Magic, or Kyodai Gasshoudan 82nd Annual Winter Concert

Wow. Just…wow. I feel like I bore witness to and took part in something amazing. Never mind the fact that I am shivering from cold and hangover as I write this.

I spent about 20 hours with choir people on Sunday—an epically long day that was the culmination of everything I had worked towards in my CIP (Community Involvement Project) since joining the choir in late September.  All the extra catch-up practices on top of the two regular weekly ones, and the retreat, and the dress rehearsal, it all led up to this, the year’s biggest event: the Kyodai Gasshoudan 82^nd Teiki Ensoukai (Regular/Scheduled Concert). I feel like it went really well and I wouldn’t do anything differently!

…Well, the day did start off a little hectic as I was supposed to wake up around 6:20 to get to the concert hall in Joyo (area south of Kyoto) by 9, but somehow my alarm didn’t go off and I woke up sleepily and then had a heart attack when my phone said 8:05. (Even though I had been thinking, “I am DEFINITELY not going to be late for this!” …Oy vey…) But I got there around 10:30 and quick-changed into Uber Ugly Costume and joined the girls still doing warm-ups and ridiculous exercises, just like always.

The rest of the day went according to the meticulous schedule given out to us. There were some final announcements and a few words exchanged among the voice parts—I was bad at improvising mine for the altos, but oh well. My crazy Westernized alto friend who was sick managed to show up about 45 minutes before the show started at 3, which was a relief since I wasn’t sure if she was gonna be able to come.

Finally we walked onstage for the Kyodai “E-ru” (jisho.org says “yell” or “cheerleading shout”), which is the choir’s theme song. I was in the front row and had just barely learned it, but whatever! I think it was okay! Maybe. And then the real thing began…

I wish I could say we all looked really snazzy, but I can’t say that about the girls. The costume is just not flattering…one of my friends who attended feels the same. It looks like wearing a white trash bag with a cheap corsage tucked into a long and shapeless black skirt. The guys looked way hotter than us—black pants with white shirt and blazer and red ties (ow-ow!). Then there was Miyako, the girls’ conductor, wearing a beautiful crimson A-line gown that had a couple of shoulder-slip wardrobe malfunctions during the women’s pieces…scandalous! And the conductor for the mixed pieces, Sally, who looks like a little girl, was wearing a tiny tux, which was basically the coolest and cutest thing ever.
No fair. We need to petition for better women’s choir outfits…

Anyway, the girls’ pieces in Japanese—a set called Hikari to Kaze wo Tsurete, “Going with Light and Wind”—were gorgeous as always. We couldn’t watch the guys’ songs since we had to do stretches, but we’d seen them at the dress rehearsal before. My friends, like I, thought their pieces were a little weird—one was about a small fish and one was about a serious man, walking seriously, crying seriously…and then killing someone seriously. Japan, man oh man, are you effed up sometimes.

Finally it was time for the slightly odd mixed pieces in Hungarian by Kodaly—two short and one really long one. I didn’t remember every single word, but I faked it well when I didn’t! Yay. And then the magic happened! I was already trying to be expressive with my face, but by the time the last one finished, I couldn’t keep the grin from my face and my eyes. As we continued into the encore (my favorite—it’s got a lovely melody and bittersweet yet happy romantic lyrics in Japanese), I just kept on beaming brighter than the stage lights, trying to share my happiness and satisfaction with the audience.

As soon as it ended, we walked off and then ran from backstage to the lobby to sing a couple of just-for-fun songs as people came out: men’s, women’s and mixed. Man, it was weird singing spirituals from the slave days surrounded by Japanese accents. Oh, and the Lupin the Third theme song with the girls. We sang one more and then hummed it as the PR boy and girl thanked everyone, then people started getting tossed in the air. There was so much love! On top of that, I saw my Japanese teacher saying hi from the audience and thanked her profusely, and then I saw my KCJS buds and Japanese friend coming through the crowd. I was so darn happy I just hugged them all—who cares if that’s not how they do things here? They had to skedaddle, but it was good even just seeing them for a bit.

