Key Points
- Sakurako Kimura, representative of the Music Festa Project, discusses the difficult decision to cancel her music event for children in Kumamoto following a recent earthquake.
- The project aimed to create a unique stage experience by bringing together professional musicians, students, and children to perform ensemble pieces.
- Despite raising over 300,000 yen through crowdfunding, Kimura chose to halt the project to prioritize the safety and well-being of the community and participants.
- Kimura remains committed to her mission and has already tentatively booked a venue for a “Recovery Concert” scheduled for August next year.
Full Transcript (English)
Guest (Sakurako Kimura): This was the very first project I launched. When I thought about what I could do by combining town-building with children, music came to mind. I have been involved with music since I was about three years old. During my elementary school years, I lived a life immersed in music, practicing for about five hours every single day.
Guest (Sakurako Kimura): I wanted to create a project where professionals, amateurs, and children could all come together to create music. As I mentioned before, I have a two-year-old son, and becoming a mother was a significant turning point for me. I started thinking about what I could leave behind for my child and what kind of adult I wanted him to become. It’s not just about what I decide for him; I wanted to think about what he could be exposed to and what might move him. I realized I wanted to share music—which has been the foundation of my life—with my child, and not just my own, but I wanted to create a society where all children can live with excitement. That is why I started this project.
Guest (Sakurako Kimura): I debated a lot about whether I should go through with the project or if stopping was the right thing to do for everyone involved. I wanted to do what I could, but the project involves many people, not just me. It involves the local community, as well as the professionals and amateurs who were building this together. When I thought about them, I wondered if it was right to continue. We were planning to gather everyone for rehearsals, especially for the ensemble format, and with summer vacation approaching, we wanted the university students and amateurs to join in. However, given the current situation of those affected by the earthquake, it felt wrong to ask people to gather, and I felt I couldn’t fully concentrate on making the project a success.
Guest (Sakurako Kimura): Of course, the opportunity for the performers to showcase their work has been lost, and we had already raised about 300,000 yen through crowdfunding just after the earthquake. I felt a strong responsibility toward those who supported us and a desire to deliver something to the children, but in the end, we had to stop.
Host (Sohei Mishina): What kind of people were the supporters who contributed to the project?
Guest (Sakurako Kimura): There were companies from Kumamoto, and also many people in Tokyo who resonated with my activities to revitalize the local region. Although we had to cancel this time, I want to organize charity concerts once things settle down, perhaps visiting the areas near the epicenter or Mashiki Town. I haven’t organized a charity concert before, so that is still in the planning stages, but I hope to make it happen with the help of various people. Furthermore, I have already tentatively booked the same venue for August next year to hold a “Recovery Concert.” I felt that while I had to end this current phase, I must also start the next one immediately so as not to stop our progress.
Host (Sohei Mishina): Oh, at the same location?
Guest (Sakurako Kimura): Yes, at the same place. I decided that we couldn’t let our footsteps stop here.
Host (Sohei Mishina): That’s wonderful. Are you imagining the same project for next year?
Guest (Sakurako Kimura): Yes, for now, I am envisioning the same concept where professionals, amateurs, and children perform together. I have always wanted to revitalize my hometown of Kumamoto. When I was a high school senior, I went to university in Tokyo specifically to gain knowledge and skills to bring back here. My goal remains the same: to create an environment where children can take on challenges regardless of where they are. If children aren’t excited, they won’t want to return to their hometown. Currently, school club activities are decreasing, and opportunities for children to experience the things they want to do are becoming scarce. My home was a piano school, so I always had a piano nearby, but that’s not the case for everyone. While there are many choices available through social media today, I believe there is something special about actually touching and experiencing art and music in person. I want to provide that for the children.
