmate B from the same trombone section who was nearby adds a sound.
→ The trumpet section behind joins in.
→ The drums enter, and the bass follows.
→ Thinking, "Is this okay..." I also slowly start playing the piano.
→ Other members join in, and it's almost the full band.
→ The teacher returns to the practice room.
Oh no, we're going to get scolded for "playing together without permission!"
→ The teacher takes out their own trumpet as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
→ The teacher joins in and even shows off a brilliant ad-lib.
→ The teacher finishes the final long tone by swinging the trumpet.
→ Everyone, including the teacher, bursts into laughter.

This is so much fun. Please try it.

This video is like a flash mob, but
it is exactly this kind of image.

(By the way, when I was in a wind orchestra, I ended up playing the opening clarinet solo for the wind band version of Bolero, and playing a solo that starts in the silence was very nerve-wracking...)

Whether it's an instrument, singing, or just clapping your hands.
By making the most of each person's strengths,
and combining what everyone brings to the table,
something interesting might be born.

Whether it's in the comments or an introductory article for the battle of introductions, it's surely very welcome, so
if you think it sounds fun, please feel free to jump in!

The dressing room is here

I am very grateful that
starting yesterday, Io-sama has alsojoined the circle! It has become a space where you can enjoy relaxed, everyday conversation at your own pace.

It's fun because I feel like I'm getting a glimpse into the daily life of a creator I respect.
I think it's a circle where you can enjoy the flat, community-like feel of note, similar to a handmade market.

And so, before I knew it, I had exceeded 2,000 characters.
When I first started, I struggled just to write a 1,200-character article, but
the fact that the character count is gradually increasing and words are flowing out is perhaps proof that I'm getting hooked on note.

Let's continue to enjoy our creator life on note!

Have a great day today too!

Contact

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