Next spring when freshmen/women came into the schools, as in usual year, a junior orchestra was organized for the instrument beginners. A year behind the classmate at the school, I joined it. A violinist, a graduate from the Dept. Dentistry, instructed us. He had started violin in the university and finally played the 1st violin part in the orchestra. For amateur players, the 1st violin players are looked honorable being in the orchestra. The cello part, including myself, has welcomed 5 fresh members. Two of them were students of the faculty of music education in the women's university. Another girl was a student of some science in the same university. The other, but not least, one was a student of faculty of medicine. Without the science majoring member, all of us have played in the orchestra until our graduation.
Since I had started cello a few months earlier, I helped them to tune their instruments. As if a senior member. Those majoring in music education have progressed with cello quickly. I didn't know I would be behind them soon. Every week end, we had the practise of the jr orchestra. A lecture theater class room in our university was always used. The podium was too small for all of us to sit around the conductor. Some of the members sat at the table in tier. Tuning was deliberately done. Before starting with any tunes, we practised scales. Each instrument was harmonized in unison. Even it was really impressive to me. I believe the others might feel it the same way. The pieces we have practised were such as the 2nd movement of the Symphony Nr 94 "The Surprise" by Haydn or the Water Music by Hendel etc. I can't remember how the ensemble sounded. Maybe, close to music of atonality. We still enjoyed every moment to play together.
After the week end practice, we often went to have supper together. It was a downtown for students where our med university was located. And there were a lot of restaurants for students. Not so long since I joined the orchestra, we went for dinner at an Italian cuisine there. Candidly, I had not been to such a restaurant yet. A beautiful girl, a senior cellist, took a seat beside me. A fair skinned thin girl wearing glasses. She was so kind to talk to me for some topics when I had nothing to talk about. When my dish was served on the table, she was, with a charming smile, telling me this seasoning was very good for the dish. I was really thankful for her kindness. But it turned out to be Tabasco, which I had never tried before. It was the moment when I first learned that a beautiful rose had thorn. I could hardly remember we had happy hours together. One reason was that we had little amount of money for such an event. I haven't attended any party alcohol was served before entering the university. Yes, I used to be a sobersides stiff. Who knew I would be indulged in this club later!
Every summer, we have had the summer camp in Shinshyu. It is a large basin or a long valley spreading north to south, surrounded with high mountains, located in the center of the main island. A winter olympic game was held in 1998. Pretty famous resort area. After the olympic, things have been settled down like in the days when we used to visit for the summer event in '70s. The mountains are named Japan Alps. The scenary might be like that in Switerland or the other area in European Alps. It was always in the end of August when the summer vacation was over. In the area, cool breeze was starting blowing.
Four years ago, I have driven to the summer camp place for a sentimental journey. There was still the private house for students to stay for such activities. The same guesthouse.
In front of the guest house, there was a small river running from the mountain. In the end of August, breeze of fall was starting to blow down here from the top of the mountain.
There was a pretty big late a few km away from the guesthouse. We used to walk to this lake and swam across it, when we knew the water could be too cool to swim and swimming was forbidden there. Some friends were rowing boats beside us. What an adventure! After that adventure, we all walked another few km to the camp site. It was a real fun. Only youth could do such a thing.
The road was quite the same as almost 40 years ago. Drenched to the skin, we were walking all this way. A lot of laughter and talks.
Part 3 might refer the jr orchestra activity and subsequent event, if I won't forget it.
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