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■ 2-YEAR COURSE CURRICULUM

Students will have the ability to gain knowledge and practical skills pertaining to their field of study by participating in actual events. During their two years, students are encouraged to play an active role in these events by creating and performing their own compositions, and participating in concerts and recitals in an effort to acclimate themselves to the type of environment they will enter upon graduation.

■ 4-YEAR COURSE CURRICULUM

Students completing the four-year curriculum will be able to compose as well as perform, and will possess a broad knowledge of the music industry. Four-year course students are taught with the expectation that they will become leaders in the music industry. They will build upon their skills learned in the first two years, and refine them. It is possible to transfer to the four-year course from 2- year course.

Departments	Term	Courses (Majors)
Vocal	2-year
Professional Musician	2-year	Band Vocal Singer & Song Writer Guitar Bass Drums
Arrangement & Composition	2-year	Song Writing Screen Music/Music for Visual Production Digital Music
Dance	2-year
Musical	2-year
Voice Actor	2-year	Voiceover (Voice Actor) for Animation and Vocalist Voiceover (Voice Actor) for General Actor/Actress
Music Business	2-year	CD/Music Production Concert/Live Performance Production Production Management Mass Communication/ Writer/ Editor
Sound & Visual Production	2-year	Concert PA Lighting Recording Visual Production
Piano	2-year	Pianist Music Instructor
Electronic Organ	2-year	Organist Music Instructor
Wind, String, & Percussion Instruments	2-year	Wind, String, and Percussion Flute/ Oboe/ Clarinet/ Bass Clarinet/Fagot/ Saxophone/ Trumpet/ Horn/ Tuba/ Trombone/ Euphonium/ Tuba/ Percussion/ Violin/ Viola/ Cello/ Contrabass/ Harp Brass/ Marching Band Flute/ Oboe/ Clarinet/ Bass Clarinet/Fagot/ Saxophone/ Trumpet/ Horn/ Tuba/ Trombone/ Euphonium/Tuba/Percussion / Contrabass/ Harp
[New Department] Pops Contemporary	2-year	Player Guitar/ Bass/ Drums/ Keyboard/ Saxophone/ Trumpet/ Trombone
Comprehensive Music	4-year	Music Business Vocalist Keyboard(Acoustic Piano/ Electronic Organ) Wind, String, & Percussion Instruments Jazz & Popular (Guitar/ Bass/ Keyboard/ Saxaphone/ Tranpet/ Trombone) Composition

Outline of Departments

VOCAL

Vocal Department students are privileged to learn from experienced teachers who are well versed in every genre of music and are able to develop each student’s unique talent. The course work and private lessons, ranging from voice training to dance and performance, are all directly connected to stage performances. Students will learn to give a vocal performance that can move the audience.

Points of interest:

1. The fundamental skill full training program improves students’ singing talent and performance talent.
2. Students are able to learn all genre of music in the first year. By the second year, students can choose lessons they want to attend which fit their own characteristics.
3. Expand their range and skills as a vocalist by collaborating with other departments (e.g. the Arrangement & Composition department, the Professional Musician course department and etc.) in events such as “Fresh Live”, “Staging Live” and “Welcome Live”

PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN

A great number of lessons will allow students to learn a repertoire of 100 tunes within the 2-year course, and we provide plenty of auditions and live performances where students can show their talents and experience what a professional is like.

Points of interest:

1. Group lessons (3 students) are carried out where their abilities will be increased individually. Furthermore, the training of lyric writing and individual music production shall help them discover their music genre of choice. As a result of all those ingredients, it will make the début of their original works a reality.
2. Bands from other departments can also perform their music on the stage together as an ensemble. Through this, students can enjoy their music life together whilst learning from each other and improving their abilities.
3. In order to help students become professional artists by improving their skills in live performance, auditions are held inside and outside of the campus (e.g. First Step Auditions are held monthly, Rise Up Auditions are held where guests from various music companies are present and the graduation live performance at Shinjuku Ruide K4 studio).

ARRANGEMENT & COMPOSITION

The Arrangement & Composition Department gives lessons in the entire process of music production.
It is divided into three different courses: pop music, classical music, and digital music composition. Each course is further divided into different specializations according to each student's career goals. Various support systems are in place to help the students’ future their careers as composers.
For instance our independent label releases CDs with original works and creates music for various companies and organisations, thus helping students break into the music industry whilst still at school. The curriculum reflects what is happening currently in the professional music business as its aim is to produce up-to-date composers.

