Interview with Mr. Yasue of New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra

Interview conducted by Mega-Fan Site webmaster, Yoko Miyazaki, on . Used on this website by her kind permission.

Mega-Fan Site Special Interview with Manager Mr. Yasue of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra by Yoko Miyazaki, Dec 29, 2000 ( translated by Mega-Fan Site staff Mr. Aaron). The following interview with Mr. Yasue, the Orchestra Manager of the New Japan Philharmonic (NJP), contains a lot of answers to the questions that you must've wanted to ask. It's a special interview that you won't read in any magazines. It is by Mr. Yasue's services that the NPJ and Yngwie's joint performances are to be realized on June 15 and 17, 2001. Now enjoy it:

Yoko: Could you tell me how the New Japan Philharmonic decided to take Yngwie's tunes into its program?
Mr.Yasue: I've personally had respect for him as an artiste and I've wanted to work with him someday. Since he and our orchestra are both true artistes, I believe we'll create great performances. It took two years to realize these show programs. Finally I confirmed the event at a Stockholm meeting with Yngwie in June, 2000. (Off the record, I was so nervous because it hadn't yet been fixed where or what time we would meet until the day before. But when I got a phone call to my hotel room at 2 a.m. saying "Hi, this is YNGWIE MALMSTEEN", I was really happy. When the meeting was over, I was under the impression that he was quite a gentleman.)

Yoko: How was your impression when you heard Yngwie Malmsteen's concerto work, Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in Eb minor, Op. 1 - "MILLENNIUM", as a person in classical circles?
Mr. Yasue: I saw he really loves classical music. And I wanted someone to realize a live performance of that concerto. It's excellent enough as a record, and I think he must have many more ideas.

Yoko: The orchestra players and the conductor must already have started their preparations. How are they dealing with Yngwie's compositions? Are they feeling any differences from other typical classical works? Aren't they at a loss as they perform with an electric guitar, an instrument of a nature different from classical one?
Mr. Yasue: Among the orchestra members, there are some who like his music, and there are a few who are even excited about the joint performance. No-one is at a loss to perform with an electric guitar. What instrument the co-performer uses is less important for us than how artistic he/she is. So nothing worries us at that point, and there is far more pleasure. Especially we the NJP members tend to be conscious of not which genre he/she belongs to but who he/she is when we're out on the same stage with an outside musician. When it comes to those tunes, they're acceptable enough as classical tunes.

Yoko: What will the concerts look like? Most Yngwie fans are curious about setting of equipment, models of amps, direction of guitar-playing, and positioning, scale, formation of the orchestra on stage, and so forth.
Mr. Yasue: We're inviting Yngwie in honor of him as a soloist to our orchestra concerts so that they'll be in style of classical concerts, which means the orchestra will be positioned almost same as classical concertos. And it'll be a full orchestra consisting of more than 100 personnel including the chorus. The formation will of course follow the score he wrote.

Yoko: At this event, a large number of rock fans will be rushing into conventional classical concerts. I think I've heard from someone this kind of event had been done in some foreign countries but not yet in Japan. I'd rather think it's the world's first case a genuine classical orchestra engaging a rock guitarist as a soloist. How is the response from those who are concerned or from the media?
Mr. Yasue: I've either never heard a rock guitarist had been engaged as a soloist to a concert sponsored by a professional orchestra ever before in any countries. I've heard by now there are some who have bought the ticket and are coming to Japan from Europe, America, and Australia. People from several lines often ask us about the concerts with Yngwie.

Yoko: Many rock fans coming to these concerts are expecting very much but at the same time a little bit anxious about their first experience of the conventional classical concert . Would you like to advise or request them about their readiness, dress, and attitude as they participate in a real orchestra concert?
Mr. Yasue: There are no rules of dress at all. Please dress yourselves as you like. And each one shall enjoy the show in one's own way. Generally no-one will mind, unless you annoy other spectators. We'd be happy to have the audience applaud warmly after playing. It'll be no problem if you give us shouts between the tunes. [webmaster's note: but not during the actual playing, please.]

Yoko: When this event ends in success, it should symbolize the dawn of a new musical era or the very "new millennium". I think this kind of planning depends much on artistes. Do you have any other plans or ideas related to this for the future?
Mr. Yasue: To figure it out is exactly what I do. I do have some plans, of course, because I'm trying to spread the orchestra sound as wide as possible. Please look forward to the announcement. Personally I wish we could tour with Yngwie someday.

Yoko: Yngwie said in a magazine he'd like these performances to be tape-recorded. Does the NJP have a plan?
Mr. Yasue: Of course I think it's good to record them.

Yoko: I hear you went to an ALCATRAZZ live concert when you were young-- which makes me guess you're a rock fan in disguise. Couldn't you please quietly tell me about your private taste or background of music?
Mr. Yasue: I saw ALCATRAZZ in my high school days. I thought Graham Bonnet was great, but the guitarist was greater. I still like HR/HM music and often listen to some. It doesn't differ so much from classical to me, though. Sometimes I hear it loud through headphones during work in order to vitalize myself.

Yoko: Thank you really so much for doing a favor to Yngwie fans and answering many questions in spite of your heavy schedule. And on behalf of Yngwie fans, I appreciate heartily your consideration to us. We the gathering of hot-blooded Yngwie fans called "Mega Fan Site" choose to faithfully support you and the New Japan Philharmonic, who will have amity with Yngwie at this opportunity. This very new-millennium-like concert will surely help produce many genuine classical fans out of rock fans. I hope you will present again a unique event that will attract those fans. In that case, please give us previous notice as soon as possible. I thank you again for this time.
Mr. Yasue: Same here. It's a great honor to me and to the orchestra that we're realizing concerts which many people have been longing for, and that many people including classical beginners are coming to our concert halls. The concerts by Maestro Malmsteen and the New Japan Philharmonic will be suitable to the literal "new millennium". And workers at the NJP Ticket Box say that those who make phone calls on these performances are very polite, sensible, and favorable. I'm glad to here it because I presumed so.

Yoko: Finally, here are some inquiries about the tickets to the additional performance (June 17, 2001) to be released for sale on January 13, 2001. I'll be thankful if you answer as far as you can.

Inquiry 1: Will the tickets be sold at the counter of the NJP Ticket Box or of the Triphony Hall?
Mr. Yasue: Not on the first release day (Jan. 13). But you can buy them at the counter days after that. Since the additional performance is to be held at the Orchard Hall, the NJP Ticket Box (7th floor of the Triphony Hall) will be dealing with the tickets but the Triphony Hall Ticket Box won't.

Inquiry 2: Will they be sold at the counter of the Orchard Hall?
Mr. Yasue: So I hear. (After the first day) Please inquire to the Orchard Hall.

Inquiry 3: Will we be able to choose the seats when we buy at the counter?
Mr. Yasue: You will at the NJP Ticket Box (except the first day as answered to Inquiry 1). About the Orchard Hall, please ask there.

Inquiry 4: Will there be priority sales or price reduction of the additional performance tickets indented for "NJP Members" or "Triphony Tomo-no-kai" members (both indicating something like preferential treatment membership)?
Mr. Yasue: "NJP Members" can enjoy 10% reduction. Priority sales are indented only for "Teiki Kaiin (Periodical Members)" and "Iji Kaiin (Permanent Members)". ("Triphony Tomo-no-kai" is not related to the additional performance.)

Yoko: Thank you very much, Mr. Yasue for sparing your time today. We are grateful.