Just Imagine How Beethoven Might Have Savored Such an Incredible Event.

They claim that everything is larger in Texas. Reconsider that idea. Do you believe the Rockin’ 1000 is a huge music performance group? Think again. Each year since 1983, a choir of 10,000 singers has come together every December in Japan to perform the choral pinnacle of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Combine this with the orchestra members, and you have an extraordinary performance.

The video below was filmed in December 2011. It is led by Yutaka Sado, who has been the General Director and conductor of the choir since 1999. A Japanese conductor who trained under Seiji Ozawa & Leonard Bernstein, Yutaka Sado was appointed Music Director of Austria’s oldest orchestra, the Tonkünstler Orchestra (first performance in 1907), in 2015.

Jonathan Lauzon succinctly remarks, “Composed by a German legend, sung by a Japanese multitude, gave chills to a Canadian nobody.” GoodVibes1997 states, “As a German, I’m impressed by the perfect pronunciation, the orchestra & the sheer number of musical talent.” The excellence of the singing is even more impressive when considering that most of the singers are amateurs who complement professional soloists and a chamber choir. Applications to participate are highly competitive, making selection a privilege.

In Japan, Beethoven’s Ninth has become linked with the Christmas season. In shopping malls, community centers, and concert halls, there are 100s of performances of the Ninth. Many feature singalongs to the “Ode to Joy,” the choral segment of the symphony’s fourth movement, which symbolizes peace, hope, and joy. The lyrics of the choral section are taken from a 1785 poem by Friedrich Schiller. Here is a touching mini documentary on the yearly 10 000-singer rendition of Ode to Joy.

In the documentary, conductor Yutaka Sado thoughtfully states that “having 10 000 singers is amazing, but if they’re not into it, it would be depressing. I need to make them feel like they’re not one of 10 000; that everyone has the main role. That’s been my biggest challenge from the first year and still is today.”

The tale of the inaugural performance of Beethoven’s Ninth in Japan has become legendary. This event took place during the final phases of World War One. Throughout the war, approximately 1000 German prisoners of war were held at Bando Camp. The camp was managed humanely, facilitating sports and cultural interactions between the prisoners, Japanese guards, and local residents. A German prisoner named Paul Engel was permitted to teach music within the camp. Twice a week, he was allowed to conduct lessons for interested Japanese individuals outside the camp.

It seems the camp developed into having 2 orchestras with 45 members each, 2 brass bands, and 2 sixty-member-strong choirs. Over 80 prisoners dedicated months to mastering Beethoven’s Ninth, which was performed in Barrack One of Bando camp on 1 June 2018, marking the first performance in Japan.

The tradition of the 10 000 strong Daiku (literally nine, as in Beethoven’s 9th) continued during the pandemic. In 2020, marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the event was held virtually for the first time. Singers from across the globe submitted videos, resulting in 11,961 singing videos accompanying the live orchestra. In 2021, the event was conducted as a hybrid of live and virtual concert. Take a look:

Regarding the Japanese appreciation for the choral section of Ode To Joy, Toshiaki Kamei, the director of the All-Japan Association of Daiku Choral Societies, states “Nowadays, we observe many conflicts between different religions or different ethnic groups happening around the world. We believe singing Daiku together with people from various cultural backgrounds helps us learn to accept diversity and promote world peace.