Never Give Up

I came back to Fukushima in January to join the rehearsals of the Fukushima Youth Sinfonietta as they were getting ready for their first concert of the new decade. Preparation for a concert is an activity that inspires many valuable lessons. But as an organiser the challenges are not too few: rehearsal attendance, varying levels of musicians, the right combination of music coaches, before even taking into consideration the musical challenges of a full symphonic programme, and ticket sales to cover the expenses, and finding an audience wanting to support the efforts of the young musicians. For this concert I had to face an extra challenge: Most of the players in the orchestra were very young—and very new!.

The years pass, and this January saw more than half of the students in the orchestra joining pfor the first time. Most of them are very young. They do remember the earthquake, but they remember the aftermath and the years that followed more. Perhaps their family lost their livelihood, as they couldn’t sell any products from Fukushima any more. Or perhaps they had to relocate, and find themselves in a new school where someone from the “hot” zone near the accident could be bullied. Or perhaps, after nine years, they are still living in a temporary accommodation provided by the government. Once the door of the rehearsal room closes, however, we are all the same: musicians, getting ready for a concert.

As is the tradition with this orchestra, we choose some very difficult pieces of music and start working. Many of the new players have been learning their instrument for only a few months, but that doesn’t stop them. What seems impossible at first becomes way better than possible within a few days. “They never give up”, says my friend and colleague Masanori, who is in Fukushima with me to help with the rehearsals and concert. The musicians of the Fukushima Youth Sinfonietta have been part of a musical revolution. While the rest of the world might have thought Fukushima as a nuclear wasteland, young people from the region came together to share with the world that they are alive, active, and creative. Their message is clear: Music brings them together, music helps them move forward, music makes them better human beings.