This series showcases Toyota's activities in non-automotive fields. This time, we get orchestral.
The members of the Ehime Symphony Orchestra had also been looking forward to this day’s concert.
Naoki Hanaoka, Chairman, Ehime Symphony Orchestra
Being a civic orchestra, our members include homemakers, students, as well as school teachers. I, too, am an amateur, with a day job in construction.
It’s not often that we get to put on concerts for large audiences. Today, we have 58 members who have gathered from all over Ehime. We’re delighted to perform for such a big crowd in this grand hall.
Bridging gaps within the prefecture
Ainan, the town that hosted the concert, is some 130 km from Matsuyama City, where the orchestra is based. The “cultural disparities between regions” mentioned at the top of the article exist not just in relation to major cities, but even within Ehime Prefecture.
Hanaoka, Ehime Symphony Orchestra
Traveling with a large contingent involves transport costs and, depending on where members live, accommodation for the night before. Organizing concerts in distant places and making the necessary preparations is hard, so we greatly appreciate Toyota’s support.
The event proved a hit with the attending children, who told us, “The music was so powerful!” “I loved the trumpet!” and “It was amazing to see them come to our town, where we always play tag and other games to entertain ourselves!”
Staff from Toyota’s dealerships helped with the running of the concert. In sweltering 35-degree heat, they did everything from directing cars in the parking lot to collecting tickets.
For the quiz questions in between songs, children who answered correctly received gifts from the dealerships. “We put in remote control cars and other exciting goodies for the kids,” explained Tsukasa Toita, assistant manager at Toyota Corolla Ehime.
When asked what assisting in such initiatives means for dealers, he responded happily, “We get to be involved in children’s education and growth. If this sparks an interest in music, it will broaden their horizons. Having these kinds of experiences in childhood is invaluable.”
Inclusive, barrier-free education
We also heard from others about the educational perspective.
Kiyokazu Hamami, Superintendent, Ainan Board of Education
It has been 13 years since an orchestra came all the way to Ainan from Matsuyama. Today’s concert was wonderful, open to people of all ages and abilities. It was also an example of inclusive education that fosters mutual respect through interactions with diverse people.
Even many adults may not have heard a live orchestra before. From an educational perspective, these kinds of goosebump-inducing experiences that resonate in our very core are extremely important.
In a town where elementary and junior high school children number less than 1,000, youngsters made up most of the concert’s nearly 500-strong crowd. The atmosphere was strikingly intimate, made possible by a special event that was open to all.
Alongside supporting amateur orchestras, Toyota also runs the Toyota Master Players, Wien (TOMAS) initiative, seeking to bring the world’s finest musicianship to a broader audience.
Every spring, a specially formed chamber orchestra featuring members of the Vienna Philharmonic and other world-class musicians tours Japan, playing concerts in seven cities.
This time, we want to share a special video for our readers to enjoy this pinnacle of music.
To move the hearts of many with music that everyone can enjoy—this aspiration, shared by Toyota, its nationwide dealers, and countless music lovers, is helping to bring people together and strengthen the bonds between communities.
For a different kind of sound, make sure to check out our article, Behind the Engine Tones that are Music to the Ears of Car Lovers. Look out for the G16 engine, developed especially for the GR Yaris, later in the series!