Family Ensemble Is A New Trend in STEP!

2017/07/31 | コメント(0)  | トラックバック(0)  | 
ptna_20170713top.jpgPTNA Piano STEP will be held at 160 venues next autumn, from September to November. One of the recent trends is participation of family ensembles. Here are some stories that we want to share with.

Kotomi & Hideya Suzuki (Chiba) are enjoying playing piano at STEP, while raising up a 3-year-old baby together. They are always helping each other to find time for practice, and to take care of their baby, whenever either of them is available. They met each other at STEP venue, and they hope to play with their baby together at STEP in the near future.

There are a number of family ensembles at STEP. Yuto Kawashima (Nagoya) started to play piano at the age of 4. At first it was hard for him even to sit in front of piano, but recently he successfully did his first stage experience at STEP. His father was quite impressed with his son's growth, and was encouraged to resume practicing piano. The father and the son started to play together as a duo, and participated in STEP later. After Yuto entered in an elementary school, his practicing time becomes decreasing, so the father bought an acoustic upright piano for him/them. Half a year later, Yuto voluntarily sit in front of piano, and they started to play together again.

Another family member - father, mother, and 3 children living in Kanagawa, will join STEP as a family ensemble. They play piano, clarinet, tenor saxophone, and percussion, and the father takes the leadership of this ensemble. They also enjoy playing in a local amateur band (Miura City Wind Orchestra).

Music even connects cousins living in different cities / prefectures. Kana Minami (doctor, Nagasaki) started to play piano after her aunt, Chikako Hayashi (librarian, Fukuoka). 3 years ago, aunt Chikako bought an ocarina, and Kana invited her to participate in STEP together. In fhe following year, aunt Chikako resumed playing piano and now they are playing as a duo. Even though they are busy and are living apart, STEP encourages them to collaborate each other in order to reach a shared musical goal.

Some say that the mother/ father/ parents-child dialogues has been changed. Yuko Kawamata (Fukushima) played together at STEP with her daughter Masako, who is preparing for the entrance exam of music colleges. As they keep talking and playing piano together, their relationship becomes like equal partners, neither like teacher-student nor like mother-children. Their conversation becomes more sympathetic, and sometimes, even the daughter encourages her mother. As STEP is not a competitive-based event, it seems easier for family members to unite and enjoy the time together for a common goal.

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