| Received Japan Harmonica Award Presenterd in Nihon Unisys Heartware 1997/5/6 Discovered a Unisys Employee！ There are many Unisys employee who is bery active but are unknown by other people. Here comes a semi-professional harmonica player this time.  Q:"Mr. Sanada, I heard you have a harmonica band, aren't you?" A:"Yes, I have. The name of the band is :The Hummingbird. I formed the band, which is a trio, with my two friend outside of Unisys four years ago. They are good old guys waiting for retirement."（laugh） Q:"How long have you been playing harmonica?" A:"Excluding the period of music class in the elementary school, it is now 30 years since I entered to my university harmonica band. After the graduation, however, there weren't much progress in my technic except I played sometimes at wedding parties of my friends. After I restarted to play harmonica, I got the 6th prizen in jazz and popular category in 1995 Yokohama International Harmonica Festival two years ago, although the trio didn't get any." Q:"Wonderfu ! 6th prize in the world ! Any how, there must be various sort of harmonica, or parts may be? A:"Sure, the one I play is so called Chromatic Harmonica which can play any half note or chromatic note by pressing a lever. This harmonica plays the melody part. Theoretically It can play any music. Professional players even play violin tunes like Chigoinerweissen. As you know, you have to blow and draw rapidly, thus you have to say foo haa foo haa." (tried) Q:"I see.（laugh） What does othe part play?" A:"One of us plays an octave bass harmonica which has very low sounds. The two reed of one octave difference together make a low sound. Everybody supprised about its sound especially when it is amplified. The last one plays a chord harmonica. One hole contains C, E, G, C or G, B, D, F note reeds for example, and produces a chord tone. Various chords such as major, minor, 7th, diminish and augumet for 12 scales are built in and its length is about 70cm. The famous Guiness Book introduces that this is the longest harmonica in sale. There are other type of harmonicas such as a blues harp which is supposed to be played by youngers or a tremolo harmonica which is supposed to be played by elders. I play amy harmonica as necessary."  Q:"where and when do your group perform?" A:"We used to perform twice a month, and total of 80 times in concert halls, town halls, Makuhari Messe, front. square of Tokyo City Hall, various welfare places, elementary schools, Isetan department store, etc. We will go to any place if asked. Indeed, we played 4 times at Nihon Unisys." Q:"Oh, you are quite active!" A:"In addition, we play as a back band for folk dance party which is arranged by a friend who belongs to a folk dance group. One third of our performance is such an activity. TV Tokyo showed our activity as a back band of a social dance party last March. We were nominated to a Japan Harmonica award by these activities. Some of our friend nominated us to the award." Q:"What is Japan Harmonica Award?" A:"10 groups or persons who dedicated to the harmonica field in Japan are awarded in a year. Other awards are Japan harmonica grand award, and Japan harmonica special award. Mr. Taro Senga who is seven years old and is called a genius harmonica boy got the Japa harmonica special award this year. Many people must know him because he was somtimes introduced in Nippon TV. Regretlly saying, he plays better than I." (laugh) Q:"How many groups or persons will be nominated in a year?" A:"I'm not certain, but 20, may be. We, the Hummingbird did get this year's Japan harmonica award. We think we will get someday because people once get the prize will not be gotten for several years. But it is really lucky to actually get the award." Q:"Congratulation! What is the reason why the Hummingbird got it?" A:"The Hummingbird played for 1,200 people of a folk dance party at Yokohama Gymnasium and 1,800 people of a folkdance party at Makuhari Messe. This kind of activities are evaluated to be quite new to the Japnese harmonica field, probably."  Q:"Is there any target to the future?" A:"We three want to join to the 1999 International Harmonica Festival in France. I personally want to expand my harmonica class which currently has 4 pupils before my retirement. Q:「May god bless you, thank you" |
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