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Representing Wales in Japan: students’ visit to celebrate Welsh culture
Supporting Welsh Government’s ‘Wales and Japan’ year our students represented RWCMD on their visit to Japan to celebrate Welsh culture.
RWCMD Vocal students Eiriana Jones-Campbell and Rhys Archer, and Head of Postgraduate Programmes Zoe Smith, represented the College during a visit to Japan as part of the Welsh Government’s St David’s Day celebrations, in partnership with the Urdd.
Cultural exchange is at the heart of our training
International experiences like this help students gain invaluable skills for their future careers.
During their visit Eiriana and Rhys had a busy schedule with a variety of performance opportunities, including leading workshops in schools, performing at the British Embassy’s St David’s Day Reception and at the St David’s Society Dinner in Tokyo.
We caught up with them to talk about their visit:
‘The opportunity to represent the College and the Urdd, two organisations who have been instrumental in my development as a young singer was incredibly exciting. Being able to do this by singing and sharing Welsh music was particularly special’.Rhys ArcherVocal student
Cultural exchange is at the heart of the RWCMD student experience, through welcoming visiting artists to the College and offering international opportunities through our partnerships.
‘As a music facilitator and rehearsal leader, knowing how to communicate effectively while teaching someone who isn’t fluent in that language by using simple phrases and actions was an important skill to learn,’ Rhys said.
Connecting with Japanese culture
Connections with the local community were a big part of the visit and gave Eiriana and Rhys the chance to fully embrace Japanese culture and further develop their own artistry.
‘The one connection that was clear from the beginning was the genuine appreciation for music that was present everywhere we performed, and I believe this is the same at home,’ Rhys said.
One of Eiriana’s highlights was the school visit, answering the children’s questions and seeing their reactions to them both singing ‘Furusato’, a beloved traditional Japanese children’s song:
‘Having the opportunity to teach some children ‘Calon Lan’ in Welsh, and seeing what the school system is like in Japan was an eye-opening experience,’ she said.
The visit culminated in a performance at the scenic Himeji Castle, which is twinned with Conwy Castle, where people with Welsh connections gathered to celebrate St David’s Day.
RWCMD: an international artistic community
This visit was focused on a shared international experience between Wales and Japan, building connections through the medium of musical performances and cultural events.
‘Being part of an international artistic community expands our knowledge and gives us an understanding of different musical cultures which is valuable for our development in the future and expanding career possibilities.’ said Eiriana.
RWCMD alumni are a big part of our international community and during the visit our Head of Postgraduate Programmes Zoe Smith caught up with graduates in Osaka and Tokyo.
‘These delightful reunions provided our alumni with opportunities to reminisce about their time at the College, reconnect with Wales, build their connections with local partners and find out about the latest College news. Studying at RWCMD means being part of a vibrant, welcoming, and globally connected conservatoire with those connections continuing long into the future.’Zoe SmithHead of Postgraduate Music Programmes
