At twelve o'clock in the afternoon, after more than an hour of practice, the wind club ushered in the lunch break.

Just disbanded, walked to the door of the concert hall.

"Hirakawa-sensei."

There was the sound of footsteps behind him, and the familiar voice of the girl, and when I heard it, it was Shiori Shinohara.

"It's Shinohara-san, what's wrong?"

Turning to look at her, he paused in his footsteps, and waited until she had come up before he began to move on.

Shiori Shinohara, followed behind Tetsufumi Hirakawa to the right.

"Mr. Hirakawa, what do you think of the ensemble just now?"

"Well, I think, well......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa recalled the melody that had just been in his ear and commented seriously, "It can be said that it is unexpected." ”

"Huh?"

Walking out of the concert hall, the midday sun shone down, and my eyes were squinted by the light.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa explained.

"Originally, it seemed to me that the daily wind club was a loose practice...... I don't have much hope for the level. ”

"But after listening to the ensemble just now, although I am not a professional judge and can't give professional advice, according to my standards, it sounds very good overall, and it can be said that I have entered the national competition."

This is how Tetsufumi Hirakawa felt just now, after all, he usually really underestimated the wind club. So it can also be said that feeling unexpected is based on low expectations.

Maybe the next time I listen to it, I raise my expectations, and I won't be so amazing, but it's great, right?

It is worthy of the team participating in the national competition, and anyone who hears it will say so.

"Of course, Shinohara's solo performance is also very good."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa didn't forget to praise the girl behind him.

"Thank you, Mr. Hirakawa."

Shiori Shinohara, who heard the praise, also walked out of the concert hall, and the afternoon sun shone down, and a shallow smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

"Ogasa-sensei is very loosely managed, but there is absolutely no problem with his musical ability."

"Yes, indeed."

It's really hard to imagine that the wind club, which usually looks so relaxed that it doesn't look like a serious practice, can be performed like that.

So...... I hate that iron is not steel, so I can participate in the national competition, so I can do my best and practice hard without wasting time, and the gold medal will really be possible.

That's what Tetsufumi Hirakawa thinks.

However.

"Mr. Hiragawa, not necessarily."

Shiori Shinohara said suddenly.

"What doesn't have to be?" Tetsufumi Hirakawa didn't understand.

Shiori Shinohara looked at Tetsufumi Hirakawa's back, and although she couldn't see the expression on her face, she knew what the teacher was thinking just now.

"Mr. Hirakawa, although I am glad that you can recognize the wind club, in fact, the gold medal in the national competition is not so easy to get, and it is not even something that can be achieved by ordinary hard work."

"Huh? Is that so? ”

"Yes."

Shiori Shinohara nodded, popularizing science for Tetsubun Hirakawa, who was walking ahead.

"The school that can win the gold medal in the national competition can be said to be comparable to the professional band in some aspects, and it is ...... Among the schools that were able to enter the national competition last year, the strength of the Moriya Wind Club was the last. ”

"Ah...... This, but there is an expectation, after all, it is only a bronze award. ”

"And if you want to win the gold medal in the national competition, the school that Moriya has to face can be said to be not at the same level as us at all."

"Is the gap so big?" Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked a little surprised.

Obviously, it feels pretty good.

"Yes. There are 30 teams participating in each national competition, and only 8 or 9 gold medals will be awarded. And most of them are almost monopolized by wind music schools. ”

"Monopoly?"

"For example, in the past ten years, only 27 universities have won gold medals in national competitions."

"......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa was silent for a moment and counted it in his heart.

In the past ten years, more than 80 gold awards have been issued, but only 27 universities have won gold awards? It seems that it is indeed a little little, and this is only [obtained].

"Among them, there is only one gold medal from nine universities."

"This kind of is almost a small probability, right?"

"Yes. Among the remaining 18 universities, 9 universities have won 5 or more gold awards. ”

“…… Wind music is a strong school. ”

In the 10th National Competition, if you can win 5 or more gold medals, you will definitely be a strong wind music school.

There are only 9 gold medals, and as a result, there are 9 strong wind music schools of this level, and if you add the second-class strong schools, it is absolutely right to say that the wind music school has monopolized the gold medal.

The ubiquitous Matthew effect - the strong are always strong.

"Among them, there is the Osaka Prefectural Yodogawa Technical High School, which has won nine consecutive gold medals."

"It's crushed." Tetsufumi Hirakawa smacked his tongue.

"And in contrast."

At this moment, Shiori Shinohara's voice behind him suddenly changed tone...... The girl must have been speaking with a blank face.

Even though I couldn't see her face, I could automatically think of her appearance in my mind.

"The Moriya Wind Club has only entered three national competitions in 10 years. The first time was five years ago, when he won the silver medal in the national competition, and the second time was the second year that Mr. Ogasa served as a music consultant, that is, two years ago, he won the silver award. The third time was last year, the Bronze Award. ”

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa stopped talking.

Moriya, who has been shortlisted three times in 10 years, wants to compete for the gold medal in the national competition...... The first thing to face is 9 strong wind club schools that have won 5 or more gold medals in 10 years.

The magnitude of the gap can be seen. Even kindergarten children understand the gap.

Shiori Shinohara's statement that "it is not at the same level at all" is by no means alarmist.

If you add the second-class strong schools, such as those that can advance to the national competition and have won two or three gold medals...... It is also necessary to prevent possible dark horses.

The competition is so fierce that it can even be said that it is almost to the point where "there is no hope in sight".

So his optimism just now...... Seems to be too early to be optimistic?

I have to say that Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who had just listened to the training of the Moriya Wind Club and thought it was very good, had a feeling of "forget it, it's good to be able to attend the national competition" at this moment.

- I have lost the desire to compete.

Sure enough...... If you want to win the gold medal in the national competition, it is not enough to rely on the excellence of the music consultant.

If you calm down and think about it, music as an art requires talent after all. In this regard, the students of the private Moriya are definitely not as good as the students of those strong wind music schools.

This is the Matthew effect, those students who are interested in wind music and have talent, most of them will give priority to going to the wind club to strengthen the school, which also creates a situation where the strong are always strong.

So in this way, it is normal for the gold award to be monopolized.

"After that, there's almost no hope......"

Tetsufumi Hirakawa was very emotional.

"So to speak."

"Shinohara-san really wants to win the gold medal, right?"

"Hmm."

"Then it's even more important to train."

When Tetsufumi Hirakawa said this, he was reminded of the relaxed and leisurely appearance of the wind club in the past.

There is a strong enemy outside, and there is trouble inside. The future of the Moriya Wind Club is not optimistic.