Music and Art: Embracing Diversity While Discovering New Worlds

Music Has Always Been by My Side

Music has been part of my life since a young age. My father was in an amateur band, my mother played piano, and my older sister majored in clarinet at university, so music was naturally a familiar part of our everyday life. I myself took piano lessons from kindergarten through elementary school. However, I struggled with reading sheet music and eventually gave up the piano. I felt like I had let my family down, but my parents accepted my feelings and didn’t force me to continue. After that, while searching for a form of music that suited me, I discovered the guitar and once again began to feel the joy of playing music. I think this series of experiences led to my current musical perspective of enjoying music freely.

Also, I’ve consistently liked slightly older things since I was little. When my friends liked Anpanman, I liked the original Gundam. I guess I was an old-fashioned kid. [laughs]

The Shirokane Scenery I Couldn’t Forget

My first encounter with Meiji Gakuin was in middle school. I first visited the Shirokane campus for a school information session at Meiji Gakuin High School, and I still vividly remember feeling the history and romance in the solemn appearance of the chapel. Although I ultimately went to a different high school, this memory stuck in my mind, and I never forgot Meiji Gakuin.

When considering where to attend university, I initially thought of honing my skills as a performer at an art or music university. However, I gradually developed a stronger desire to study art in a more academic setting, one that incorporated culture, history, and theory. Rather than clearly defining future goals, I wanted to prioritize an environment where I could properly engage with what I wanted to learn, and the Department of Art Studies in Meiji Gakuin’s Faculty of Letters appealed to me in that regard. Looking back, I think the memory of that chapel I saw as a middle school student also nudged me toward my choice.

Encountering the World of Art

The Department of Art Studies curriculum is structured so that you study art comprehensively across a wide range of fields in your first year, and from the second year, you choose a specialized area suited to your interests from among six courses, including Musicology and Film Studies. Since music had been a central part of my life, I entered intending to choose the Musicology Course to study music more deeply. However, Professor Yuji Yamashita’s class “General History of Japanese & Asian Art P,” which I took in my first year, set me on a new trajectory.

In that class, I encountered the works of Jakuchu Ito and Shohaku Soga for the first time, and I was stunned by their meticulous yet avant-garde expression, which deeply moved me. My previous image of Japanese art as “wabi-sabi” was completely overturned, and I found myself instantly drawn into that world. Furthermore, through exploring not just the visual aspects of the works but also tracing the creative process, background, and historical context, I discovered the fascination of not just viewing but “interpreting” art. Although I had no experience with art, through this learning I developed a strong desire to explore Japanese art further, so I chose the Art History Course in my second year.

By maintaining an attitude that accepts diversity without being bound by preconceptions, you can encounter unexpected new worlds. I truly feel grateful that I was able to come to Meiji Gakuin, which provides such a learning environment. I’m also genuinely thankful for my encounter with Professor Yamashita, who carefully guided me as a complete beginner in art.

Song Writes: A Place Where I Can Be Myself

Meiji Gakuin has multiple official music clubs, but the “Song Writesb” I belong to might be somewhat unique among them. First of all, there are many people who look a bit scary. [laughs] But actually, when you talk to them, everyone is kind and interesting. The club is characterized by having no restrictions on genre or performance style, and few rules as an organization, creating an atmosphere where each person can freely express their own music. I like classic rock from Western music, which is sometimes a bit different from current trends, so when I first entered university I was anxious about whether my music would be accepted. However, Song Writeshas a deep respect for music itself, and there’s a culture of respecting each other’s ways of thinking regardless of genre. I felt that I could be myself here.

Among the alumni of Song Writesare Yusuke Chiba from Thee Michelle Gun Elephant and Kin-ichi Motegi from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (who was with Fishmans at the time). I think it’s a club where diverse and unique music has flourished in a free atmosphere.

And now I’m in a position to bring the club together as captain. While cherishing the sense of security and free atmosphere that I felt when I first entered, I want to preserve the foundation that accepts diverse values for the underclassmen who will join from now on.

The Third School Cheering Song “M.G. Glorious”

Through my activities inSong Writes, I received a request from the university’s student affairs office: “Would you like to arrange Meiji Gakuin’s third school cheering song, ‘M.G. Glorious’ (lyrics and music by Kin-ichi Motegi)?” I was hesitant and uncertain about modifying a song that would likely become a Meiji Gakuin tradition, but at the same time, I also felt that if we could bring out new appeal through our own sensibility and expression, it would be worthwhile. Hoping to make it a more stimulating and heart-touching cheering song for more Meiji Gakuin students, while never forgetting our respect for the original song, I worked on the arrangement with my band members.

On the day of the third cheeringfight song unveiling, Mr. Motegi himself came to the Yokohama campus, and we were able to sing “M.G. Glorious” together in the packed venue. At the end, Mr. Motegi called out to us, “Excellent work by the Song Writes!” and I’ll never forget that moment, that atmosphere, when the entire venue came together. Each member had different musical backgrounds and sensibilities, and rather than denying those differences, we clashed many times and gradually pulled something together. Through this process, I experienced firsthand how individual differences can become strengths. Through this, I learned the joy of connecting with people through music and the importance of acknowledging our differences.

My Message to Prospective Students

Of course, it’s important to push forward toward your future dreams. But I think it’s equally important to value ways of thinking that don’t just work backward from your goals. When you enter university, you’ll meet many people and encounter diverse ways of thinking. At such times, rather than clinging to preconceptions and ways of thinking within yourself, first trying to accept them may become an opportunity to open doors to new worlds. Just as I encountered Japanese art, Meiji Gakuin has many such opportunities in store. I hope you’ll prioritize your current feelings about what you want to study and what you want to try, and look for environments where you can do those things.