DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Piano｜Organ｜Strings｜Wind and Percussion｜Chamber Music｜Early Music｜

Over the course of its history since the founding of the Tokyo Music School, the Piano course has produced outstanding musicians based on its mission to absorb and promulgate throughout Japan musical influences from the West, staking out a global presence in this capacity.

The university has attracted attention from around the world in recent years and is now routinely counted on to produce graduates of the highest caliber, capable of thriving in musical professions in Japan. Based on a regard for both tradition and progress and the importance of individuality, its mission is to provide the support needed by young students to cultivate their talents and to grow into artists with a humanistic outlook.

The piano is an excellent instrument that covers a wide range of notes from low to high, and can simultaneously handle loud sounds reminiscent of an orchestra and soft sounds like a human murmur. The aim of this major is to develop the ability to draw out diverse and free expression from this excellent instrument and to nurture human resources who can communicate with many people through sound. To this end, we have established a high quality curriculum in both practical and theoretical aspects.

Faculty: The curriculum at the university Piano Department focuses on solo, private lessons and is designed to enable students to acquire a balanced repertoire from among grand piano music. In the solo performance that forms the core, detailed guidance is provided for the acquisition of advanced techniques and musical training so as to enable a precise understanding of different styles in diverse works.
The results are presented within and outside the department through the following:
?The first-year students’ “Performance Practicum” for which students freely select a musical number.
?The second-year students’ “Practical Examination” for which students select two different periods from the Baroque, classical, romantic, and modern periods and perform pieces by compiling them in an approximately 40-minute program.
?The third-year students’ “University Concert” for which students freely select a piece for a public performance of an approximately 30-minute program at the Sogakudo Concert Hall and a “Concerto Audition,” again by the third-year students.
?The fourth-year students’ “Graduation Performance” for which the students select at least three periods from the abovementioned four-period classification and perform together for approximately 60 minutes.
Outstanding performers perform in a concert with the Geidai Philharmonia and are also provided other opportunities to perform on and off the university campus.
In addition, courses such as “ensemble concerts” for practicing piano ensembles and duos with instrumental music, “chamber music” with which students can gain experience of ensembles with other instruments, “accompaniment music” where students learn to play an accompaniment mainly to classical style songs have been established, thus nurturing individuals with broad insights and a wide range of abilities.

Master: In the Master’s Program of the Graduate School of Music, the curriculum fosters an advanced artistic and theoretical research and aims to nurture independent musicians who have a deep musicality and a theoretical and humanistic outlook as pianists.

Doctor: In the doctoral program of the Graduate School of Music, the aim is to nurture individuals who have an enhanced originality and can participate in various activities in Japan and internationally. It is essential that they possess an enhanced sophisticated and deep artistic sensibility and theoretical analytical ability.

Faculty: With content-rich practical guidance for four years and acquisition of related subjects, the aim is to nurture individuals who can adapt to diverse aspects after graduation such as further research, performances, study abroad, education, and contribution to society.
The Bachelor’s degree is awarded once the stipulated courses have been studied, the specified credits have been acquired, and graduation has been approved.

Master: The Master’s degree is awarded to individuals once thesis guidance and lessons in practical techniques with enhanced expertise have been conducted in accordance with the individual research plan, the first university Master’s recital (half-recital program) and the practical performance for degree review (about one hour) and the thesis review has been conducted, and the students have passed the review.

Doctor: The doctoral degree is awarded to individuals once lessons in practical techniques to further enhance advanced professional expertise and guidance consultations for further research are conducted, the first university doctoral recital (full recital program) and the practical performance for degree review (full recital) and thesis review has been conducted, and the students have passed the review.

Educational and research structure
With the exception of several classes, the curriculum throughout the undergraduate and graduate programs is tailored to the temperament, interests, and goals of each student, based on one-on-one interactions with instructors. To hone ensemble skills, instructors from the fields of string instruments provide advanced practical training.

Curriculum (undergraduate education)
From the first year through graduation, the curriculum is organized flexibly to allow students to explore their individual potential. Students are given unusual latitude in selecting specific works from multiple historical periods to perform in exam recitals.

In the final exam scheduled for the end of the second year, students perform two pieces in a program, each expected to last around 20 minutes. In a university concert scheduled for the third year, students perform before the public in Sogakudo Concert Hall. At the end of the school year, concerto auditions are held for the opportunity to perform in a special morning concert with the Geidai Philharmonia.

As their fourth-year graduation exam, students give two recitals, one in a concert hall before the public (about 30 minutes in length) and another before students and faculty (30 minutes or longer). By graduation, students have typically completed one and one-half to two full recital programs.

In addition to the study of the solo repertoire, students have the option to take part in accompanied songs, ensemble performances and chamber music performances to develop their capability to successfully perform various musical compositions and ensemble works.

