47th JMBA National Championship

[thewho]

If you're bored in the off-season like I am, you'd probably be interested in the Japan Marching Band Association championships going on right now.

The live-stream is here (https://pals.co.jp/blog/live). If you're reading this throughout the evening of Dec. 13th, the competition is still ongoing with the Youth, Elementary, and Junior groups performing.

The schedule is for December 14th in CST (thank you to Dan Sanchez for smashing this together):

Opening Ceremony Dec. 14 - 17:56

General - Small 18:00
CM-1 North wind
CM-2 DER GLANZ
CM-3 Tokushima Indigoes Drum & Bugle Corps
CM-4 Tomakomai Komazawa University Marching Band
CM-5 SATSUKI DREAMERS Marchingband

General - Large 18:51
CM-6 TONAN Marching Band The Gryphons
CM-7 Toyota City Junior Marching Band TOYOTA Illusion Magic
CM-8 THE FOCUS
CM-9 Anba in 'Blue Birds!'
CM-10 NARAGAKU Marching Band

High School - Small 19:52
HM-1 Sanyo Jogakuen High School Marching Band Club
HM-2 Mukogawa Women's University Junior and Senior High School Marching Band Club Eins
HM-3 Kyohaku Gakuen Women's Marching Band Sophisticated Blue
HM-4 Aomori Misawa Commercial High School Brass Club
HM-5 Kamakura Women's University Junior High School Marching Band
HM-6 Miyagi Sendai East High School brass band "East Winds"
HM-7 Nagoya Women's University Junior High School High School Marching Band Club
HM-8 Tokyo Business High School Phoenix Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps
HM-9 Senshu University Tamana High School VENTURES

Youth 21:24
YM-5 ELF Education The Arts 

General - Large 21:35
CM-11 Tomiya Marching Echoes 
CM-12 SENDAI Verdures
CM-13 FUKUOKA DreamScouts performance corps
CM-14 THE YOKOHAMA SCOUTS Drum & Bugle Corps
CM-15 Yokohama INSPIRES Drum & Bugle Corps
CM-16 YOKOHAMA ROBINS
CM-17 IPU Pacific Rim University Marching Band
CM-18 Tenrikyo Aimachi Branch Church Orchestra
CM-19 Soka Renaissance Vanguard

Youth 23:08
YM-6 School corporation Kitano school 

High School - Small 23:19
HM-10 Kagawa Prefectural Takamatsu Commercial High School Brass Club
HM-11 Senshu University Kitakami High School brass band
HM-12 Rissho University Shonan High School Marching Band Club SHONAN SAINTS
HM-13 Koriyama Women's University High School Marching Band Club
HM-14 Hamamatsu City High School Brass Club
HM-15 Soshi Gakuen High School Marching Band Club
HM-16 Jinai Girls' High School Marching Band Drum Co
HM-17 Shizuoka Prefectural Hamamatsu Commercial High School Brass Club
HM-18 Kochi Junior High School High School Band Club SouthernWings

Youth 0:51
YM-7 Sunflower Kindergarten Sunflower Drum Co Dec. 15 - 

Awards (General) 1:12

High School - Medium 1:40
HM-19 Komazawa University Tomakomai High School Brass Band “Shelties” 
HM-20 Gifu Prefectural Gifu Commercial High School Brass Club
HM-21 Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Commercial High School Brass Club
HM-22 Okinawa Prefectural Nishihara High School Marching Band
HM-23 Fukuoka University Otsuki Senior High School brass band club
HM-24 Saga Kiyoka Junior High School / High School
HM-25 Minokamo High School Marching Band “Brilliant Max”
HM-26 Omuta High School brass band club
HM-27 Kaetsu Ariake Middle and High School Marching Band ESTEAM
HM-28 Saga Gakuen High School Brass Club
HM-29 Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai High School Marching Band "BLUE-HAWKS"

Break 3:33

High School - Large 3:43
HM-30 Hoshino Gakuen Junior High School / Hoshino High School brass band marching band 
HM-31 Tenrikyo Gakuen High School Marching Band VioletImpulse
HM-32 Kanto Gakuin Marching Band
HM-33 Saitama Sakae Junior and Senior High School Marching Band
HM-34 Meijyo Gakuin High School brass band Queenstar
HM-35 Tokyo University of Agriculture Second High School Band Club

Exhibition Kanagawa Prefectural Shonandai High School Brass Club - White Shooting Stars 4:47

Awards (High School) 5:17

[LeanderMomma]

Kindergarten! That’s crazy.