Points of interest:

1. Selected students' works get released on compilation CDs which are produced by Shobi’s independent record label, D-Mac Records. The CDs are available to purchase in music stores across the country. This is a great opportunity for students to achieve their début and jump-start their music career.
2. Presentations and live performances are held where recruiters from the music industry are invited and the students have the opportunity to present their original CDs and compositions. Students are given the opportunities to demonstrate themselves to the recording and production companies as candidates for music producers and creators.
3. Students have the chance to work with the production team, “Production Studio CAPS”. It has contracts with many companies and produces original scores of background and theme music for television programs, movies, and radio. Many students in the past have found eventual employment as a result of working at CAPS.

DANCE

In the Dance Department, students are taught various kinds of dance, choreography, stage performance, knowledge and techniques that are needed in order to become professional dancers.

Points of interest:

1. Audition participation provides good opportunities for students to apply their knowledge practically.
2. All genres of dance techniques are directly taught by top class professional dancers and choreography teachers. Students can choose their genre according to their interests, and are then developed to become professionals who can perform in various types of shows or they can be trained to become instructors.
3. There are public dance performances 3 times a year, which provide the opportunity for students to learn all the aspects of basic stage performance such as organisation as well as the chance to increase their skills by performing practically.

MUSICAL

The three important aspects in performance art; singing, dancing and acting will be taught in these lessons, where students learn how to perform in interactive practical lessons with contemporary pieces. Individual instruction will be also given according to each student’s level as well as interest.

Points of interest:

1. Musical Department at Shobi is fortunate to have instructors who have a wealth of experience in the musical industry such as Mr. Kazutaka Ishii who is a well-known performer. Students are being distributed in the most suitable private lessons according to their talents.
2. The students receive private lessons in singing, and there are also two instructors who specialises in acting classes. Ballet, jazz, modern, and tap are among the many styles of dance that are taught.
3. Students can participate in auditions to showcase and improve their abilities by gaining experience in order to grow as actors so they can achieve their goals domestically or even overseas.

VOICE ACTOR

Many professional voice actors and acting experts hold lessons that best suit the students' strengths, which in turn lead them to find out their own characteristics and learn how to be a `vocal professional ‘.

Points of interest:

1. Students will have many opportunities in different scenarios, so that they can discover their own characteristic and increase their gumption.
2. Other than the general training, we offer 3 other courses, they include animation and vocalist, voice acting and film acting for students.
3. Frequent school auditions are available so that students can have a chance to appear in performances as well as to join production companies. We invite business representatives to give auditions on campus and voice-sample contests. Voice samples can be produced by the students themselves using the studios provided at the school.

MUSIC BUSINESS

Love of music is the starting point of your two years at the Music Business Department. To become good partners for performing artists is our main purpose. By working in conjunction with the Kasuga group, students will gain a substantial amount of knowledge in various aspects of the music business through practical experience, which would help them in their future careers.

Points of interest:

1. Discovery of new artists upon information dispatch can be achieved through corporation with the Kasuga Group.
2. The internship to `Oricon editorial department’, along with the internet tool `Pia’ forms a collaboration forum, which will allow students to gain practical experience of the music business.
3. The main purpose of the curriculum is to be as relevant to the music business as possible, so the students' transition into their future employment will be as smooth as possible. Specialized music business industry instructors will also follow up with the students’ progress toward the future career.

SOUND & VISUAL PRODUCTION

In order to allow students to find jobs that are most suitable for them in the future, we offer four major focuses, namely, concert PA, recording, lighting and visual production. By participating in any of the 200 school events on and off the campus, and the internships that are available each year, students can get a feel of what it is like in real live performances.

Points of interest:

1. Actively applying all the experiences that the students have gained, and teaching them the knowledge of entering the entertainment industry.
2. The 4 major focuses, PA, recording, lighting and visual production can be chosen in the curriculum.
3. The curriculum and the special courses help students getting qualifications in:

• Concert PA Course － Stage System Control (Sound System Control) Technical Certificate Level 3
• Recording Course － Visual Sound System Processing Technical Certificate
• Visual Production Course － Visual Sound System Processing Technical Certificate
• Lighting Course － Stage/Television Lighting Technical Certificate Level 2

PIANO

To change the misconception that 'the piano = classical music', the Piano Department allows students to learn to perform a wide range of music genres such as classical music, jazz, popular music and other genres as well. In addition, we pursue universality and creativity in music.

