16th Suzuki Method World Convention Guide This guide contains detailed information that will help you prepare for your trip to the 16th Suzuki Method World Convention. It has information about how to get here, how to get around, schedules, and what you will need to bring with you. Since it will answer many of your questions, we hope that all participants will take the time to read through it carefully. Also, check our convention site often for updates. How to get to Matsumoto after you arrive in Japan 1. Information for Participants who Reserved Seats for the Suzuki Method World Convention Chartered Buses We have arranged World Convention Chartered Buses from Narita Airport to Matsumoto. Prior reservations are required and we are accepting reservations up until March 10 at 5:00pm (Japan Time) (Bus seats are not assigned). In both Terminals look for the Nippon Travel Agency Suzuki Method World Convention sign. These buses leave from Narita Airport: Terminal 1: In the “South Wing” near the “S-3” Exit Terminal 2: In B Zone near the N3 Exit March 26 (Tuesday) Leaves at 11:00 AM March 26 (Wednesday) Leaves at 6:00 PM March 27 (Thursday) Leaves at 8:00 AM It will take approximately 5 hours for the chartered buses to get from Narita Airport to the city of Matsumoto. The buses will make 2 stops between the airport and Matsumoto at the highway rest areas. All buses will depart on time. If you miss the bus, because your plane is late or you are delayed in immigration, follow the information below and take the train to Matsumoto. There are companies in the airport that will ship your luggage to your hotel in Matsumoto if you do not want to travel with it. You can get assistance from the Airport Information Booth. Or, you may contact NTA for assistance at TEL: 0476-34-6255 FAX: 0476-34-6259. 2. Information for Participants who will not be taking the Suzuki Method World Convention Chartered Buses Getting from Narita Airport to the JR Shinjuku Train Station The trains to Matsumoto leave from the JR Shinjuku Train Station (about 73km/45mile). You can get the JR Shinjuku Station by taking the JR Narita Express train from the JR Narita Terminal Station (located in the airport) or the a bus called the Airport Limousine (The bus ticket counter is in the arrival area and the buses are directly outside of the airport terminal). The Narita Express takes 1.5 hours, and the Airport Limousine takes about 72 minutes. From JR Shinjuku Station you will take the “Azusa” Train to Matsumoto. Azusa runs between 7 am ~9 pm, and there are one or two trains ever hour. The train ride to Matsumoto from Shinjuku is approximately 2 hours and 39 minutes (Some of the trains do take longer). There are three types of tickets: Non-reserved seats, reserved seats, and first class seats in the “Green Car”. “Reserved” or “Non-Reserved” is written in both Japanese and English next to the door of each car. If you purchase a non-reserved seat ticket, please be careful to only get in a car marked “Non-Reserved”. You may sit in any unoccupied seat (or stand) in the “Non-Reserved” car. Reserved seat tickets have the car number and seat number marked on the ticket. Make sure you keep your ticket in a safe place until you have completed your train trip. You will need your ticket to enter the train station. The train conductor will come to check your ticket after the train leaves the station. And, you will need your ticket to exit the station when you arrive in Matsumoto. When you arrive at Matsumoto Station From the platform you will go up the stairs to the station. There is only one exit and you will need your ticket to exit. After exiting the station, there are two ways to exit the building. To your left will be the “Alps Exit” and to your right the “Castle Exit”. You will want to go to the right and go down the escalator of the “Castle Exit”. On March 27th, from 8:35 to 12:00 someone from the Nippon Travel Agency will be at the station in front of where you exit the station to help with directions. Look for their sign Walking from the Matsumoto Station to TERI and the Matsumoto Performing Arts Center. As you come down the escalator of the Castle Exit, you will see that Matsumoto Station is located at the end of a main road. At the opposite end, this main road ends at the Agata no Mori Cultural Hall. About half way to Agata, on the right hand side of the road is the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre. And TERI is next to the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre. It is about a 25 minute walk to Agata no Mori and about 12 minutes to the Performing Arts Centre. After you get off of the escalator, to your right you will see taxi parking. And, to the right of the taxi parking is a small bus stop. If you walk to the right, pass the taxi parking, turn to the left and pass the bus stop, you will see a tall clock. Cross the road at the clock and continue to walk straight and you will find the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre on your right. The entrance to the Performing Arts Centre is on this main road. If you walk past the Performing Arts Centre, turn right and follow the road to the right of the Performing Arts Centre you will find the TERI building on the left side. A statue of Dr. Suzuki with two children is standing outside to greet you. Registration All participants will need to register before they can participate in any part of the World Convention. When you register you will receive a case for your nametag, and we will stamp your nametag. Your nametag is not valid until it is stamped, so please make sure that you register. Registration times and places: March 26 (Tues.) 16:00~19:00 Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre/ Theatre Park/2F March 27 (Wed.) 9:00~17:00 Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre/ Theatre Park/2F March 28 (Thurs) 8:45~14:00 ※Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre/ Theatre Park/2F ※If you register