Stringed Instruments

• Professional review of handmade violin kit!

  

  2020/03/06

  ■SUZUKI (Suzuki Musical Instruments) SVG544 Handmade violin kit
  ■SUZUKI Handmade Musical Instrument Kit List
  
  Violinist Nozomi Fujiwara has released a video review of the assembly and performance of the SUZUKI/SVG544. An assembly kit in the surprisingly low 9,000 yen range that also allows you to perform a full-scale performance! She plays works like Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto which require transcendental techniques. Why not try making a violin while having fun with your children? It is also recommended as a practice instrument for those who play violin in earnest!!
  
  ■ Nozomi Fujiwara's profile
  At the age of 11, she performed with domestic and foreign orchestras, including the Krakow Symphony Orchestra. She has won awards including 2nd place in the Japan Classic Music Competition and 1st place in the All Japan Student Music Competition Fukuoka. After graduating from Toho Gakuen Graduate School and studying in Amsterdam where she also gained experience playing in an orchestra, she began performing in Japan in 2014. She also teaches a violin class, judges contests and is an online instructor in the Tokyo, Nagoya and Kanazawa areas. At present, she is holding a violin class in Kanazawa, and offers online lessons between performances.
  Official page

• "High School Guitar and Mandolin Music Competition" special event being held!

  

  2020/02/03

  The "High School Guitar and Mandolin Music Competition" is a national tournament for high school students who play guitar and mandolin music in club activities. Only schools that have survived district competitions or recording contests are eligible to participate, and performances are high-level. This competition, which has been contributing to the development of guitar and mandolin music in Japan, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To commemorate this milestone, they are currently recruiting essays to be memorialized as a special project. Why don't you write about your memories and apply?
  
  Qualification: Those who have participated in the "High School Guitar and Mandolin Music Competition" or "High School Guitar and Mandolin Festival", the old name of the competition.
  Deadline: 2020/2/29 (postmarked by the date)
  
  The application guidelines for the memorial essays
  
  2020 High School Guitar and Mandolin Music Competition
  Date：2020/7/30, 31 (Times are still undecided.)
  Venue：Izumisano Civic Hall
  
  Details of the competition

• Ghibli masterpiece

  

  2020/01/16

  Studio Ghibli announced the release of a live-action version of the 1995 animated movie "Whisper of the Heart". The story is based on the original story of the 1995 animated movie, but takes place 10 years later adding some new twists to the plot. The movie will be released nationwide on September 18. The two stars of the movie are Seino Nana, who will play the role of Shizuku Tsukishima, and Tori Matsuzaka, who will play the role of Seiji Amasawa. Other characters, including Shizuku and Seiji from their school days, will be announced at a later date.
  
  Seiji Amasawa was aiming to become a violin craftsman in the movie. The SUZUKI / SVG544 violin assembly kit is available at Sound House. With this, you could be Ghibli's Seiji Amasawa ...
  
  ■SUZUKI "SVG544"

• Japan Super Youth Mandolin Orchestra (JSYMO) 2020 to be held!

  

  2020/01/10

  The application guidelines for the Japan Super Youth Mandolin Orchestra (JSYMO) 2020, a project to nurture young mandolin players, have been announced. This is a seminar-type project in which participants take lessons from professional players and hold a concert on the last day. JSYMO has an age restriction of 30 years or younger, but this year, the Mandolin Music Camp (MMC), which has no age limit, will be held for the first time. Both will be held in Shizuoka. There is a maximum capacity, so if you are interested, act quickly!
  
  Japan Super Youth Mandolin Orchestra (JSYMO)
  will be held August 20-23, 2020
  
  Mandolin Music Camp (MMC)
  will be held July 11-12, 2020
  
  JSYMO 2019 was reported in the staff blogs below.
  https://www.soundhouse.co.jp/contents/staff-blog/index?post=923
  https://www.soundhouse.co.jp/contents/staff-blog/index?post=924
  

• Popular mandolin cases now available!

