June.21.2015. KIP Forum "Economics of Orchestra and Japan’s Cultural Power"
Mr. Tamio Kanou, a Former General Director of NHK Symphony Orchestra

We invited Mr. Tamio Kanou, a former general director of NHK Symphony Orchestra as our guest speaker. His quizzes on the origin of the word “orchestra” and the origin of orchestra helped to increase my understanding of the subject. I also learned about the librarians who cut out a sheet of music so that it can be easily read by performers and the attenders who are assistants to conductors or soloists. These people don’t perform on stages themselves. However, without their support, the orchestra will not be able to present their concerts and audiences will not be able to hear their performance. Although I have been to orchestral concerts several times, I have never realized this.

I have always guessed that the main source of orchestra’s annual revenue was performance income. However, I learned that the amount of subsidies from the government and a donation from companies were more than that of actual performance income. After Mr. Kanou’s lecture, we had a discussion on whether the Japanese government should subsidize an orchestra. I supported for the subsidies because I remembered enjoying listening to an orchestral concert in a nice dress when I was little. I wanted other children to have the same opportunity. However, others questioned whether the preservation of orchestra was necessary because unlike kabuki and gagaku, an orchestra is not traditional to Japanese culture. I wasn’t able to come up with a persuasive counterargument. I fully realized the delicate position of an orchestra.

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