Report of the 2nd High School Light Music Contest, Kanto Regional Tournament

On March 24th, the end of the school year, I had the pleasure of being invited to the 2nd High School Light Music Contest Kanto Regional Tournament held in Yoyogi, Tokyo.

The High School Light Music Contest Kanto Regional Tournament is a light music competition organized by the NPO National Association of School Light Music Club and the Kakehashi Arts and Culture Promotion Foundation. It has been held since last year as a platform for light music club students in the Kanto region to showcase the results of their daily practice.

When it comes to light music club performances, they are often limited to school festivals and local events. However, having a competition where they can aim for ‘victory’, similar to sports clubs and brass bands, can certainly boost their motivation for daily practice.

This day, 25 bands from 20 high schools in the Kanto area participated in the competition, each presenting a song filled with emotion.

In his opening speech, Yoshiyuki Mitani, Chairman of the National Association of School Light Music Club, prefaced by saying, “It might be strange for me as the organizer to say this, but...,” before encouraging the participants by saying, “Although this is a contest and there will be rankings, music is not about absolute rankings. What matters is the effort you have put in to get here. I hope you will judge your performance by whether you were able to show your daily abilities.”

The judges and commentators included teachers from music schools. The hosts were students from high schools not participating in the contest, ensuring impartiality.

As this is a club activity competition, unlike a live event, there are no flashy lighting effects. The students present the results of their practice in an environment where there is no room for deception.

Finally, the first performance began.

Despite the large venue, which could make anyone’s legs tremble with nerves, the first band performed confidently as if they were not the first performers. Their smiles and eye contact during key moments reflected their strong teamwork. It was clear from their stage presence that they were practicing with a purpose, not just playing together aimlessly.

After each performance, the judges provided feedback on how to improve. Each band ended their turn politely, taking on new challenges with a “Thank you very much!”

What surprised me while listening to all the bands was the number of original songs.

Some works were meticulously crafted, from the lyrics and composition to the instrumental ensemble and chorus work.

One member writes the lyrics, another composes the melody, and each part adds their own arrangement, building the song...

Thinking about how these high school students discuss, cooperate, sometimes compromise, and clash to complete this process, I couldn’t help but feel that being in a band is an excellent activity for developing high social skills!

Moreover, many schools have over 50 members in their light music clubs, with some clubs being the largest in their schools. It’s unbelievable when considering the past when light music clubs faced strong opposition!

Finally, awards for best player by part, encouragement awards, third place, runner-up, and grand prize were announced, bringing the competition to a close.

Seeing the current state of light music clubs firsthand, I was reminded of the charm of band activities and began thinking about what I could do to support young musicians.

I am very excited about the future of the participants!

You can view the results of this competition here:

National Association of School Light Music Club: Activity Report “the 2nd High School Light Music Contest, Kanto Regional Tournament”

In addition to this, the National Association of School Light Music Club supports the spread and development of light music clubs as club activities by holding regional tournaments such as the Kinki/Hokuriku Tournament and Chubu Tournament, and conducting seminars on light music.

NPO National Association of School Light Music Club