Junior Original Concert
The Junior Original Concert (JOC) is a unique activity in which children under the age of 16, who have enrolled in Yamaha Music Education programs, perform their own original compositions. The JOC nurtures creativity and composition taught in the Yamaha curriculum.
A wide variety of musical styles are presented in JOC from piano solos to large ensembles including piano concerti involving a full orchestra. JOC also features spontaneous improvisation on themes supplied by members of the audience.
The JOC was established by Genichi Kawakami, the Honarary Chairman of the Yamaha Music Foundation, to develop the limitless potential for creativity in all children. The first JOC was held in Nemu-no-Sato, Japan, in 1972. Since then, JOC concerts have been held in 28 countries and with renowned orchestras such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, D.C.. The number of JOC applications has steadily increased over the years and currently more than 45,000 compositions are submitted by Yamaha students each year. Children from around the world participate in the annual International Junior Original Concert.
JOC Music Camp 2016 Mont Sainte-Anne, Quebec
Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC was the location of the JOC Music Camp that took place June 30-July 3. Fifty students and their families, plus eleven teachers and administrators combined to ensure that this event was a great success. During the three-day camp, the students took part in five different workshops conducted by talented clinicians from across Canada and the United States. The guest clinicians included:
Aaron Spink (Rhythm Building)
Bryce Kulak (Songwriting)
Patricia Nesci (Choral)
Dr. Robert Best (Motif Development)
Dr. Sara Sumitani (Piano Performance)
Three days of workshops culminated with a Choral Concert, an Ensemble Concert and finally, a JOC Concert to showcase the hard work of the talented students and teachers. This year, we had 54 young composers showcasing their original compositions!