Yes it’s 2 am and I can’t sleep. 😳

[thewho]

We're kicking off with the General-Large categories now. This is your chance at catching some of Japan's drum & bugle corps!

[QuadSquad03]

I tuned in just in time to see Yokohama Robins and I was shocked. I had heard of Japan having some drum & bugle corps, but I never knew they had any like that! I was especially shocked by the battery. They played some hard beats very clean! Does anyone have information on the history of JMBA or Japanese marching arts in general?

[thewho]

Dec 14, 2019 22:40:21 GMT -6 QuadSquad03 said:

I tuned in just in time to see Yokohama Robins and I was shocked. I had heard of Japan having some drum & bugle corps, but I never knew they had any like that! I was especially shocked by the battery. They played some hard beats very clean! Does anyone have information on the history of JMBA or Japanese marching arts in general?

Here's a quick rip of their history from their website (Some quick grammar corrections from me from Google Translate):
April 1, 2013- Name changed to Japan Marching Band Association
April 1, 2009- Acquired general incorporated association title
June 5, 2005- All Japan Marching Band Baton Twirling Federation and Japan Marching Band Leader Association is integrated. A new organization is established, called the Japan Marching Band Baton Towa Ring Association. The name is inaugurated.

All Japan Marching Band / Baton Twirling Federation
<Establishment>
1967 Japan Parade Band Association
1972 All Japan Marching Band Federation (name changed)
1979 All Japan Marching Band / Baton Twirling Federation (name changed)

<Purpose>
Through the popularization and development of marching and batons, nurture emotions through the activities, and foster healthy youth.

Japan Marching Band Leadership Association
<Establishment>
1971 Japan Marching Band Leaders Association

<Purpose>
Training of marching and baton leaders and preparation of materials



[Details of business (competitions)]
We will actively hold competitions organized by the association headquarters and each branch, including national competitions.

1. Marching Band National Convention, held 46 times / Saitama Super Arena (This was the 47th iteration of the contest)
2. Marching Stage National Convention, held 18 times / Kanagawa Prefectural Hall
3. Summer Marching Festival, held 5 times / Makuhari Messe Event Hall
4. Color guard marching percussion national convention, held twice / Makuhari Messe Event Hall

JMBA has also hosted the World Baton Twirling Championship (WBTF) several times.


There's also the All-Japan Band Association that apparently had a parade component to it (?).

That's all I know beyond that.

[srv1084]

Dec 15, 2019 13:23:19 GMT -6 thewho said:

Dec 14, 2019 22:40:21 GMT -6 QuadSquad03 said:

I tuned in just in time to see Yokohama Robins and I was shocked. I had heard of Japan having some drum & bugle corps, but I never knew they had any like that! I was especially shocked by the battery. They played some hard beats very clean! Does anyone have information on the history of JMBA or Japanese marching arts in general?

Here's a quick rip of their history from their website (Some quick grammar corrections from me from Google Translate):
April 1, 2013- Name changed to Japan Marching Band Association
April 1, 2009- Acquired general incorporated association title
June 5, 2005- All Japan Marching Band Baton Twirling Federation and Japan Marching Band Leader Association is integrated. A new organization is established, called the Japan Marching Band Baton Towa Ring Association. The name is inaugurated.

All Japan Marching Band / Baton Twirling Federation
<Establishment>
1967 Japan Parade Band Association
1972 All Japan Marching Band Federation (name changed)
1979 All Japan Marching Band / Baton Twirling Federation (name changed)

<Purpose>
Through the popularization and development of marching and batons, nurture emotions through the activities, and foster healthy youth.

Japan Marching Band Leadership Association
<Establishment>
1971 Japan Marching Band Leaders Association

<Purpose>
Training of marching and baton leaders and preparation of materials



[Details of business (competitions)]
We will actively hold competitions organized by the association headquarters and each branch, including national competitions.

1. Marching Band National Convention, held 46 times / Saitama Super Arena (This was the 47th iteration of the contest)
2. Marching Stage National Convention, held 18 times / Kanagawa Prefectural Hall
3. Summer Marching Festival, held 5 times / Makuhari Messe Event Hall
4. Color guard marching percussion national convention, held twice / Makuhari Messe Event Hall

JMBA has also hosted the World Baton Twirling Championship (WBTF) several times.


There's also the All-Japan Band Association that apparently had a parade component to it (?).

That's all I know beyond that.

I highly suggest folks checking out their 2014 production of Scheherazade. Their opening had one of the most interesting visual moments I've ever seen.

