The Star: March 26, 2020

GIVEAWAY
Enter to win a FREE 1 hour
trombone lesson with Akira or
a 1 hour FREE demonstration
by Akira.
Email your name and contact
details to giveaways@
starmedia.kiwi
Drawing held April 17th.
2
LIVING
LIFE
COMMUNITY
INFLUENCER
AKIRA
HIRASAWA
C ommunity inf luencer
Akira Hirasawa is passionate about the trombone
and has played the instrument since he was 13. In
intermediate school in his birth country of Japan,
he initially started out playing the tuba and the
following year migrated to the trombone.
Akira has never looked back from his teen years as
his passion for the brass instrument grew. Over the
decades his dedication to the trombone has never
waned and he is ever-enthusiastic about sharing his
love of the brass horn with others.
Meet Akira
Your professional life has been split between two
very different industries. Tell us about them.
Actually, my profession as an electronics engineer is
much more robust than music.
After obtaining my Master’s Degree of Engineering,
I joined Panasonic as a development engineer
and became the technological liaison between
Panasonic and MCA, which was the entertainment
conglomeration holding Universal Pictures,
Universal Studios and Universal Music Group. One
Pet Pet friendly friendly around
accommodation
New Zealand
around New Zealand
of the projects I was in charge of was the Panasonic
Pavilion which was located on the Universal
CityWalk in Universal Studios Hollywood. The
original concept was drawn up by the renowned
film director, Steven Spielberg. This was a fantastic
and engaging experience.
After quitting Panasonic in Japan, I immigrated to
NZ in 2003 with my wife and 7-year-old daughter
for the challenge of a whole new life.
Music has always been
in the picture
I love playing the trombone and have played many
times in the past for the Christchurch Symphony
Orchestra and was a member of the Woolston Brass
for ten years, as well as being involved with local
musical societies, bands, other orchestras, and
churches or ensemble groups.
I have been a trombone tutor at the Christchurch
School of Music for the past 6 years as well as
giving private lessons, as I enjoy teaching the
instrument to students of all ages.
I have recorded several CDs as a member of
Woolston Brass and one with CSO. The Woolston
Brass has won New Zealand’s National Brass Band
Championships six times while I was in the band.
I also play the flute, saxophone, French horn and
trumpet.
Any advice to our readers?
I encourage people of any age, especially over
fifty to try their hand at learning how to play the
trombone. I have several adult students and some
of them started the trombone after 60.
A common misconception is that people need to
have decent breathing capacities in order to start
learning, but this isn’t the case. One’s breathing
capacity increases naturally through practice, and
I personally believe in and have seen the health
benefits for brass students.
Physical address is:
91A Creyke Road, ILAM, Christchurch
8041
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EDITORIAL Jenafor Rollins
DESIGN Denise Crawford