Hello from Saijyo !

Hello!! My pen-name is "Anpang". This is the very first message posted from Saijyo, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Japan. I am really welcome for talking together on a musical instrument, "madolin"? It would be my pleasure to receive any comments from people who are interested in mandolin music! I am also quite curious about the activities on mandoln orchestra all over the world.

I would like to introduce here at first the most active mandolin orchestra in Japan conducted by Mr. Takashi Kubota. He is one of the most famous composers especially for madolin music. He really makes a big effort to educate young people to encourage their skills for playing mandolin. He organizes his own mandolin orchestra called "Kubota Philomandolinen Orchester". They hold a regular concert conducted by himself every year at the end of February. You will have chances to listen to their activities in the concert from CDs.

In Japan, we find many professional mandolin players, like Mr. Tadashi Aoyama, Mr. Takaaki Shibarta, Mrs. Chiaki Masukawa, etc.. On the other hand, nobody can find professional mandolin orchestra. Fortunately, several professional mandolin players and composers train youg students in junior high school as well as in high school. Eventually they will grow up as professional mandolinists and hopefully play their mandolin very well.

By the way, I am also playing "mandolon cello" among the members of "higashi-hiroshima mandolin ensemble" abbreviated as "HME" sometimes. We meet every saturday night and plays together. This is fun! This local place is calles "Saijyo", in Higashi-Hiroshima city, which is located around 40km east far from Hiroshima city (Japan). If you have a chance to visit here, please let me know.