THE N-ACADEMY REGULAR CONCERT IN SPRING 2002!

�@The N-academy regular concert in Spring 2002 was held in Tokyo and Kanagawa. A concert in Kanagawa took place in Kamakura Geijutsu-kan in February 16 (Sat) for 3 hours and 40 minutes. A concert in Tokyo took place in Edogawa Sougou Bunka Center in February 23 (Sat) for 3 hours. All players were students who got through keen preliminary screenings. Their splendid performance never tired the audience till the end although the concerts lasted so long.

�@As the prime guitar solo performance, music from preclassic and classic eras and music by barrios were favorably played on stage. Some guitar orchestras showed impressive performance with other musical instruments. For example, 'Dry Bones' by L. Gearheart with chorus, 'Danza Espanola No.1' by M. de. Falla with the percussion, 'Japon Siemple Japon' by M. Sanlucar with the piano and the flute, attracted the audience very much.

�@The N-academy is a generic name for an educational foundation Nihon Guitar Music Conservatory (Izu campus), an educational foundation Niibori Guitar Music Academy (Joetsu campus), and a foundation International Niibori Guitar Music Academy (Fujisawa & Tokyo campus). Dr. Hiroki Niibori serves as the president of all campuses, and it is the only educational facility for the guitar in Japan which provides a high school course and a college course both.
�@Next is Dr. Niibori's message carried at the top of the book as a preface.

In the N-academy, there are various courses such like the piano course, the flute course, the vocal music course, and the guitar manufacturing course, in addition to the classical guitar course and the electrical guitar course. Same as other academies of music, students take a private lesson by an instructor of which a student majors in. But in the N-academy, the guitar orchestra class is essential for all students, and they have to learn the guitar orchestra music together in a large hall. Students form ensemble units freely regardless a course and a grade to pursuit their ideal sound.

�@Mentioned below are some successful examples of such ensembles which played on stage this time. Each ensemble made full use of a variety of Niibori Method original guitars and the electrical guitars. We hope you'll get some tips from that and widen your repertories.

��The alto guitar (=A) solo
The alto guitar's high and pure tone is suitable to play light and pretty music in the preclassic and music for the lute very well.
'CANARIOS' by G. Sanz, 'THE SCENERY OF JAPAN' by S. Omiya (professor of N-academy), 'WALTS OP. 32-6' by F. Sor, 'SARABANDE & TEMPO DI BOURREE' from PARTITAS NO.1 for VIOLIN SOLO by J. S. Bach, 'GAVOTTE EN RONDEAU' (J. S. Bach)

��The bass guitar (=B) solo
The bass guitar with low register is suitable to play music for the cello, and music that makes use of the long reverberations.
'BOURREE' from SUITE NO. 3 FOR CELLO by J. S. Bach

��Duet by the electrical guitar (E.G.) & the prime guitar (P)
'SUITE BUENOS AIRES I POMPEYA' by M. D. Pujol

��Duet by E.G.
'CUCKOO' by L. C. Daquin
�@This book contains all about the quartet not only scores. As if I present my treasure to my dear friend, I am sending this book out into society.

��Quartet by A1, A2, P. Gr (guitarron)
'ESCOLASO from SUITE TROILEANA NO. 4' by A. Piazzolla

��Quintet by A1, A2, B, Gr
'DANZA DI CALALUNA' by H. Salinas, 'UN BLANC JOUR DUN CHATON' by R. Stolz

��Quintet by A, P, Gr +Per (Percussion)
'NRM JUNGLE ISLAND '02' by N. Niibori & K. Yoshitani (students of the N-academy)

��Sextet by Sp (Soprano guitar), A, P1, P2, B, Gr
'JONGO' by P. Bellinati

��Quintet by E.G.1, 2, 3, E.B. (the electrical bass guitar), Percussion�@�@
'LIBER TANGO' by A. Piazzolla

��Ensemble by E.G.1, 2, 3, 4, E.B, Per 1, 2
'IJIN-KAIROU' by E. Yamada & Z. Zhou

Lastly, I would like to extract Dr. Niibori's greetings on the program of the concert. Please pay attention to his view points as an educator.

TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN
�@Most of orchestras in Japan have high technique and beautiful sounds, and they present orthodox performance without careless mistakes. In these points, it can be said they're the first grade performers. But, I think they lack individuality, passion, and a spirit to entertain audience positively. It is rare to see players smile according to music.

�@Moreover, I often see that the electrical guitar players who haven't acquired the very basic technique yet show immature performance on stage, and loosing their close fans.

�@Unfortunately, very few people point out such problems and even academies of music don't teach students how to entertain audience through music. Such instructors' attitudes may be producing such expressionless musicians.

�@The ideal international first-grade musician that I believe is a performer who moves audience and let them forget to lean back in a chair. To be such a performer, s/he need to learn how to behave on stage (stage manner), and how to communicate with soloists, a conductor and a concert master on stage, and how to express music with a body (action) and a face and so on. Additionally, the electrical guitar players need to learn about stage effects and an advanced PA operation...

�@Together with instructors in the N-academy, I made great efforts to teach students a meaning of music for people's life and a spirit as a real performer. We hope all players will show great performances as future international musicians, and entertain audience enough tonight.

�@Photographs can be seen from page 8 in this issue. New compositions and arrangements that were played in the concerts will be carried in this magazine later.