Peter Chai （Kai Shibata), 2nd year Ph.D. Student, Political Science Major, GSPS
Kano Sugiyama, 4th Year Student, Economics Major, SPSE
Nana Nishigaki, 3rd Year Student, Political Science Major, SPSE
The 7th Campus Piano Event, organized by the Faculty of Political Science and Economics and sponsored by The Waseda Society of Political Science and Economics, took place on 18 December in the International House of Literature (Murakami Haruki Library). The International House of Literature is a beautiful building designed with a minimalistic white color and a dynamic shape of waves which could illustrate the flowing of time. The grand piano there was previously placed in the “Peter Cat” jazz cafe run by Murakami Haruki and his wife and is now a part of the interior exhibition of the library. In the style of a street piano, this event provided a special chance for the participants, regardless of the levels of their piano skills, to play this grand piano in a casual manner.
Many students and local residents stopped by and freely played and listened to music. There were around 50 participants, of which 20 of them performed. There was a relaxing atmosphere because performers of any level of piano skills were welcome, and they got to choose any genre and piece of any length for their performances. Before playing, a student staff asked the performers what they wanted to play and allowed the performers to introduce their favorite pieces, composers, and musicians. During this event, various music genres and instruments showed up, including classical and modern, from Japan and overseas, and those appear in popular films and animations. Especially, some Christmas- and New Year-themed songs were played.
This event welcomed around participants, including Japanese and international students, who are music enthusiasts coming from different departments and majors and are affiliated with various Waseda music circles. The students came to the Orange Cat cafe during breaks between classes and lunch time to play the piano or simply get a cup of drink while listening to others playing. Also, the chairs placed around the piano gave the participants a space to have informal conversations with other schoolmates in between performances about music tastes and personal music stories.
Interestingly, the grand piano there was not the only instrument used during their performances. Some participants brought their friends who played other instruments such as violin, cello, and guitar and made duos and trios. This event performed as a bridge where Japanese and international students, students and faculty members, Waseda affiliates and local residents are connected through music and can freely chat and share their views toward music. We could feel that the International House of Literature is a center of arts on campus loved by Waseda students and that music has been an integral part of Waseda’s college culture and a common way for Waseda students with diverse cultural backgrounds to interact. We believe that the campus piano has become a popular event owing to the collective efforts made by the student staff who planned event details, designed promotion materials, run SNS platforms, and helped with reception and so on during the event day.
Student staff members
(Added on February 26, 2025)
The February 2025 issue (No. 1269) of Waseda Gakuho (published by the Waseda University Alumni Association) features a special article on The Waseda International House of Literature (The Haruki Murakami Library), in which Mr. Kai Shibata (Peter Chai), a student staff member of Campus Piano, shares his experience as a student staff member.
Waseda Gakuho
