d&b’s Shinichiro Yonekura returns to Toho Gakuen
Published: ASIA
JAPAN: The Toho Gakuen Performing Arts College in Tokyo was recently visited by one of its past graduates, Shinichiro 'Yone' Yonekura, now head of d&b audiotechnik Japan. During his visit, Mr Yonekura gained feedback from students on the school’s recently installed Q-Series system, and delivered a series of informative lectures.
‘Toho Gakuen was originally established as the Tokyo Broadcast School in 1979 and was approved as an educational foundation establishment a year later,’ said Mr Yonekura. ‘Today four colleges comprise the campus: TG Media Training, TG Film Techniques, TG Performing Arts and TG Sound Technicians.
‘The school has always had a great reputation,’ he continued. ‘The work they did with me was first class. But much has changed in the 22 years since I was there, and I was anxious to put something back and to deliver some real world perspectives from what is the coalface of modern sound reinforcement.’
Kazuo Wada runs the collage’s sound reinforcement course, and invited Mr Yonekura to present on a range of topics. These included ‘line array theory, why we need PA systems, and for those already familiar with the Q-Series, I asked him to present a session on ArrayCalc and using the d&b Remote network,’ Mr Wada explained.
‘When the school first looked at buying its own systems a couple of years ago we wanted to have a system that was already available and being used in commercial applications,’ continued Mr Wada. ‘The motivation was to give our students real experience so that they can complete placements with rental companies already using the equipment, and it will help with potential job opportunities in the future. The Q-Series already had a high reputation in the market, although initially I thought it was expensive compared to other systems. But the reputation was so strong that we had to reconsider. What we have learned is that you get a lot of system for the money, and our students say that the performance is unrivalled.
‘Graduates are already working with rental companies that maintain a stock of d&b loudspeaker systems, and we have students now working for MSI Japan, and Sogobutai,’ he enthused.
‘There is no substitute for seeing the enthusiasm of young aspiring sound engineers,’ concluded Mr Yonekura. ‘These people will be looking after my ears in years to come, and the ears of all their listeners. This is the purpose, to achieve good sound for everyone.’