A day for the Orchestra

Today, and March 31st annually, is Orchestra Day オーケストラの日 in Japan. The date for the anniversary was chosen as word play on how March 31st can be read. For example, "mi (3) mi (3) ni ichi (1) ban" meaning "best for your ears" and "mi (3) mi (3) ni ii (1)" meaning "good for your ears". 

In Japanese they mainly use the katakana version of the English word orchestra, which in fact comes from Greek. Reportedly, in ancient Greece, the orchestra was a semicircular space between stage and audience, a place for chorus, dance and communal expression.

That spirit of shared experience still loves on. Modern orchestras gather violins, cellos, double basses, flutes, oboes, clarinets, horns, trumpets, timpani etc. under the guidance of a conductor, creating something larger than a single musician. Across Japan, orchestras mark the day with open rehearsals, special performances, and outreach events designed to bring classical music closer to everyday life.