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The Choral Society of Hitachi Ltd. |
 When it comes to choral works, "Beethoven's 9th" is
famous for being performed all over the world as an annual event by many
choral societies. The chorus is a cooperative enterprise that requires
great technique and all the endeavor of those involved. It is a moving
and wonderful thing when everything fits together smoothly. It epitomises
the ideals of harmony. In Ibaraki, there are about ninety choral
societies. We would like to introduce one of them to you, The Hitachi Ltd.
Choral Society, which has been crowned with great success despite
undergoing many difficulties.History and Standing The society started just after World War II at a time of extreme food shortage. Some employees used to sing together in a corner of the factory. In may 1948, a choral group known as the 'Singing Circle" came into being in the Cultural affairs Department of Hitachi Ltd. As a background to this, choral singing was becoming increasingly popular in the Kanto Region after the Second World War. The Kanto Choral Federation founded in 1946 with only 40 member societies increased its membership to over 140 in 1948, and the Japan Choral Federation was established in the same year. In September 1949, a workers' choral competition took place in Ibaraki for the first time and this prompted the foundation of the Ibaraki Choral Federation. In 1950, the Hitachi Company's "Singing Circle" changed its name to the Hitachi Ltd. Choral Society and was able to take part in the Kanto Choral Contest only two years after its foundation, thus embarking on its subsequent 50 year history. In 1954, Mr. Yoshiaki Kimura, who was already a member of the Society, was entrusted with conducting the society's choir. He still continues in that role today. |
Current situation of the Society and its achievements
The Society achieved a first prize in the 9th All Japan Choral Contest in
1956 and thenceforth has taken part in that contest 43 times, gaining a
first (gold) prize ten times, thus marking it out as one of the leading
amateur choral societies of Japan. The society is active in a wide number
of areas such as the organization of a fixed annual concert, the
foundation of the Hitachi "Call Familie", specializing in the performance
of the 9th, in 1997, which performs together with the Hitachi
Philharmonic, and coordinating programs with other choral societies in
Japan and abroad etc. After winning the All Japan Choral Contest in 1956,
the Society was awarded by the Mayor of Hitachi, and has been honored by
the Governor of Ibaraki for its many recent first prizes. |
| Organization The Society is made up of four parts, the tenor and bass for men, and the soprano and alto for women. It has currently about 70 members. Usually, they have choral practice every Sunday. Members consist of Hitachi Works employees, their families, and former (retired) employees. Hitachi Call Familie is open to employees from all of Hitachi Ltd. Moving the listener Mr. Kimura, the conductor, says that the point of the society's music is moving the listener by enabling him to grasp the background of the melody, the unwritten emotion of the work and its vitality. He ideally wants each member of the choir to be able to move their audience and to gain their mutual appreciation and understanding by continual practice, since the harder they train, the more they will achieve these aims. However, Mr. Uezono, the Chief Manager of the Society, made a point of reminding us that Mr. Kimura in his role as conductor never berates his members, but always leads as an equal in a pleasant manner to achieve high standards of choral excellence. |
| Notes The contents of this article are based on information taken from "The Hearing" and from the the 50th Anniversary edition of "Panpon" (No 235) published by Hitachi Works. The photographs used were supplied by the Choral Society. |