About Golden Hearts Publications: What is Golden Hearts Publications?

Welcome to Golden Hearts Publications! Today I will talk about the Golden Hearts Publications and this global store.

In recent years, in Japan, there are several new publishers who are motivated to "do something new", with wind music as the main product, and each existing publishers are exploring "something new".

However, despite that, there is a tendency for the handling and promotion of the works of "Japanese composer's works" and "For own choice piece of the All Japan Band Competition". In the case of chamber music, it is a work for "All Japan Ensemble Contest".

Also, the contest itself is not evil. It should be considered that Japanese band music has achieved its own development only because there was the All Japan Band Competition or the All Japan Ensemble Contest.

On the other hand, if we look overseas, many unique and high quality works are still being produced.

However, as current domestic demand in Japan is particularly inclined to Japanese works, it is difficult for wholesalers of imported music scores to have a large stock of foreign publishers. As a result, it is considered that the performers have less opportunities to listen to music from abroad, and it is difficult to put them as candidates for selection of own choice piece for competitions and their concerts.

"There is no border in music" is a used word, but as a matter of fact it is in a situation where we can make a wall on our side.

Under such circumstances, with the purpose of dealing with information in the same way regardless of Japan or overseas, I started a business name of ONSA, and started an information site "Wind Band Press".

At one time, Belgian composer Dietrich Van Akelyen, who had known him through Facebook before I started Wind Band Press, ask me "is there a publisher that promotes my music in Japan?"

It was a very difficult consultation. With domestic publishers holding the works of many Japanese composers, it would be hard to afford to promote works by foreign composers, who are unknown in Japan.

But his work was very unique and high quality, and I wanted to help him to fulfill his "want to be played in Japan" somehow.

In addition, as I became acquainted with many overseas composers through the operation of the Wind Band Press, I also learned that they have a strong interest in that their work will be played across the ocean and played in Japan.

Overseas, there are an increasing number of composers who launch personal publishing companies and do self-publishing without leaving works at major publishers, and domestic agencies do not handle many such works.

Therefore, by proxy printing and promoting works of many overseas composers with various personalities and styles like this, it will give new inspiration to Japanese composers, arrangers, and the quality of future works. While contributing to improvement, I thought that the width of the music selection could be expanded on the player side.

Having the right to print in Japan, rather than importing, will make it possible to deliver music to the band quickly and safely, even a little. Of course, the problem of late delivery due to holidays in each country where "we do not ship now because it is a holiday season" is solved.

When I asked a lot of overseas composers on this point, there were some reactions and I signed up with several composers.

In addition, even with works by Japanese artists / arrangers, as mentioned above, the main demand is the "All Japan Bands Competition" and "Ensemble Contest", so the reason is that it does not match the demand despite the high quality works I think that there are works that do not lead to publication or can not receive sufficient backup of the publisher.

With regard to such works in Japan, regardless of whether they are suitable for competition or not, simply promoting high-quality works can stimulate the domestic publishers more, or stimulate the industry more I thought it was not.

In addition, there are many bands whose number of members is decreasing due to the declining birthrate, and now, Japanese composers / arrangers are strengthening their expansion overseas, seeking new business opportunities outside the competition, and more creative for them. Came to the conclusion that we should have an opportunity to work on cultural development.

In this way, "Golden Hearts Publications" was born as a new business in addition to Wind Band Press.

The Golden Hearts Publications Global Store is a port for introducing overseas Japanese and Asian composers and arrangers' works. From now on, not only the published work of Golden Hearts Publications but also the products of other publishers and CD labels in Japan will increase.

Please check this store regularly. We promise to meet various wonderful works!

Shuhei Umemoto, Founder of ONSA / Golden Hearts Publications