aircannonsinc Page 43
Page 43
When Kitahara Hakuba arrived at the music classroom from his office, all the members of the A group who were going to the Sapporo Music Festival had already arrived.
Yesterday, Yuka Isomoto finally reached LV10 in the Euphonium, granting him the "Gathering of Meridians" state.
I was overjoyed and treated her to a late-night snack, so her training schedule wouldn't be so rushed anymore.
The moment he opened the music classroom door and entered, all other sounds were drowned out by the girl's breath, and the classroom was filled with a palpable tension.
They hadn't forgotten how badly Kitahara Hakuba had ridiculed them during their last ensemble performance; even Mizuno Kaze, who had been kicked out of the classroom, was on edge.
Kitahara Hakuba strode to the front of the stage. Although he did not show any expression on his face, he was actually more nervous than any of the team members on the field.
Today's ensemble performance is crucial for him.
To help his team members gain experience, he got up early and went to bed late every day, spending all his time in the vocal practice room. He also gave them private lessons when he got back, leaving him no time for leisure or entertainment.
He required members to practice independently, especially the basics, and he also explained the maintenance of the instruments in great detail.
Kitahara Hakuba opened his laptop and connected the speakers with a blank expression.
They demonstrated their strength and fulfilled their responsibilities.
If his team members maintain the same learning attitude they had when they first arrived, he might feel disheartened and have to find another way out.
The solution is to consider leaving the job and going to another school.
After all, he's already 23 in reality, 24 in name only, 25 in reality, and 26 in reality. He has no car, no house, and no savings. How could he not be under pressure?
When the time comes, I will lead the new army into the national tournament and make those misjudged Shenxu girls understand how painful it is to lose him, Beiyuan Baima!
No... Kitahara Hakuba shook his head. To fantasize about revenge before even starting is to underestimate these people.
All eyes in the classroom were on Kitahara Hakuba, who was frowning as he looked at the sheet music in his hand, then his brows relaxed and he looked around with a gentle gaze.
They've all arrived; that's good news.
"How do you all feel about these past few days of practice?" Kitahara Hakuba asked in a mature tone.
Sakurako Kawakita, as the department head, was the first to state her position:
"Yes! Everyone had already done auditions for each part before coming here, and they've improved a lot."
"Really?" Kitahara Hakuba deliberately sounded doubtful.
"Of course it's true! How could it be fake!" Mizuno Kase, who had been scolded and cried last time, said with renewed courage.
Kitahara Hakuba crossed his arms and smiled at her: "Is that so?"
Even before it started, Mizuno Kaze sounded like she was about to cry, her voice trembling with sobs:
"How could I be joking! I've trained for so long all because of someone!"
Chapter 48. Sharp Tongue, Soft Heart
Sitting in the front right row, Eri Kanzaki, holding an oboe, turned around and looked back. Her silent profile resembled that of a delicate doll.
Because the outline is too exquisite, it lacks any human touch.
“If you want me to apologize, then show me the results of your practice these past few days. Everyone, get ready, just in case, let’s check the intervals first,” Kitahara Hakuba said.
in case......
These words were particularly jarring to the members.
Kitahara Hakuba played a note, then turned to face them and waved his baton. The members raised their instruments and pressed the pistons.
The clear, bright sound of orchestral instruments filled my ears, completely different from the first ensemble performance; this time, I could hardly detect any off-key notes.
Kitahara Hakuba paused his inspection after just one note ended.
"Okay, I admit it's better than I expected."
As Sakurako watched him stand up, she could almost hear the heavy breathing of the club members around her, whispering among themselves. An unprecedented pleasure washed over her face.
The indescribable joy was like studying all night and then passing the exam the next day.
"Everyone, calm down. Don't let your guard down just because you've made some progress."
"Do you think our determination to make you bow your head and apologize is fake?" someone muttered under their breath.
Sakurako's mind went blank for a moment, and she quickly looked to the side, but she couldn't find the "culprit".
Fortunately, Kitahara Hakuba didn't seem to care at all, and just smiled calmly.
"What a broad mind~~, Kitahara-sensei LOVE~~!" Kuno Tachibana placed the trumpet on his lap, clasped his hands together against his face and smiled.
Two seats away from her, Amemori blinked, her gaze towards Kitahara Hakuba carrying a strange emotion.
Kitahara Hakuba took a deep breath, picked up the sheet music on the table, glanced at it, and said with a solemn expression:
"Now, let's begin the ensemble performance of 'RYDEEN'."
Upon hearing that the ensemble was finally about to begin, the members straightened their backs and lifted up the instruments that had been resting on their thighs.
"Sōta".
Kitahara Hakuba looked at a drummer boy in the last row, who nodded with a tense expression.
"One, two, one, two, three, four—"
As Kitahara Hakuba lowered his baton, the cymbals began to gently emit rhythmic beats, and brass and woodwind instruments joined the lineup.