Points of interest:

1. Students study keyboard music in a whole range of genres in order to increase the variety of their repertoires. Through 4 examinations a year, students improve their skills one level at a time. They will also gain proficiency in diverse keyboard instruments including acoustic piano, electric piano, and synthesizer.
2. Examiners from YAMAHA grade system offer courses and practice exams. Students can learn various playing styles in solo, ensemble and accompaniment, as well as the study of chord progressions. Furthermore, through the lessons in music arrangement and DTM production, students can learn many skills from the performance category also.
3. Through débuts from our internet school media ‘SHOBI NET-TV’, students are able to showcase their planning, administrating and management skills by producing CDs & DVDs themselves. Students can also take advantage of the live performances and concerts on and off the campus in order to gain experience that will certainly help them in their future careers.

ELECTRONIC ORGAN

Electronic Organ is the utilities of various sounds and beats to control all parts of a piece of music work by one’s own technique. Players who have their own style and sense can strengthen their skills within all genres of music. Outside of performance skills, students can learn composition and arrangement skills as well which can be an advantage in different environments.

Points of interest:

1. At SHOBI, students study all genres of music so that they can play a wide range of music in response to various demands.
2. The main activity is stage performance, and we offer ample opportunities for live performances as well on and off the campus such as live spots and the stages in shopping malls. There are also chances to collaborate with other departments.
3. High level lessons are provided by electronic organ player who is under commission.

WIND, STRING, AND PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

Shobi has the best harmony which is weaved together by each performer. We aim for students to immediately play an active role in the music industry upon graduation. Shobi’s 85-year old history of preparing student to become professional musicians is a testament to its success. Students rigorously practice performance techniques, while at the same time gradually immerse themselves into the music world through recitals and concerts.

Points of interest:

1. Shobi provides skills and support to students and adequately prepares them for entering the music industry. A number of successful Shobi graduates are from orchestras, wind ensembles, marching bands and other categories.
2. Students receive the highest possible level of instruction from our instructor who is one of Japan's representatives of orchestra and band. As a result of this, many kinds of performance skills can be acquired.
3. Students can be trained to become music instructors. Brass Band Instructor Qualification and Music Certificate “On Ken” are obtainable. In particular, in the area of marching band, with corporation from Japan Marching band Baton whirling Association, Instructor License Level 2 can be obtained from the school.

(NEWLY-ESTABLISHED) POPS CONTEMPORARY

‘What does it mean to be a good musician?’ we use this question as a message to develop the musicians of the new generation. Making use of our original ‘Shobi Method’ can raise students’ ability to cover all genres, such as Jazz, Pop, Funk, R&B, Latin and etc. in 2 years. All necessary knowledge and techniques will be acquired so students will become ‘multi-artists’.

Points of interest:

1. Private lessons teach students performing techniques and allow them to perform every genre. Other than the general performing techniques, music basis ability, sight-reading together with singing/performing, are also taught. Moreover, student can learn improvisation and other skills which are advantageous when performing on the stage.
2. Learn various skills as a solo player, at the same time, students can learn how to communicate with other players in the studio and the stage by participating in different kinds of ensemble and diversified arrangement of the music. We also take the ‘conversation’ between sound to sound seriously.
3. Music theory is the basis of all the music that we teach them and they are explained thoroughly and clearly to our students.

COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC (4 YEAR PROGRAM)

In-depth and solid studies allow students to develop abilities to cope with all sorts of musical and business environment. Academic instructors allow students to develop their advanced performance skills and comprehensive abilities to serve as music supervisors/ producers on live stages or other places in society. Advanced experiences and knowledge will lead students to become practical and well-rounded professional musicians, ready to contribute to the music world.

Points of interest:

1. This is a 4-year specialised curriculum that gives students knowledge and qualification which will be applicable in the music industry. Upon graduating from Comprehensive Music Program, they will be granted “Advance Diploma,” which will make them officially qualified to apply to graduate schools as candidates with highly advanced backgrounds.
2. Overwhelming ‘Practical Education’ system offers both quality and quantity.
3. Excluding Music Business Department, students of other departments can take additional private lessons in areas other than their majors during the second and the third academic year.