U.S. Army Japan Band performs at Japan’s most well-known opera venues

ZAMA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

08.02.2019

Video by Daisuke Sato 

U.S. Army Garrison - Japan

U.S. Army Japan Band performs at Japan’s most well-known opera venues.


Narration:
Hundreds of Japanese audience members clapped to the rhythm of classic American tunes as the sound echoed throughout one of Japan’s most well-known opera venues, the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, during a performance by the U.S. Army Japan Band group, “Sagami Groove.”

Interview: Jiro Goto, Managing Director, Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation

Every summer, we put on a free concert as a way to strengthen peoples’ love of music, and hopefully have them learn more about our concert hall. We happened to hear about the USARJ Band group, Sagami Groove, and learned that they share the same passion for music that we do, so two years ago we asked them if they could participate in our concert.

Narration:
The band played a variety of standard and contemporary jazz tunes, including the hit Japanese song, “Sukiyaki.” The Fuji Winds, another USARJ Band group, was also at the event and played a few classical numbers in the venue’s lobby before the start of the concert.

Interview: Nobuya Saito, Attendee
I thought the quality of their performance today was amazing. I also looked at the flyer for the event and noticed that some of the performers used to be professional musicians, so this was a truly great performance.

Interview: Miyuki Anzai, Attendee
I am happy that I was able to listen to their performance. It was absolutely fantastic. I really appreciate them performing for us today!

Interview: Masatoshi Inose, Attendee
We don’t have many opportunities to see performances by U.S. military bands, so I really appreciate that they came here and performed for us today.

Interview: SGT Ryan MacDonald, Musician, U.S. Army Japan Band

Narration:
The Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall organizes the concert once or twice a year as a way to increase interest in the venue and to cultivate new concertgoers.

Interview: SPC Brooke Hendricks, Musician, U.S. Army Japan Band

Reporting for U.S. Army Garrison Japan, this is XXXXXXXX

• Date Taken: 08.02.2019
• Date Posted: 08.01.2019 21:14
• Category: Package
• Video ID: 700540
• VIRIN: 160315-A-AB123-001
• Filename: DOD_107079325
• Length: 00:02:26
• Location: ZAMA, KANAGAWA, JP