The Electronic Musical Instruments Education Society in Japan (EMIES) was founded in 1986 in order to promote research on music and music education at higher educational institutions by using electronic musical instruments and equipment and to establish a new form of music education and musical culture through social and public activities.

When EMIES was founded in 1986, electronic musical instruments had become more widespread than acoustic instruments in Japan. Despite this fact, however, there was no institution yet at that time which specialized in research on electronic instruments or on the positioning of electronic instruments in the classical music scene.

The first efforts were made with one of the most popular and important electronic musical instruments, the electronic organ. Professors involved with electronic organs at music colleges formed an organizing committee to start the "Electronic Musical Instruments Education Society In Japan," and brought about the 1st Symposium.

Since then, with the cooperation of many professors and teachers, EMIES has carried out various research on electronic musical instruments focusing on the organ, and achieved successful results. The number of schools which have opened electronic organ courses has kept increasing over the years; the number has grown from one to 11 among music colleges, from 10 to 22 among junior colleges, from 8 to 15 among music professional schools and from 6 to 24 among high schools as of 2002, with many more scheduled to follow.

The Music Laboratory Division focusing on the electronic piano was added from the 6th Symposium in 1991 to broaden the scope of research, and the number of participants has grown to more than 300. From 1996 (11th Symposium), a sub-committee for computer was started to focus on the possibility and application of computers in music education.

From 2002 (17th Symposium), EMIES has two committees , the "Education Research Division" and "Electronic Music Division" were set up in order to promote these events and develop the activities.

The "Education Research Division" aims to support higher educational institutions and other music educational circles in:
(1) research and development of educational methods through the use of electronic musical instruments,
(2) collecting and distributing information and teaching materials for electronic musical instruments and
(3) planning and organizing symposiums and workshops.

The "Electronic Music Division" aims to create a new musical culture, by
(1) discovering, commissioning and accumulating new electronic musical compositions,
(2) researching and proposing new performance styles, using electronic musical instruments and
(3) planning and organizing concerts and workshops.

With the two main missions of "advancing research on education" and "pursuing music by means of electronic musical instruments and equipment," EMIES will continue its research activities for the new age with the cooperation of educators and musicians, and aim to improve music education and be the pioneer at all times.

"Plenary Session"
The Plenary Session is the opening event of the Symposium, and messages, lectures and proposals are given from many educators, music college workers and musicians from Japan and overseas who are involved with electronic musical instruments. Most of these speeches focus on:

(1) a desire to establish educational and musical elements (software) which will supplement Japanese state-of-the-art electronic musical instruments (hardware),
(2) the need for educational reform and fostering talent for the next generation by electronic musical instruments,
(3) the application of electronic musical instruments to various music scenes such as the orchestra, while recognizing the originality of electronic organ and
(4) the big expectation toward EMIES in playing a leading role in the world.

"Presentation of studies, special contributions and papers"
Although most of the presentations in the beginning were about instruction methods for students majoring in electronic organ, studies have now become more in-depth and specific including suggestions from composers and subjects related to opera and arrangement. Since the Music Laboratory System Division was added in 1991 and the Computer Division in 1996, examples of keyboard instrument education using electronic musical instruments and equipment have been increasing.

"Subcommittee and Sectional meeting"
The Subcommittee meeting started in 1987 (2nd Symposium). For the electronic organ, various possibilities in performance expressions were discussed such as arrangement, improvisation, sound and tones, as well as practical performing styles such as opera accompaniment. Topics of discussion in the Music Laboratory System meeting are effective training methods for basic keyboard techniques, group training and also creative education. For computers, the theme has been narrowed down to its possibilities in music education.
(The "Symposium" is held in the summer.)

In the rapid development of technology in recent years, the electronic organ and other electronic musical instruments have become more refined as musical instruments. At the same time, many excellent players have grown to actively work in various music scenes.
The "EMIES Concert" introduces these achievements by focusing on the presentation of "original compositions for the electronic organ" and "ensembles by electronic organs and acoustic musical instruments."
More recently, experiments in music by computer and electronic musical instruments are also being conducted. (The "EMIES Concert" is held in the spring.)

The EMIES' "New Talent Concert" has been held every year since 1989 hoping that it will motivate and encourage students who study electronic organ at music colleges and schools.
This concert admits one entry from each music colleges and vocational school that has a dept. of electronic organ, and participants are required to perform an arrangement of a classical piece, which is one of the curriculums of the dept. of electronic organ. The participants have also been performing their original compositions since 2000. (The "New Talent Concert" is held in the spring.)

EMIES holds several workshops every year in order to further enhance the annual Symposium and also to make research on ongoing activity. In the workshop, discussions and concerts are carried out based on real-life practical themes and the results of these workshops will be reflected in the Symposium.

Electronic Musical Instruments Education Society In Japan

ADDRESS	3-24-22, Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8666
TEL	+81-3-5773-0888
FAX	+81-3-5773-0825
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