[QuadSquad03]

Dec 15, 2019 14:51:50 GMT -6 srv1084 said:

Dec 15, 2019 13:23:19 GMT -6 thewho said:

Here's a quick rip of their history from their website (Some quick grammar corrections from me from Google Translate):
April 1, 2013- Name changed to Japan Marching Band Association
April 1, 2009- Acquired general incorporated association title
June 5, 2005- All Japan Marching Band Baton Twirling Federation and Japan Marching Band Leader Association is integrated. A new organization is established, called the Japan Marching Band Baton Towa Ring Association. The name is inaugurated.

All Japan Marching Band / Baton Twirling Federation
<Establishment>
1967 Japan Parade Band Association
1972 All Japan Marching Band Federation (name changed)
1979 All Japan Marching Band / Baton Twirling Federation (name changed)

<Purpose>
Through the popularization and development of marching and batons, nurture emotions through the activities, and foster healthy youth.

Japan Marching Band Leadership Association
<Establishment>
1971 Japan Marching Band Leaders Association

<Purpose>
Training of marching and baton leaders and preparation of materials



[Details of business (competitions)]
We will actively hold competitions organized by the association headquarters and each branch, including national competitions.

1. Marching Band National Convention, held 46 times / Saitama Super Arena (This was the 47th iteration of the contest)
2. Marching Stage National Convention, held 18 times / Kanagawa Prefectural Hall
3. Summer Marching Festival, held 5 times / Makuhari Messe Event Hall
4. Color guard marching percussion national convention, held twice / Makuhari Messe Event Hall

JMBA has also hosted the World Baton Twirling Championship (WBTF) several times.


There's also the All-Japan Band Association that apparently had a parade component to it (?).

That's all I know beyond that.

I highly suggest folks checking out their 2014 production of Scheherazade. Their opening had one of the most interesting visual moments I've ever seen.

That is really interesting. I don't think I have ever seen anything like that before. What is keeping any of the Japanese groups from joining DCI? Is it just the fact that they don't have football fields to practice on? I mean, it is called drum corp INTERNATIONAL

[dbalash]

Dec 16, 2019 10:39:41 GMT -6 QuadSquad03 said:

Dec 15, 2019 14:51:50 GMT -6 srv1084 said:

I highly suggest folks checking out their 2014 production of Scheherazade. Their opening had one of the most interesting visual moments I've ever seen.

That is really interesting. I don't think I have ever seen anything like that before. What is keeping any of the Japanese groups from joining DCI? Is it just the fact that they don't have football fields to practice on? I mean, it is called drum corp INTERNATIONAL

They occasionally come over. Yokohama Scouts have been over several times - they came in 2011 and won the International class over Jubal. They only brought 21 brass, 16 drum line, 5 front ensemble and 7 in the color guard, as their season runs from October to January.

[thewho]

Dec 16, 2019 10:39:41 GMT -6 QuadSquad03 said:

Dec 15, 2019 14:51:50 GMT -6 srv1084 said:

I highly suggest folks checking out their 2014 production of Scheherazade. Their opening had one of the most interesting visual moments I've ever seen.

That is really interesting. I don't think I have ever seen anything like that before. What is keeping any of the Japanese groups from joining DCI? Is it just the fact that they don't have football fields to practice on? I mean, it is called drum corp INTERNATIONAL

Like Dan said, Yokohama Scouts comes occasionally. I would love for some of the other corps to come over to DCI too (Soka Renaissance Vanguard, Yokohama Robins, Yokohama Inspires), plus some of the all-age/university groups (International Pacific University and Aimachi).

Several factors on performance style, though:

• Believe it or not, not having a football setup impacts a lot of these group's decisions. DCJ does perform on a grass/turf field in the summer, but these particular groups perform on gym-like floors. The quadrant system isn't too far off of a football field, but do consider it's a fairly different setup with the yard lines
• The smooth floor also sets for really quick movement of the props. I was really surprised at how ridiculously quick the bands moved their props compared to our bands in the US. Japanese bands were moving these props with only a walking start. Compare that to needing to literally shove the props to even remotely move them in the US. That actually set up a really interesting style in JMBA, but that's another story. Point is, those JMBA props would not work at all on a turf field given with how much velocity and intensity the JMBA bands perform with.
  
• Turf is a bit of a different beast than the smooth floor, it seems. Like I mentioned before, there is an intensity that the JMBA bands perform with- I think this is 100% transferable to turf, but there's still a bit of learning curve to it.

Not to mention that traveling to and from Japan is a massive, massive, massive money sink. One ticket is easily in the $1,000 range. I know there's exceptions and whatnot, but it's really that expensive. Consider all their equipment they have to fly with, including props. It's just not easy to get in US in most cases.