I have been listening to elementary school bands in various parts of Western Japan for over 20 years.
  I decided to create this page because I have long thought that there should be a more efficient way to create good bands even with the limited practice time at elementary schools.
  One day, a band that performed very well as a model band at a seminar could not play even the first note of the new sheet music that was distributed on the spot.
  I also heard a school teacher who was asked to accompany the final chorus of a local concert more than one month later, refuse at a meeting for the concert, saying that it's definitely not going to be in time.
  I have also seen a school that the band was practicing the same pieces that I had heard over 10 years ago.
  Even now, some teachers seem to think that the teaching method is not important as long as they can perform in a concert, but in the case of school bands, the big issue is the process of practice that leads to that performance, and I think that the educational value lies there.
  It is surprising in a way that elementary school students can play well using the same instruments as adults, and It's amazing to see how much they can improve in just a few months. I should be satisfied with being able to play just one piece, but I often think that we could make a more active band with the same amount of practice time.
  In the end, it's inevitable that the difference will be made by the instructor's ears (the ability to distinguish pitch, tone, and sound shape) and musical sense, but I think it's a shame that there are still many bands that are stuck at a stage much earlier than that, where they don't know how to teach the students, they don't know how to practice, and they can only get them to play one or two pieces a year.
  I gave the title "Elementary School Band...", but it also includes some of my thoughts about junior high school band.
  I hope that what I've written here will give you some hints and that we'll see more good bands.
  Please feel free to send me any questions you have by email.