Japanese conductor Naohisa Furusawa was really busy last weekend as the conductor for the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra’s (MPO). The MPO has two resident conductors, Naohisa and Gerard Salonga, and the former was front-and-centre for the recently-concluded Symphonic Anime show series.
What began as a one-night only show on Saturday turned into four, with the addition of performances (on Friday, Saturday and a matinee show on Sunday). All shows sold out, including the rehearsal last Thursday, which was open to members of the public.
Over 3,600 people attended the four shows at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in Kuala Lumpur.
For the MPO, it’s not the first time orchestral performances featuring popular Japanese anime soundtracks and theme songs have sold out.
Although it may be surprising to some to learn this, the Toyko-born Naohisa had no doubts at all about the show’s reception.
“It was no surprise for me as all our past anime concerts have sold out previously, and I want to thank all our anime music fans out there for their support over the years,” he said.
Naohisa had already experienced this when he officially turned MPO’s resident conductor in 2016 with A Musical Journey In Anime which sold-out for four nights and most recently in March this year with Totoro Goes To The Carnival. Both shows featured the music of the famed Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi and his music for Studio Ghibli film productions.
And there is, without a doubt, still a thirst for the music from Studio Ghibli’s movies which take up the bulk of the performance in the latest Symphonic Anime show.
There was music from many popular anime titles including Princess Mononoke, Gake No Ue No Ponyo, Spirited Away, Laputa and Kiki’s Delivery Service.
It also featured the music from Grave Of The Fireflies, One Piece, Naruto Shipudden, Attack On Titan: Guren no Yumiya and rather surprisingly, Ultraseven. If you’re familiar with Japanese pop culture, then you would be aware of Ultraman which does not fall in the anime category since it is a live-action series – Ultraseven is part of an early incarnation of the Japanese TV series which made its debut in 1967.
“When I was growing up in Japan, I read a lot of manga and watched anime. I am a huge anime fan, and I particularly enjoyed the work of Fujiko F. Fujio, who created Doraemon. Aside from this, there are also many other wonderful works that I am fond of.
“Although the Ultraman series is not anime, I watched a lot of it growing up and for that reason, I decided to perform Ultraseven songs for the Symphonic Anime concert,” explained Naohisa.
As for how the music was selected for the concert, the conductor revealed: “It was a decision made by myself and the MPO’s management team’s suggestions. The team had floated many repertoire ideas as they have a better understanding of what the Malaysian audience’s preferences are for anime music. While for me, I was very eager to conduct Spirited Away and Ultraseven.
“As a result, we combined our ideas and made difficult decisions on which works to play and which to keep for maybe next year (hint, hint).”
Anime and the audience
Naohisa, who turns 49 this year, has been with the MPO since 2003 as a double bass player and he has performed double bass with the NHK Symphony, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, among others.
He also had the distinct pleasure of recording double bass for Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke soundtrack under the direction of the composer Hisaishi, whom he has a very high regard for.
“Princess Mononoke is the only Studio Ghibli soundtrack that I have played in but I have also played in many Japanese TV drama soundtracks as a double bass player, I have attended many concerts conducted by maestro Joe Hisaishi and I do hope that he would come and conduct the MPO one day,” he said.
Those who are familiar with Naohisa and his style of conducting, know that he interacts with the audience just as much as with the musicians he’s directing. From asking the audience to clap along to the music and having a comedic moment by breaking the fourth wall, to facing the audience for added comedic effect and even wearing one-piece costume (which he did for the encore of Totoro Goes To The Carnival), Naohisa is quite the character on stage.
“For the concert, I usually plan all my interactions with the audience and the musicians well in advance. Both the audience and the orchestral musicians complement the conductor just like the wheels of a car that provide support.
“I really enjoy interacting with the audience, on and off stage. So you are more than welcome to come and say hello to me at the foyer during the intermission of the concert, I would be happy to meet and greet you,” he said.
As for the practice involved for preparing a show like Symphonic Anime, Naohisa noted: “I study music scores daily and memorise them for each concert we perform, not just for Symphonic Anime.
“I would also imagine the music and the sounds in my head while going about my day. Some would say that all I think about is music.”
Never mind what others say about him, Naohisa himself admits that all he thinks about is music even when he is not working.
“As a musician, I am always thinking about music in my daily life. For example, recently when I was making my way to the Sungai Chilling waterfall (in Selangor), I had Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony playing in my mind. Going out to eat in a crowded restaurant reminds me of Stravinsky’s Rite Of Spring. I enjoy life like this.”
When it comes to his favourite classical composer, it is none other than Beethoven; the Ninth Symphony has a special place in his heart as he had conducted it in 2017.
“I look forward to the day when MPO will be able to perform his Ninth Symphony again.”
Naohisa, however, is a little torn between playing the double bass and being a conductor.
“When I am conducting, I don’t think about playing the double bass as I am 100% focused on my conducting. However, when I get home and relax, I wish to play the double bass. But then again, when playing the double bass, it makes me want to conduct more. Can someone clone me?” he said candidly.
Music in his soul
Music is a big part of Naohisa’s life. He started learning to play the violin at the age of four and, at 12 years old, played double bass for his junior high school orchestra.
And those are not the only instruments he plays.
“Besides the double bass, I also played the violin until I was 10 years old. From the age of 14 through 20, I sang in orchestral concerts as a Tokyo Symphony Chorus member and studied the piano at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo. Now that I’ve mentioned this, I do hope that I can still play all the instruments that I’ve learned!”
It is almost easy to forget that for the past couple of years, Malaysia went through a lockdown period, where live performances were not allowed until restrictions were eased sometime this year.
For Naohisa, being back on stage at the DFP is emotionally overwhelming and indescribable every time the orchestra stands and the audience claps as he enters the stage and the music is played once again.
In the early and uncertain days of the movement control order in Malaysia, Naohisa also helped to lift the nation’s gloom when he led the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra’s virtual tribute to the frontliners with a stirring version of the Star Wars main theme.
That memorable virtual performance in April 2020, featuring an enthusiastic Naohisa decked in a Star Wars T-shirt and 38 performers who played from their respective homes, is one of the most viewed videos on MPO’s online channels, with more than 700,000 hits.
But the live stage is where Naohisa’s heart is.
He will next conduct the classics with the MPO for a family day special called How The Gimquat Found Her Song – alongside the Platypus Theatre group from Canada – at DFP on Sept 3.
“Performing again for a live audience after the lockdown is so moving to the point where I can’t put it into words.
“Most of the time I am holding back my tears and emotions as I start conducting the orchestra, and again, words cannot describe the intense satisfaction and gratification the orchestra musicians and I get whenever we hear the audience applauding at the end of each piece, especially at the end of the concert, it moves my heart deeply,” he concludes.
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