Times Of TIU

Writer: Kotomi T.
Editor: Karen W.
Translator: Samantha P.

Many students have likely had music classes in elementary and middle school. Most people think of music class as singing or playing the recorder. Amidst these traditional forms of music education, there exists a musical ensemble that focuses on playing instruments as an extracurricular or club activity, which is called “wind orchestra” or “brass band.” How much do you know about wind orchestras? In this article, we’ll explore the world of wind ensembles.

To put it simply, a wind orchestra is a musical group that performs with wind and percussion instruments. In Japan, there is an organization called the Brass Band Association that aims to promote wind ensemble music. A wind orchestra competition is held every year from summer to autumn. In the summer, the wind orchestra competitions are held at the Koshien (the top level wind orchestra competition in Japan), and the Japan Wind Orchestra Competition is held at the Nagoya International Convention Center, where fierce battles are waged. During the winter, ensemble contests are held in which groups of 3–8 members compete against each other. Moreover, many schools hold regular concerts to showcase the skills of their wind ensembles.

Tokyo International University has various varsity clubs, and among them is the “Wind Orchestra.” It was established in 1985 to commemorate the TIU’s 20th anniversary. Currently (2023), the ensemble consists of 28 members. While most of the members are J-track students, there are also members who are E-track students.

The activities of the club include the following:
Ceremonial performances for entrance ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, etc.
Cheering performance for baseball games and ekiden (relay) races
Requested performances for facilities, etc.
Participation in wind orchestra competitions
Annual wind orchestra concert, etc.


The main club activities include cheering for baseball and ekiden races. In ekiden race cheering, the brass band participates in cheering for events like the Japan University Ekiden and Hakone Ekiden, by sending cheers to the athletes. In wind orchestra competitions, the club received a gold award in the university category (D category) of the Saitama Prefectural Wind Ensemble Competition last year (2022). This year (2023), they participated in the A category, a large ensemble division, and received a bronze award. Additionally, they have been actively participating in wind orchestra contests.

Among these activities, they held an annual wind orchestra concert as the farewell performance for the fourth-year members who’ll graduate. The wind orchestra concert takes place in February at Westa Kawagoe. The ensembles perform a variety of genres, including classical, jazz, and pop. They diligently practice every day to ensure that everyone enjoys the performance.

In a wind orchestra, it can foster a sense of cooperation through friendly competition, which shares a love and beauty of music with each other. In addition to these aspects, participating in cheering and concerts can move the audience’s hearts. I believe that engaging in music and wind orchestra activities can bring significant benefits to one’s life. If you are interested in wind ensembles or playing any instrument, why not try to attend a rehearsal or an event to experience it for yourself?