[Feature: Ocean Sustainability / Mini-Feature: 150th Anniversary of Keio Yochisha Elementary School] Keiichi Iizumi: Family Songs Passed Down Through Singing

2024/06/24

Image: 150th Anniversary Ceremony of Keio Yochisha Elementary School (May 30, Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall)

I majored in vocal music at Kunitachi College of Music, where I studied vocal techniques for singing Japanese songs beautifully and how to expressively deliver the sounds of the Japanese language to an audience. Later, I joined the Shiki Theatre Company as an actor (2012–2021). Under Keita Asari (1933–2018; Special Keio University alumni), I cherished the teaching "Those who drop a single sound must leave," and honed my skills on the musical stage to deliver every single sound of the script left by the playwright to the audience, whether in acting or singing. Since then, I have been teaching as a specialist music teacher.

Upon taking my post, I received a songbook titled "Songs of Yochisha Students." I initially thought it was a collection of songs unique to Yochisha, similar to "Minna no Uta" (Songs for Everyone) often used as supplementary music material. However, although the songs in this collection were by lyricists and composers who left behind famous Japanese songs, I had never seen or heard any of them before. I thought my previous studies had been insufficient. But as someone who did not graduate from Yochisha, it was natural that I didn't know them; these were songs composed for milestone anniversary years of Yochisha. I still vividly remember being astonished when I learned this fact.

This songbook was produced by Tsuyoshi Kusano, a music teacher at the time, and contains 16 commemorative songs (five songs from the 125th and 150th anniversaries are not included). Looking at the songbook reminds me of the "Japanese Song Collections" I used at the music college. I will mention the commemorative songs later, but if I introduce some representative Japanese songs I have studied, you will understand how prominent the composers who worked on these commemorative songs are. They include Kosaku Yamada ("Akatombo," "Kono Michi"), Kiyoshi Nobutoki (composer of the "Juku-ka," "Gogyoshi," "Kitaaki no"), Megumi Ohnaka ("Sacchan," "Inu no Omawarisan"), Ikuma Dan ("Higurashi," "Hana no Machi"), and Yoshinao Nakada ("Sakura Yokocho," "Natsu no Omoide").

Tsuyoshi Kusano stated: "Many of these people have deep connections to Yochisha, either directly or indirectly, and they created these songs after fully understanding our intentions for the lyrics and composition. I believe it is no exaggeration to say that this speaks to the depth of their affinity for Yochisha. I am truly grateful."

<80th Anniversary>

"Song of Young Keio students" (Lyrics: Haruo Sato, Composition: Kosaku Yamada), "Hymn: Song of Yochisha Students" (Lyrics/Composition: Yoichi Hiraoka), "Alumni Association Song" (Lyrics/Composition: Takeo Masunaga (Ichiro Fujiyama))

<90th Anniversary>

"Yukichi Fukuzawa is Here" (Lyrics: Haruo Sato, Composition: Kiyoshi Nobutoki), "Children of Japan" (Lyrics: Hirosuke Hamada, Composition: Megumi Ohnaka), "Song of Kawawarawa" (Lyrics: Junzaburo Nishiwaki, Composition: Ikuma Dan), "Mother" (Lyrics: Yaso Saijo, Composition: Hachidai Nakamura), "Kukunkuppu Kuppu Kusuguttai" (Lyrics: Hachiro Sato, Composition: Yoshinao Nakada), "A Wonderful Sound" (Lyrics: Yoshio Fujita, Composition: Yasushi Akutagawa), "Celebration Music" (Orchestral) (Composition: Yuzo Toyama), "Yochisha March" (Lyrics/Composition: Eiichi Asabuki)

<100th Anniversary>

"Song of One Hundred Years of Yochisha" (Lyrics: Daigaku Horiuchi, Composition: Ikuma Dan), "Our Season" (Lyrics: Yoshiyasu Saito, Composition: Mineo Sakurai), "Our Yochisha Century" (Lyrics: Kazuto Suzuki, Composition: Shoji Wakamatsu), "A Large Circle" (Lyrics: Hiroshi Yoneyama (student work), Composition: Dark Ducks), "There is a Pen Shining on My Chest" (Lyrics: Tadashi Satsuma, Composition: Takeo Yamashita)

<125th Anniversary>

"Keyaki" (Lyrics: Rikoko Onda (student work), Composition: Masataka Matsutoya), "Let's Sing Together" (Lyrics: Risa Suematsu & Risa Yoshimura (student works), Composition: Masataka Matsutoya)

Sometimes, Yochisha students who have just enrolled are humming commemorative songs that haven't been taught yet. I found it mysterious and asked them about it, and they said, "I learned it because I heard it in the car." Likely, family members who graduated from Yochisha listened to the songs and the children learned them. When we sing commemorative songs in music class, these students become a driving force, leading to a grand chorus. Furthermore, children sing the songs they learned at school at home, and their families learn them. I believe that because the emotions born in this place of learning are hidden within the lyrics and melodies, everyone comes to love the school called Yochisha through these songs.

To mark the 150th anniversary, three new commemorative songs were created.

<150th Anniversary>

"Blue Sky Pocket" (Poetry: Akiko Takagi, Composition: Kan Wakamatsu), "Toward Where the Pen Points" (Lyrics: Sho Sakurai, Composition/Arrangement: Akira Senju), "Yochisha Family" (Lyrics: 2021 Yochisha Students & Eri Ishikawa, Composition/Arrangement: Akira Senju)

All of these songs have become beloved and sung by children even before the 150th anniversary.

I was able to take the baton from Mr. Kusano and produce a new songbook, "Songs of Yochisha Students" (150th Anniversary Commemorative Song Collection), which includes the songs from the 125th and 150th anniversaries. I was also able to include my own wishes in it. I believe that what we music teachers hope for has not changed and will not change. We want students to cherish and sing these commemorative songs not only in music class but also in various aspects of school life and at home. Because at Yochisha, there are "family songs" that will be passed down through singing to future Yochisha students.