One Can Only Dream How Beethoven Would Have Appreciated This Stunning Show.

The saying goes that everything is larger in Texas. However, reconsider that notion. Do you assume the Rockin’ 1000 is merely a huge musical performance ensemble? Think again. Since 1983, each December in Japan, a choir of 10,000 voices has come together to perform the choral pinnacle of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. When you include the orchestra members, the result is an extraordinary performance.

The video below was captured in December 2011. It is led by Yutaka Sado, who has been the General Director and conductor of the choir since 1999. Yutaka Sado, a Japanese conductor trained by Seiji Ozawa and Leonard Bernstein, was appointed as the Music Director of Austria’s oldest orchestra, the Tonkünstler Orchestra (first performed 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 considering that most participants are amateurs who complement professional soloists and a chamber choir. The demand to join is higher than the available spots, making selection a privilege.

In Japan, Beethoven’s Ninth has become linked with the Christmas season. Across shopping malls, community centers, and concert halls, there are hundreds of performances of the Ninth Symphony. Many feature singalongs to the “Ode to Joy,” the choral segment of the symphony’s fourth movement, symbolizing peace, hope, and joy. The libretto for the choral part is taken from a 1785 poem by Friedrich Schiller. Below is a touching mini documentary about the annual Ode to Joy performance by 10,000 singers.

Within the documentary, conductor Yutaka Sado insightfully observes, “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 turned into a legend. This event took place during the final phases of World War One. Throughout the war, approximately 1,000 German prisoners of war were held at Bando Camp. The camp was managed humanely, fostering 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 weekly, he was allowed to conduct lessons for interested Japanese individuals outside the camp.

It appears that the camp developed two orchestras, each with 45 members, two brass bands, and two choirs of sixty members each. Over 80 prisoners dedicated months to perfecting Beethoven’s Ninth, which was performed in Barrack One of Bando Camp on June 1, 2018, marking the first performance in Japan.

The tradition of the 10,000-member Daiku (meaning nine, referencing Beethoven’s 9th) continued through the pandemic. In 2020, marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the event was held virtually for the first time. Singers globally submitted videos, resulting in 11,961 singing clips that accompanied the live orchestra. In 2021, the event was conducted as a hybrid of live and virtual performances. Check it out:

Regarding the Japanese affection for the choral segment 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.”