Though it may sound presumptuous, there came a moment when I found myself thinking with genuine admiration that Fujioka Satchio, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, is “quite an extraordinary man.”
Much credit is due to Nako from the Carefully Curated Classical Channel for this realization.
Since then, I have made a point of attending his concerts whenever possible.
Today, once again, was truly magnificent.

When Mr. Nonomura sang “Miagete Goran Yoru no Hoshi o” (“Look Up at the Stars in the Night Sky”), I found myself singing along—my own song.
It was one of the pieces I had sung long ago, representing Class 3–3 of Yuriage Junior High School, together with all the third-year students and their parents, on the stage of a large gymnasium filled to capacity, accompanied on the piano by a deeply indebted teacher of ours—who taught both mathematics and music.
My singing back then was astonishingly good—so I now realize from the bottom of my heart.
To the point that I even found myself, quite naturally and without any sense of impropriety, thinking something as audacious as that, in a certain respect, I might have been better than Mr. Nonomura.

What’s more, today I heard Cavalleria Rusticana performed live by a full orchestra for the very first time.
The Kansai Philharmonic’s performance was, quite simply, a masterful one.

The female musicians wore bright, elegant stage costumes filled with the spirit of the New Year; the violins gleamed brilliantly, and the lighting was exquisitely handled, making everything sparkle.
Concerts this joyful are exceedingly rare.
In short, everything was superb.

And yet again, one cannot help but think: Japan truly is the finest country in the world.
Every town throughout Japan has a splendid concert hall.
There is no other country like this anywhere in the world.