From Percussion Rooms of the World Vol.10 | Strasbourg, France Marimba Twins, Machi Ishida, Maho

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Marimba Twins Study Abroad Experience in France

~ Strasbourg full of "borderless living music" ~

Nice to meet you, my name is Machi Ishida and Maho Ishida from Marimba Twins.
We have been studying abroad at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg in France since February 2019. The only reason I chose this school was because I wanted to study under Emmanuel Sejornet! Now, we will tell you about life here and episodes from school, with a focus on "music"!

●Until going to France

I decided to study abroad and started preparing. After submitting my application to the conservatory, I went to the French Embassy in Tokyo to obtain a test student visa.
PreviouslyJapanI had heard that purchasing model mallets and sheet music in Europe is not easy and can be expensive, so I took this opportunity to stop by JPC and get the mallets and other supplies ready. I barely managed to complete the difficult study abroad procedures, and it's time to go to France!

●Strasbourg is a city that cannot be described without music.

Every morning, your day begins with the sound of the bells of the majestic Strasbourg Cathedral. When you step out of your house, it feels like you are inside a picture book. Colorful and cute streets, people relaxing and having a good time on the cafe terrace. And you can hear various types of music everywhere. In front of the cathedral, the sounds of cellos, violins, and saxophones are played, and the sound of the bells creates a sublime atmosphere that is difficult to describe in words. There are also rare musical instruments such as steel pans and bagpipes. The music that fills the city has a rich international flavor and blends into daily life, making it fun to go out every day.
The other day, I went to Vienna to see a concert by my favorite The Wave Quartet (the orchestra was conducted by Hiroshi Nantes Sado!), and to Salzburg to hear a chamber music performance of Mozart's works. Even though we are going to a different country, the distance is about the same as between Hiroshima and Tokyo. Strasbourg has easy access to all parts of Europe, and it's easy to go to concerts that interest you! The concert...it was the best♥

●School life full of learning

I take marimba and vibraphone lessons with Mr. Sejorne once a week. In the first lesson, he suddenly suggested competitions and concerts, and gave me a lot of songs to prepare for, saying, ``These songs will be good training for you, and they'll become a good repertoire.'' There are many different genres, and there are many things to learn from. Also, the teacher often asks us to listen to various sound sources. People say things like, ``Listen here! This is how the sounds mix together, and this composer's music needs to have this effect.'' or ``(While listening to your own work) you want this kind of sound!'' Being able to experience the teacher's sense of music in this way is the greatest learning experience of all. Also, I am filled with a lot of knowledge and ideas, and the guidance I receive from my well-honed "ears" has made me realize many things.I am always in a state of excitement and feel like I am growing every day. Starting this fall, I will be teaching hand percussion to Mr. Thomas Vandevenne, which is exciting!

Concerts and master classes by student and professional musicians are held regularly at the school. There are various genres, all of them are of high quality, and most of them are free!

I am spending my days in luxury, immersed in wonderful music. Shortly after coming here, I participated and performed in a four-day percussion festival sponsored by my school in March. At the main concert, everyone performed pieces arranged by the teacher and performed some ensemble pieces. Steve Reich's "Electric Counterpoint", which was played by the students as if led by the teacher, was a masterpiece.
The 500 seats were filled to capacity, and the excitement was so great that cheers were heard, and the sense of unity made me think, ``This is Europe!'' I got goosebumps. In addition, we actively participate in various events.

●I love it♥ percussion family

First of all, these students have a really high level! In a test held in a large hall the other day, I was asked if this was a concert! ? I took my hat off to the stage design, unique program, and high-level performance. I can feel the attention to detail even when it comes to lighting. The program included works composed by themselves, works using equipment, collaborations of Bach on marimba with avant-garde dance, and even improvisational works. His challenging spirit and creative style are so cool that they are truly a comprehensive art form! It was like a concert by a great musician. I have witnessed how percussion music continues to evolve based on flexible ideas. With them, we improvise music during practice, and share their names.JapanWe have a lot of fun every day as we sing along to the beat and laugh out loud, and he invites us out for drinks (lol)!

In this life of music that continues to shake my heart, I will continue to practice hard today in order to become a performer that is loved by everyone while receiving a lot of inspiration!

P.S. On our Instagram and Facebook, we post things that we haven't been able to write about here and the daily life of studying abroad, so be sure to check them out! Thank you for your support♥

◎Instagram: @marimba_twins　◎Facebook: "marimbatwins"

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Marimba Twins

Written by Machi Ishida and Maho Ishida, born in 1993 in Fuchu-cho, Hiroshima Prefecture.JapanThe only "twin marimba duo" in Japan. She has been a member of a marimba ensemble since she was 9 years old, and at the age of 15 she began performing as a duo with her sisters. So far, she has studied marimba with Momoko Kamiya, Sumiko Sato, Hiroko Tsuji, Mieko Asada, and marimba and other percussion instruments with Hiromasa Ogawa. He also attended master classes with Emmanuel Séjourné, Eric Sammut, Fumito Nunotani, and Kazuko Ogawa. Currently studying under Emmanuel Séjourné in France. Actually triplets. Artist affiliated with Kreis Music Entertainment Co., Ltd.

Machi Ishida (sister)

Graduated from Hiroshima University Faculty of Education Music Culture Course in 2016. Completed master's program at Elisabeth College of Music in 2018.
In 2017, he won 2nd place at the 1st TIPC Competition (Taiwan International Percussion Competition) and performed at the winners' concert at the Taiwan National Concert Hall. Many other prize winners.

Maho Ishida (sister)

Graduated from Elisabeth College of Music in 2016 and completed the master's program at the same university in 2018. In 2016, he took a master class with Emmanuel Séjourné at the 2016 TROMP International Percussion Competition Seminar, where he was awarded as the best student and performed in a concert. In 2017, he performed as a soloist with the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra at the 35th Hiroshima Emerging Performer Development Project Orchestra Series. In 2018, he won the Excellence Award (2nd place) at the 24th Okiden Sugar Hall Newcomer Concert Audition.

*This article was published in "JPC No. 162" published on October 10, 2019. Please note that the content remains as it was at the time of publication.