The bassoon, playing the main melody, bursts forth with a rich, resonant tone, instantly giving the listener a soaring first impression.
The sounds produced by the musical instruments were piled up layer by layer.
Almost everyone was intently focused on the sheet music on the shelf, moving their fingers with great concentration.
Kitahara Hakuba's baton never stopped moving. Although the ensemble of Arrangement A consisted of fifty-five people, his ears were sensitive enough to detect any off-track sounds.
The clarinet's tone fluctuates, the flutes' sustained notes droop, the percussion's rhythmic compensation is obvious, but the trombone's tone lacks brightness...
Moreover, for some reason, the trumpet and the euphonium sometimes seem to clash.
For the members of the Shin-Asahi Wind Ensemble who had only worked hard for four or five days, there were still many problems, and Kitahara Hakuba even considered taking a break.
But he immediately wanted the ensemble to continue because he noticed that many girls were playing with great concentration, which showed how much effort they had put into the performance.
From Kitahara Hakuba's perspective, he viewed them with high performance standards, which was indeed too strict for them.
If they want to create their ideal wind ensemble in a short period of time, it will probably only be possible during the summer vacation.
I'm doing pretty well now; at least the thought of quitting doesn't cross my mind anymore.
When the music reached the symphony, Kitahara Hakuba, who had been waving his baton the whole time, finally stopped.
So tired...
Sakurako Yukawa put down her clarinet, panting. She noticed that her fingers were trembling slightly and her lips were a little dry from breathing heavily.
She had never been so tired.
But... it seems like he's blowing it quite well?
With this excitement in her heart, she looked around and found that almost everyone was panting, as if they had climbed five floors.
Now, everyone's eyes are on Kitahara Hakuba, as if they are waiting for the judges to announce their scores.
In Kitahara Hakuba's view, they made many mistakes.
But as performers at the very center of the musical vortex, they didn't sense anything slightly amiss, which is truly incredible.
"Um......"
Kitahara Hakuma stroked his chin, lost in thought.
Even Sakurako could feel the atmosphere being pulled to a tight line by him; the ensemble performance just now seemed fake, and the music classroom instantly fell silent.
"What kind of feedback do you want?" He rubbed the back of his hand with his long, slender fingers.
Kaze Mizuno puffed out her bright red cheeks and said proudly, as if she had seen through everything:
"You definitely passed! If you hadn't, you would have made us pause the lesson long ago! But you let us finish!"
This statement quickly gained the approval of most people, who all cast smug glances at Kitahara Hakuba.
—If I tell the truth, I'm afraid it will dampen your fighting spirit; if I lie, I'm afraid some of you will never recover.
“That’s right, it passed.” Kitahara Hakuba said frankly, “It was much better than the last ensemble performance. I really didn’t want to interrupt.”
"Great, it worked!"
"I knew it! It would definitely work!"
The club members were excitedly whispering among themselves, but Kitahara Hakuba quickly poured cold water on their enthusiasm:
"But it's only a passing grade. You still have many problems. Right now, most of you are already out of breath after just one ensemble performance. In the future, I will require you to perform ten consecutive high-intensity ensemble performances on practice days. What will you do then?"
His defiant gaze swept across the classroom, and some students looked on in astonishment.
Playing it ten times in a row? How long would that take? Is it even possible for a human to do that? They'd probably be exhausted by the end!
"What? Lost confidence? But I have great confidence in the future."
Kitahara Hakuba crossed his arms, a faint smile playing on his lips, and said...
"I want everyone to give me the time they spend in the Shin-hsu High School brass band. For me, money and awards are not important; they are just bonuses on the way forward."
"I want you to experience what it feels like to accomplish the impossible—"
"And finally, I will lead you to see places that none of my Kitahara Hakuba can reach."
Kitahara Hakuba's words resonated in the hearts of all the members. They were clear and bright words of determination, like snow melting in spring, spreading in their hearts with a sense of nostalgia.
Even the usually taciturn Eri Kanzaki raised her head and looked at the spirited Hakuba Kitahara on the stage.
"A place that is... unattainable..."
There is only one place, and that is the National Congress.
Saito Haruka blinked and noticed that Isomoto Yuka beside her had blushed and was breathing faster because of what he said.
She kept rubbing her left thumb with her right hand, thinking to herself that Kitahara Hakuba really knew his stuff.
"Okay, I have another good news to share with everyone."
Kitahara Hakuba clapped his hands and said with a smile,
"The uniforms for the Sapporo Music Festival have arrived at the school. Everyone should try them on as soon as possible. If there are any size issues, please register with the uniform administrator and try to resolve them within three days. The school will reimburse 60% of the cost of the uniforms, and the accommodation fee for two days and one night will be waived."