Borrowed from English 'brass band'. In English-speaking countries, the term refers strictly to ensembles of brass and percussion (such as British colliery bands), but in Japan the word has come to mean almost any school or community wind ensemble, including ones with significant woodwind sections.
Usage
ブラスバンド is closely associated with Japanese school music clubs. The official name for these clubs is usually 吹奏楽部 ('wind/brass music club'), but students and the general public often refer to them informally as ブラスバンド (sometimes shortened to ブラバン). The two terms are largely interchangeable in everyday speech, although a music teacher or specialist might preserve the technical distinction.
Common collocations
- ブラスバンドに入る: to join the brass band
- ブラスバンド部: brass band club
- ブラスバンドを聴く: to listen to a brass band
- ブラスバンドが演奏する: for the brass band to perform
- ブラスバンドの練習: brass band practice
- ブラスバンドの演奏会: a brass band concert
- ブラスバンド部員: a brass band member
- 学校のブラスバンド: the school brass band
Similar words
- 吹奏楽: wind music — the formal Japanese term for music played by wind ensembles. 吹奏楽部 is the standard official name for school wind/brass music clubs.
- 吹奏楽団: a wind ensemble, wind orchestra — a more formal name for the ensemble itself.
- ブラバン: an abbreviated, casual nickname for ブラスバンド, especially among students.
- ジャズバンド: jazz band — a different genre of ensemble, focused on jazz repertoire.
- マーチングバンド: marching band — a wind ensemble that performs while marching, often associated with parades and football games.
- 交響楽団: symphony orchestra — a much larger ensemble that includes strings as well as winds.
Cultural note
School brass/wind bands are a major institution in Japan. The annual All-Japan Band Competition (全日本吹奏楽コンクール) is the largest amateur music competition in the country, with thousands of school bands competing through prefectural and regional rounds. The intense, dedicated school band culture is widely depicted in Japanese manga, anime, and films such as 'Sound! Euphonium' (響け！ユーフォニアム).