One of my great teachers passed away. I took part in his seminars many times in Kyoto for a few years about 20 years ago. One day, he showed a young conductor how he invites string players to start “Elegie.” He was sitting next to me, and I felt his deep emotion for the music in the small music room. The pianists played the maestro’s favorite, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, like an orchestra there. Seiji Ozawa preferred to be called by his first name, not “maestro.” But none of the participants called him “Seiji” because we knew that he not only had the best technique of any conductor in the world but also that he got up without fail before dawn every day to perfect his music. 

A new school term has started, and I guess high school students are interested in buying a new dictionary. Actually, I bought a new electronic dictionary for myself last month. It’s been about 20 years since I bought the old one. Recently I have had a bit of trouble with it, so I decided to buy a new one. The screen is clear and easy on my eyes. The dictionary contains a vocabulary book for the STEP test, so you can study with it. I don’t fully make use of all the new features, but it is very convenient. These days, you can search for words or phrases just by using your smartphone. I wonder whether high school students are still using dictionaries. I’m sure that the number of students who use paper dictionaries is very limited.   (137 words)