Wakkanai Wind Orchestra wins gold at Hokkaido competition

The Wakkanai Wind Orchestra has achieved a gold award at the 71st Hokkaido Wind Orchestra Competition in the general small ensemble category. This victory marks the group's fifth consecutive gold award, and including the 2019 competition held before the pandemic, it represents six consecutive gold awards.

Performing the piece ‘Tenrai Mu-mo’ by Masamichi Amano, the orchestra received high praise from judges for its expression of thunderous skies. Group leader Tsuyoshi Iinuma and music director Kenshun Sugitani expressed pride in the members' ability to overcome the pressure of a difficult piece and deliver a performance that reflected their rigorous practice.