During our recent Music Cultural Exchange in Japan, seven members from The Band Lab (Kuching) had the incredible opportunity to participate in an inspiring series of events arranged and managed by The Band Lab Japan (ザ・バンド・ラボ日本).

Our journey began with a visit to Mr. Yoshihisa Fujishige (藤重 佳久), a legendary figure in the Japanese Wind Band scene and the author of Super Sound Training, a top-rated instructional book used worldwide by many bands. Fujishige sensei is currently teaching the gold-award-winning Kyoto Ryoyo Wind Band (京都両洋高等学校吹奏楽部), the school we had the privilege of visiting. During this time, our band director, Jesmond, was invited to guest conduct the band, and the meeting was even featured in The Asahi Shimbun (朝日新聞), one of Japan’s largest daily newspapers. Our members also had the opportunity to play alongside the band, learning directly from Fujishige sensei’s expertise.

The following day, we visited Nishiura Junior High School (西浦中学校). We met with the director in charge of the upcoming 9th Gamagori City Youth International Music Festival (第9回蒲郡市国際ユース音楽祭), which we might attend in August.

On our fourth day, we explored the Chubu Technical Academy of Musical Instruments (中部楽器技術専門学校), where we learned about their instrument repair program. This initiative, managed by The Band Lab Japan, ensures that donated instruments are repaired for free, allowing more youth in Kuching to participate in our band program. Later, we enjoyed an afternoon at Ghibli Park (ジブリパーク) before meeting the Band Director of Kariya High School Band (刈谷高等学校吹奏楽部) and having dinner with Taniguchi san and Fukui san, both of whom were integral to the success of the instrument repairs at the Sarawak International Band and Orchestra Festival (SIBOFest) 2024 and continue to support us offshore.

On the fifth day, we immersed ourselves in Japanese culture by learning about the tea ceremony (茶道) and the art of making wagashi (和菓子, traditional Japanese confectionery). We also visited the Inuyama Castle (犬山城) before heading to Aikodai Meiden High School Symphonic Band (愛知工業大学名電高等学校吹奏楽部), where we rehearsed in preparation for their 60th annual concert the next day.

The following day, our band director (Jesmond) guest-conducted, and our members performed with the Aikodai Meiden High School Symphonic Band during their 60th annual concert at the 3,000-seat Century Hall (センチュリーホール) in Nagoya. The performance included local pieces like Bunga Raya Concert March and Bekikis Bulu Betis, before we watched their evening program.

On the seventh day, we had a farewell exchange party with Meiden and then travelled to Tokyo.

Our final day began with a morning rehearsal and orientation at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (東京外国語大学), where we connected with our Japan branch, The Band Lab Japan. In the afternoon, we participated in a public international music exchange performance at a city park, showcasing Malaysian and Sarawak cultures to a local Japanese audience, complete with a poco-poco dance.

This exchange not only deepened our cultural understanding but also strengthened international ties through music. We look forward to further collaborations and are grateful for the opportunity to represent Malaysia and Sarawak on this incredible journey.