Curriculum (graduate education and research)
In the graduate master’s degree and doctoral programs, each student pursues advanced performance and research as a pianist, working from his or her independently-chosen study plan. An annual recital is a requirement for both master’s and doctoral students. To obtain their degrees, students must perform a program of roughly one hour in length.

Degree requirements also include a written thesis. Students are required to collect sufficient materials and develop the analytical abilities needed to write a publishable thesis.

Other information
Many graduates of the undergraduate and master’s degree programs have continued their studies overseas. Others have participated in overseas training sessions and international competitions. Drawing on the knowledge and skills developed as performers and instructors, graduates have gone on to thrive in various musical endeavors in Japan and around the world.

Students in this course study a broad-ranging repertoire covering approximately 700 years, from the Renaissance through today. Introduced into Japan alongside Western music, organs were used in the music conservatory program at the Ongaku Torishirabegakari (Music Investigation Committee), the university’s predecessor. The instrument was known at that time by the Japanese term fukin.

A course of study based on the organ was established in 1900, during the days of the Tokyo Music School. Since the organ is primarily an instrument built to play an essential role in European church services, in addition to learning the techniques required to play the organ, students study the construction of various types of organs used for compositions, each of which reflects the circumstances of the time and place of origin, as well as the forms of composition and performance practices of each period. The university features three superb organs of various configurations and four smaller practice organs to provide the instrumental foundations for building familiarity with a broad repertoire.

Faculty: The Organ Department conducts practical courses, basso continuo, and ensemble playing lessons to develop basic abilities required for research and expression in Organ Performance. To acquire knowledge essential for organ performances, performance conventions specific to the period and region (performance praxis), methods of organ construction, two 30-minute recitals (university concert and graduation concert) are conducted. Apart from these specialized compulsory subjects, basic subjects in music such as solfege, harmonics, and music history are studied to build the foundation as musicians including study of educational subjects and foreign languages required for literature research. Furthermore, to deepen the knowledge and experience related to organ, the department invites various lecturers from abroad and conducts master classes, organ tuning practice, and various kinds of seminars and workshops. This leads to the integration of acquired knowledge and techniques and develops enriched musical abilities.

Master: With the basic abilities acquired in the undergraduate years as the foundation, in the Instrumental Music special study course in the Graduate School of Music, students conduct literature research in the department, enroll in practical courses in the department, and conduct music analysis and improvisation of performance techniques to develop more advanced and professional expressive techniques and knowledge. To aim for independence as musicians, once a year students decide on a theme and perform a 45-minute recital based on it and the faculty members provide appropriate guidance to prepare for this. In the final year, students write the Master’s thesis and prepare a Master’s performance program based on this theme, which are reviewed by the Degree Review Committee.

Doctor: The aim is to nurture individuals with advanced and specialized musical abilities, cultivate a broad range of professional knowledge and insights related to the art of music, and who help widely spread Organ Arts in society. Through the implementation of guidance on research themes from several faculty members, guidance in practical techniques in one’s major field of study, and the 60-minute doctoral recital once a year, the program nurtures outstanding musical performers with a broad vision.

Faculty: The Bachelor’s degree is awarded to individuals who have acquired a wide range of expression techniques for organ performances, in addition to basic knowledge of music, and have been recognized as independent musicians capable of paving their own way for conducting research. The graduation certification is determined depending on whether the students have fulfilled the requirements for graduation.

Master: The degree is awarded to students who have acquired advanced and in-depth knowledge related to organ performances and are recognized as possessing the potential to work proactively as independent musicians of outstanding caliber. The Master’s degree is awarded once the students have been enrolled in the Master’s Program for the stipulated period and it has been adjudged that they have fulfilled the above mentioned goals through the study of lecture subjects in the Master’s Program and writing the Master’s thesis.

Doctor: The degree is awarded to students who have acquired advanced and in-depth knowledge related to organ performances and who are recognized as possessing the potential to work proactively in guiding roles in society as independent musicians of outstanding caliber. The doctoral degree is awarded once the students have been enrolled in the program for the stipulated period, have acquired the basic credits essential for the doctoral program, have passed the review of the doctoral dissertation within the minimum period required for graduation including the final performance examination.

Curriculum (undergraduate education)
In addition to required subjects such as 60 minutes per week of organ lessons and practical courses in basso continuo playing (first and second years) and ensemble playing (third and fourth years), also performed weekly, required advanced courses include the study of forms characteristic of organ works, required for all undergraduates throughout the four years of the program; an introduction, also required, to the organ (organ construction methods) in the first year; and two 30-minute recitals in the fourth year (university concert and graduation concert). Additionally, students study basic music topics such as solfege, harmonics, and music history, as well as foreign-language and educational subjects needed for their literature-based study. This work is intended to build the foundations for student development as musicians. Other program activities include special lectures (master classes) led by visiting instructors from outside the university, as well as practical training in organ tuning and various seminars and workshops.

Curriculum (graduate education and research)
The graduate-level program focuses on providing instruction in more advanced performance and expressive techni