on March 28, you will miss the “Opening Ceremony”. From March 29, participants can register at the “Information Desk” in the lobby of the Kissei Bunka Hall from. 9:00~16:30. What you will need to Register You will need to print out and bring a copy of the “Reservation Confirmation and Name Tag”. Make sure that you print a copy of each participant’s confirmation and that it includes the “Name Tag” This will be available under each participant’s registration on the registration website around the second week of March. Each “Name Tag” will show the class you are registered for and everything that you have purchased for the World Convention. There will be a 1,000 yen service charge if you do not bring a copy of your “Booking Confirmation” and “Name Tag”, so please make sure that you bring a copy with you. (One representative may bring all of the “Booking Confirmations” and “Name Tags” to register all of the members of their group.) March 27 On March 27, we will have registration from 9:00 to 17:00 at the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre. From 13:00 is the “Teachers’ Conference” in the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre. And from 13:30 to 16:00, the city of Matsumoto is hosting a "Welcoming Event" for all of the participants on the Grounds of the Matsumoto Castle (about a 15 minute walk from the Performing arts Centre). During the event you may enter the Matsumoto Castle area for free with your World Convention Name Tag. Name Tag You will need your stamped nametag to enter any venue and attend any World Convention event. Your nametag also confirms your concert ticket purchase and is your ticket to use the bus. There will be a 1000 yen service fee to re-issue a lost nametag, so please be careful not to lose it. Teachers who purchased Banquet tickets need to have their nametag to enter. We will only run a few of the Shuttle Buses on March 27. All of the Venues that we will use on March 27 are within walking distance. Also the time schedule on this day is a little more relaxed, so it will be a good opportunity to stroll the streets of Matsumoto. These Venues are also near the station and near most of the hotels. However, we will run the following buses from Asama Hot Spring Area and the Utsukushi ga hara Hot Spring Area to the Performing Arts Centre for registration from 9:20~12:30 and from the Matsumoto Castle to both Hot Spring areas after the welcoming event from 3:30~4:30. All World Convention Shuttle Buses will run from March 28-31 You will receive a map at registration. How to take and pay for a public bus that is not included Get on the bus from the back or middle door. If there is a ticket machine near the door when you get on, take a ticket as you get on the bus. The number on this ticket is the stop number where you got on the bus. Look for your number on the “fare board” at the front of the bus. Under the number is the price. The price on the “fare board” when you get off the bus is the price you will need to pay when you get off the bus (adult price on top/under 12 on bottom). Exit from the front of the bus, and put the ticket number and fare in the box. If the bus you use does not have a ticket machine as you get on the bus the bus fare on the fare board is the same for all stops. March 28 “Opening Ceremony & Concert” Please have an early lunch or snack and come to the Matsumoto City General Gym according to the time schedule below. (There will to eat until after the Large Group Lessons). Students Meeting Place Time V01 2nd Floor Seats in Section E 10:45 V02~V26 1st Floor of the Main Arena 10:00 Large Conference Room 10:20 Cello (C01 and above) Viola&Guitar Sub Arena 10:20 Flute Sub Arena 10:20 Contrabass 1st Floor Lobby 10:20 Ensemble A Ensemble B Sub Arena Tent outside between buildings 10:30 10:30 You do not need to wear concert clothes for the “Opening Concert”. *Violin students from abroad will all enter the Arena through door 8. Look for the sign “Entrance for Students from Abroad”. Go into the Arena and take out your violin. Give your case to an accompanying parent or teacher. The accompanying parent or teacher should leave the arena floor through the “East Exit”. Look for the sign “Exit to Seats for Participants from Abroad”. Take the outside stairs to the second floor, re-enter the Arena from the second floor and find a seat. The section of seats near the “Royal Box” is marked for participants from abroad. Please put your belongings under the seat, and do not leave any seats open. (Violin students will do the same for the Large Group Lessons March 29~30). *Leave cellos in the “Large Conference Room” or “Training Room No. 2” *Parents in the Cello course & parents and students in the Piano and Voice courses may either go to the Gymnasium or watch from the Kissei Bunka Hall/Grand Hall. Piano and Voice students who would like to line up in the Main Arena, should go to the Main Arena at 10:45. *Please leave baby strollers in the Sub-Arena. * “Opening Concert” and “Farewell Concert” pieces can be found on the website. March 28 Group Lessons and Ensemble Rehearsals Group lessons and Ensemble Rehearsals will follow the Opening Ceremony. Please look at the website to find Group lessons locations. How to get there will be announced after the “Opening Concert”. How to find your Morning Repertoire Class (March 29~31) The Venue for each class is listed on the World Convention Home Page. Some of the classes are divided into 2 or more groups (For example: V01a and V01b). They will be divided by registration number (Example: e9876). Look for which class your number is in on the World Convention Home Page. Evening Concerts that require tickets If you purchased a ticket for any of the evening concerts, please do not forget to wear your nametag to the concert. Anything that is left in the concert hall in the afternoon will be brought to “Lost and Found” before the evening concert, so please do not try to leave something in the