After that people gathered their things, including goodie bags filled with dan-pure (dan purezento, or choir present) and rolled out. Those gifts are so adorable—it’s like secret Santa, except you make cute little notes to people and put it with a small gift or treat and distribute them to people’s bags. I’ve gone through most of mine now and it feels like Christmas came early, despite it having nothing to do with Christmas—so much love! I got stuff from people who I haven’t even talked to and people whose names I can’t match with faces. Now I feel sort of bad I only had time to make little ones for the altos, but that’s still a lot—19 people! Now imagine making stuff for 80!

So we all took the train up to the location of the reception, a large floor of an izakaya with dinner tables and couches and whatnot. Now this was not quite the afterparty I was expecting—it was more like a wedding reception than a wild party like I’m used to. Well, at least I got to sit with a couple of other new recruits, including a fellow alto who likes manga and is really good at drawing but is going to be a nurse. We had some nice good dorky chats. New otaku friend ftw!

Anyway, at this reception, there was alcohol and food, but it was mostly about toasts, congratulations, and present-bestowing at the front of the room. Fairly early on, one announcement from the women’s conductor turned into the men’s conductor proposing to her. Once I figured out what was going on, I was like, “Whoa, they were dating? Wait, what the crap? That’s adorable! But wait, what?? How old are they?” Apparently they’re around twenty-one. Dang!

So things went on like that, and I had lots of umeshu (plum liquor, good stuff) trying to get up the courage to talk to a certain person beyond the awkward interactions we were already having. I wanted to see how the rest of the night would play out, so I go, screw the last bus, I’m sticking around after the reception! Which I would learn was both a good and awful idea.

While the workers were cleaning up the space, people poured beer on two of the tenors while they stood in boxes, though I’m not really sure why. That’s probably the most frat-like thing in Japan I’ve seen. Appropriate, since one of the guys getting beer-ified seems like he could be in a frat. Then people sang more together, and then paused on a certain note as the former conductor called up their successor, hugged them and said things we couldn’t hear, and literally handed off the baton. People were crying, and I was actually pretty moved too. So that happened for men’s, women’s and mixed pieces, and then the PR pair called up their successors. It was so surreal, watching the end of an era.

Afterwards, we went outside until the real afterparty (nijikai) began at 1AM, and braved the cold while we went around the circle and shared some more words with each other. Even a few alumni were there and got all nostalgic! Mine was better this time and I thanked people for taking me in despite being an exchange student, and the fact that I was able to sing in the whole concert was thanks to them, among other things.

Then it was time for the nijikai, which was painfully expensive, but still pretty fun, and a bit more like the party I had expected. Still didn’t get to talk with that one person, but I had some fun times, and when Frat Guy started chilling at our table (these ones were low Japanese-style) I told him how I missed American college parties and how I think he’d probably enjoy them (trololol). We also talked about J-rock some, and a couple of other random dudes around me started chatting as well—it was weird being the center of attention, since I sometimes feel a little left out in choir. After drinking and eating still more, we headed outside at 3 and went to the Kamo River to sing until buses and trains started up. I probably should have taken a taxi home here, but I didn’t want it to end, and after all a cab would be pretty expensive…

We sang some stuff from the book of optional songs, conducted by the new peeps, with people occasionally chilling on the side or going to the convenience store. Eventually the trains started running so people rolled out, as it was really cold, but a couple of nice people stayed with me as I waited for the bus (in the warm train station—hehe I’m smart!) Originally I was going to go straight to campus and survive class, but I changed my mind on the bus and decided to stop at home first. Then my body decided that I was not making it anywhere and that I’d better stay and collapse.

So other than the fact that I’m sort of dead, along with my cell phone (seriously what is wrong), I’m still feeling the afterglow of choir-ness! I won’t see them much until later in January, besides the Christmas party in two weeks, but I feel a much stronger bond with them now. But damn, I am never staying out all night in the cold again. Not even the liquid jacket helped me there… There was also no liquid courage, but maybe being in Japan sucks that out of you and makes you repressed? OTL

Well, enough vague references for now, I have to go freak out about schoolwork—it’s the last official week of class! (Help. Please. Anyone.)

[*Update: that cell phone battery thing did not get better and resulted in me having to go through the hellish prepaid-phone-buying-process over again. uugh.]