Wednesday, March 21, 2018
The fourth internship for TUFS students studying in Russia was held on March 21 and five students studying in Moscow participated in this opportunity at Yamaha Music (Russia) LLC.
Yamaha Corporation, a global company headquartered in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture, is engaged in a wide range of businesses, including manufacturing of musical instruments, audio and visual equipment, components and devices, golf equipment, and resort operation. In Russia, it established a local subsidiary, Yamaha Music (Russia) LLC, that imports and distributes sound and acoustic equipment.
The internship started with a presentation by Ms. Anastasia Bakhmetyeva, Public Relations section manager, on the history and an outline of the company and its major products. Ms. Bakhmetyeva explained that among the world’s musical instruments makers, Yamaha is known for its wide range of products, and also for its unparalleled capability to develop and manufacture high-tech electronic instruments, such as the Silent Series, which allows musicians to practice silently on headphones without disturbing others, or give a remote performance over the Internet with its digital grand piano. She explained that the company supports artists globally, and sponsors an international festival in Russia of military bands that is held annually at the Red Square in Moscow.
Next, the students had an opportunity to take part in a roundtable discussion with Japanese expatriates. The students were surprised to learn that three out of the four Japanese expatriates in the company were alumni of the Department of Russian Studies at TUFS. Mr. Tetsuya Hatano, Manager of Finance and Administration department, said he has met many TUFS alumni since he started working in Moscow. It was encouraging news for the students to hear that many TUFS alumni were actively working in Russia. Ms. Yumi Fujiwara, Product Marketing Manager, Musical Instruments Sales & Marketing department, participated in the discussion, and the students appreciated the chance to ask questions about women and overseas assignment. The students appreciated having an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues that are constantly on their minds, such as marriage, having children, and work-life balance. Ms. Fujiwara explained that Yamaha Corporation has various schemes to support female employees to continue and advance their careers, including a program for maternity and childcare leave, with some men already making use of this program. Through this discussion, the students learned that the benefits package offered by a company is an important element in choosing a future employer. On the topic of language, while the corporate language for communication at the company is English, the Japanese staff frequently experienced situations when they wished they had a better command of Russian. This episode emphasized the importance of being able to communicate fluently in Russian.
The students then moved to YAMAHA ARTIST SERVICES MOSCOW (YASM), located in central Moscow. YASM is one of the artist centers that Yamaha Corporation has established in seven major cities across the world. There are some rooms with grand pianos or digital pianos, and there is also a small music hall that artists and music college students can use for practice before concerts and competitions. The music hall was constructed making full use of Yamaha’s superior acoustics technologies so that it has the acoustics of a concert hall despite its small size. Here the students listened to a demonstration by YASM staff. YASM also provides user support service for owners of Yamaha’s musical instruments and hosts various public relations and educational events.
The students learned that, although Yamaha Corporation is categorized as a manufacturing company, its business is closely connected with culture-related events and services. This was an eye-opening experience for them, as it enabled them to realize that there are manufacturing companies that are engaged in a wide range of fields.
Outline of Internship
| Time: | 09:30-12:30, Wednesday, March 21, 2018 |
| Venue: | YAMAHA MUSIC LLC. Office (Kievskaya str. 7, entrance 7, office 37 Moscow) YAMAHA ARTIST SERVICES MOSCOW(YASM) (Leontievsky lane 11, Moscow) |
| YAMAHA MUSIC: | Mr. Tetsuya Hatano, Manager, Finance and Administration department (Graduate of Department of Russian Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) Ms. Yumi Fujiwara, Product Marketing Manager, Musical Instruments Sales & Marketing department, (Graduate of Department of Russian Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) Ms. Anastasia Bakhmetyeva, Public Relations section manager Ms. Elsana Gabaraeva, YASM, Senior Specialist Mr. Evgeny Mikhlin, YASM, Specialist |
| Participants from TUFS: | 5 students |
| Schedule: | 09:30-10:30 Office tour and presentation introducing the history, overview, and major products of the company by Ms. Anastasia Bakhmetyeva 10:30-11:30 A roundtable discussion with Mr. Hatano and Ms. Fujiwara on international assignment 11:30-12:00 Move to YASM by car (with Ms. Fujiwara) 12:00-12:30 YASM tour, introduction of YASM and demonstration |