hall in the afternoon to keep a seat. The doors will open 30 minutes before the performance. Recording restrictions at the World Convention Events Audio-recording, videotaping, and taking photos is NOT PERMITTED at: 1. All Concerts that require tickets 2. Symposiums I, II, III, IV 3. Student Concerts Events that may be audio-recorded, videotaped, and photographed are: 1. Piano Concerts at TERI Hall and the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre 2. The Informal Concerts around Town. DVDs are available for the following events (Inquire at the Information Desk in the Kissei Bunka Hall) March 28 Suzuki Children Piano Concert March 29 and 30 Afternoon Concert (Kissei Bunka Hall, Grand Hall and Middle Hall). Information about ordering a DVD will be available at the Information Desk in the Kissei Bunka Hall. Recording Lessons Lessons may be recorded and pictures may be taken IF you obtain permission from the teacher who is conducting the lesson. What you should bring *Jacket & Raincoat or Umbrella It might still be cold in Matsumoto the end of March, so you will want to pack a jacket. There also is the chance of rain or snow. *Walking Shoes that you can take on and off easily You will need to walk to a lot of places and the ground is not always level, so a good walking shoe would be best. Also, in Japan you will take off your shoes to go into many of the buildings, so it would be easier for you if they go on and off easily. *Concert Clothes Please do not forget to bring concert clothes. At the Farewell Concert all students will wear black and white. Students: Black skirt or pants, white blouse or shirt Teachers are to wear something dark (like black, dark blue, etc.) * “Indoor Shoes” Many buildings and most schools in Japan change into “indoor shoes” when they enter the building. (A picture of typical “indoor shoes” is on the website) Enter the building in your “outdoor shoes”. The ground level of the entrance is the area that you wear your “outdoor shoes”. The higher level is where you wear your “indoor shoes”. If the entrance area has wooden planks take off your shoes and step up on the plank. Change into your “indoor shoes” on the plank. Put your “street shoes” in the vinyl bag that you will receive at registration and carry them to your class. If it does not have a wooden plank step up on the higher level without your shoes.●If you are going to enter one of the following buildings, please make sure you bring a new or washed pair of shoes with a rubber sole or a pair of slippers that can be worn inside the building. (And the vinyl bag you receive at registration) Matsumoto Misuzugaoka High School Matsumoto Daiichi High School Matsusho High School Matsumoto Shuho Secondary School * Insurance Information (Please check with your insurance company as to if you will need to purchase travelers’ insurance.) * Travelers’ Checks or Cash Many places in Matsumoto will not accept a credit card. Also, your credit card company might tell you that you can get cash with your credit card in Japan, but Matsumoto banks cannot do this. *Cellists make sure you bring an End Pin Rest *Put your name on everything! With the large number of people attending this Convention, we ask that you please take care of personal belongings, especially your instruments, passports and any other valuable items. The World Convention is not responsible for any items that may be damaged, lost or stolen. We will help you, but the repair and recovery of any lost items will be the responsibility of the participant. Since many will have similar items, we ask that you make sure that your name is clearly written on everything, especially your instrument, case, etc. Please show our hosts that you are proud to be raised through the “Beautiful music, beautiful heart” Suzuki Method! Since schools and other venues are kindly allowing us to use their buildings we would like for everyone to please respect the customs of the schools and venues. In Japan, keeping the school clean is the responsibility of the students. So, the students clean their school at the end of each day. ◇ Though we do not have a cleaning time planned, we ask that everyone clean up after themselves at all times. Especially after lunch. ◇ The restrooms in a school do not have paper towels. Please bring a small towel with you. Please do not leave trash in the restrooms. ◇ Only bring tea or water for lessons breaks. ◇ Please do not eat during morning lessons. And do not eat or drink in any of the concert halls. ◇ Only eat your lunch in designated areas. And take your garbage with you. ◇ Please make sure everyone who enters the building has “indoor shoes”. ◇ Please do not touch any of the equipment that belongs to that venue ◇ Do not enter any venue before or after the time reserved for World Convention Activities. ◇ Cellists should always use an endpin rest and be very careful to keep from scratching the floor. ◇ Please only smoke in the designated areas. There is no smoking allowed in all of the school buildings and areas around the school buildings. ◇ If you should meet someone from the school or someone who works at the venue, please greet them with a “Suzuki” smile and a friendly “Hello”. ●Unaccompanied students If you have children in more than one venue, there will be a card on the website the middle of March that you can print out and have the unaccompanied child show to the teacher in his/her repertoire class on March 29. The teacher will ask a parent in the child’s class to assist your child getting to the bus and picking up his/her lunch after the morning class. If you would prefer that all of your children eat lunch together, please indicate that on the card. Families that need to eat together can order a lunch to be delivered to the Matsumoto City General Gymnasium and meet and eat together there. If your child will eat at his/her class, make sure your child has his/her lunch ticket.
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