  

  2019/12/27

  ■SUPER LIGHT「Mandolin cases」
  ■ARANJUEZ CASE「Mandolin cases」
  
  Two brands of cases for classic mandolins are now available. SUPER LIGHT, as the name suggests, produces super lightweight mandolin cases, as well as cases for both the mandola and the mandoloncello. Mandolin cases from ARANJUEZ CASE are attractive for their compact shape and variety of available colors and materials, and they also produce cases for the mandola. Both are popular brands amongst mandolin players.

• Mandola and Mandoloncello now available!

  

  2019/12/19

  We are now handling the Mandola, which is one size larger than a regular mandolin, and the even larger Mandoloncello. They are popular for their deep tones, and are mainly used in mandolin orchestras and ensembles. We have a lineup of 25 instruments, starting from the long-established Italian brand, Calace, to domestic brands such as SUZUKI VIOLIN and Miyano Mandolin. There are also affordable domestic brand models for under 100,000 yen. We are currently increasing our lineup of related items such as cases and strings as well, so please check back often!
  
  ■Mandola
  ■Mandoloncello

• AKG オリジナル・ワイヤレスセット販売開始！

  

  2019/12/03

  AKG WMS40とマイクを組み合わせたワイヤレスセットの販売を始めました。軽量で付け心地のよいヘッドセットマイクCLASSIC PRO / CEM1-AKをセットした「WMS40ヘッドセット」、管楽器の集音に適したCM519MLをセットにした「WMS40管楽器ワイヤレスセット」、バイオリンやギターの集音に最適なC411をセットにした「WMS40楽器用ワイヤレスセット」の全3機種をラインアップ。価格を抑えた本格ワイヤレスセットの登場です。
  
  ■AKG 「WMS40 ワイヤレス/ヘッドセットJP1」
  ■AKG 「WMS40 ワイヤレス/ヘッドセットJP2」
  ■AKG 「WMS40 管楽器用ワイヤレスセットJP1」
  ■AKG 「WMS40 管楽器用ワイヤレスセットJP2」
  ■AKG 「WMS40 楽器用ワイヤレスセットJP1」
  ■AKG 「WMS40 楽器用ワイヤレスセットJP2」

• クラシックマンドリン 取扱開始！

  

  2019/11/29

  ■マンドリン 一覧
  
  繊細で可愛らしい音色が魅力的な、クラシックマンドリンの取り扱いを開始しました！イタリアの老舗ブランドCalace（カラーチェ）から、国内ブランドSUZUKI VIOLIN（スズキバイオリン）、ENA（エナ）まで約30製品を販売中。ケースや弦など関連アイテムも豊富に取り揃えていく予定です。お楽しみに！

• 【NS DESIGN】持ち運びに便利なチェロ「WAVシリーズ」新登場！

  

  2017/07/31

  斬新なデザインとハイクオリティーのサウンド、プレイアビリティを兼ね備えたモデルも数多く発表しているNS DESIGNより、WAVシリーズが発表されました。安定性と操作性を両立したブリッジ一体型のチューニング・システムを採用したハイスペックなチェロ・シリーズです。従来のモデルと比べて小型・軽量のため、可搬性にも優れています。さらに上位機種と同様のPolarピエゾ・ピックアップを採用。豊かな音色を実現し、あらゆる演奏様式に合わせることが可能です。
  
  

• 現代のバイオリンがストラディバリウスに勝利！？

  

  2017/05/12

  「バイオリンの名器として名高い"ストラディバリウス"と、現代のバイオリンを聴き比べた場合、聴衆は現代のバイオリンの方を好む」という実験結果を、フランスのパリ大などによる研究チームが論文にまとめました。チームは「バイオリンの作製技術が上がったのか、あるいは一般に信じられているほどの音色の違いがなかったのかもしれない」とコメント。演奏者はどう感じていたのか、何を比較したのかなど、気になることもありますが、こうした実験が行われること自体、ストラディバリウスが数百年という時を経た今もなお、特別な楽器であり続けている証と言えるのかも知れません。
  
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