School of Rock in Kusagae SHOW Gakko
The special class “School of Rock in Kusagae SHOW Gakko” was held for sixth-grade students at Kusagae Elementary School on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. The program sends artists active in Japan and abroad to city elementary schools, creating opportunities for children to experience high-quality music while helping the artists improve their own skills through teaching and learn that education can become part of their professional practice. Council planning members Matsukuma and Kantake joined other Fukuoka-based artists as instructors. The children tried instruments they rarely have an opportunity to play—including electric guitar, drums, and violin. As the outcome of the class, every student participated in a performance, filming, and recording session, and together they created a commemorative music video for one song.
This special music class for elementary-school students was planned by the Fukuoka Music City Council. It began with the casual idea of letting children feel the first impulse of striking an electric guitar with a loud “Gyaaang!” Then the plan grew: let them try every kind of instrument from childhood, have professional musicians teach them, record the result, shoot a promotional video, and even fly a drone. This complete package was realized in the school gymnasium during the fifth and sixth class periods with approximately 150 students. The result is a documentary music video capturing that miraculous experience. It would be wonderful if it inspires the children to start an instrument or form a band. Rock and roll!
[Planning and Production]
Matsukuma Kenta
Kantake Maiko
Nambara Hisayuki
[Performers]
Sixth-grade students of Fukuoka City Kusagae Elementary School (2022 academic year)
Vocal: Tsukada Ryoya (The Cotton Club)
Bass: Kurokawa Soshi (The Cotton Club)
Drums: SHO-TA (The Cotton Club)
Percussion: YUNOSY (BAD KNee)
Vocal: Kantake Maiko (TEAM SURPRISE)
Vocal: JUNJUN (TEAM SURPRISE)
Vocal: MARS
Piano: Hashimoto Kaoru
African Percussion: DAI
African Percussion: Iwashita Ai
Violin: Matsumoto Sakura
[Special Thanks]
Plugin Corp. Inc. (chuya-online.com)
Yamaha Music Japan Co., Ltd.
[Recording and Mixing] SCRAMBLES
[Filming and Video Production] SCRAMBLES
[Production and Supervision] Music City Council of Fukuoka
