Profile

Senzoku Gakuen, was found in 1924 as an educational institution for women. During its eighty years of existance, it has developed as an institution with a kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, junior college, college of music, and graduate school. The College of Music started in 1960 and has always placed a heavy emphasis on orchestra and ensemble performance. Especially the wind ensemble program has developed a fine reputation and has had Alfred Reed, James Barnes, Roger Boutry and Jan Van der Roost as guest instructors and conductors. The college's excellent teaching staff enabled the wind ensemble to perform at a level with the world's advanced bands in short period of time. The polished sound of the wind ensemble has been a great incentive for students to join the ensemble. The number of students participating in the wind ensemble program has increased year for year. Currently, there are 700 students majoring in wind and percussion instruments. They are divided into six ensembles. For special performanaces such as a WASBE Conference, an ensemble of outstanding players is selected by audition. The selected members perform as the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Wind Ensemble. This ensemble has performed in Aberdeen, Scotland; at the WASBE Conference in Schladming, Austria; at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, and at the Mid West Clinic in Chicago, USA. The Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Wind Ensemble actively pursues a New Age sound by altering orchestrations and the timbres of traditional wind instruments, and these possibilities will be demonstrated by the ensemble at the WASBE Conference in Singapore.