Musician test

I was told to take musician test in November.  It could be around the beginning of December, they say.

I thought I could take the test on the next chance, in February.  But my adviser geisha encouraged me to take the test in November.  It will soon be November!

The monthly theme songs are decided in Hakone Yumoto since long time ago.

The songs are mostly, a part of Nagauta songs.  For those Nagauta songs, I do not have to struggle much because I had studied most of them back in Kyoto.

There are other small songs of Kouta, Minyo, and Risougaku, featured around Hakone Yumoto, completely unfamiliar to me.

For the test, I must prepare about 20 songs in all—play shamisen and sing song at the same time in front of examiners.

The songs which I am going to play will be decided by lottery on the test day.

I must play 4 songs, 2 from Nagauta and 2 from Kouta or Minyo.

Hakone Yumoto Geisha Union now has only three qualified shamisen players.  A number of geishas study shamisen.  But most of them are not good enough to be qualified.

Now I am feeling that these three qualified musicians are beginning to feel threatened by my entry.  There are fewer jobs nowadays for real, traind geishas.  But on the other hand, music teachers seem to welcome me.

I think I will just do what I have to.  I think I may be able to produce another job, for now I have no idea how to, and try not to threaten other senior geishas.

Anyway, I am going to register as a geisha and start my job from October.

I think I will be named—according to the naming rule of Okiya house which I am going to belong.