The BEST episodes written by Koujin Ochi
#1 - The Beloved Ave Maria
La Corda d'Oro ~Primo Passo~ - Season 1 - Episode 25
It's the day of the last selection and everyone is surprised to know that Yunoki has come back from England. He only went there to cancel the transfer. Hino is in the dressing room to change outfits but is interrupted by Amou and Mori with some bad news. Mori's arm is sprained. She got in a bicycle accident. Making it even worse is that Hino is supposed to be the first to perform. Having no accompanist, Shoji, her former accompanist, replaces Mori. Everyone also agrees to change the order of performance for Hino to practice with Shoji. First to perform is Yunoki. She thanks him because he is the reason that she forgave herself for deceiving everyone because he himself deceives everyone. Second, to perform is Hihara. She says that he is the first person who told her to enjoy music and he has always helped her. She will do her best performance in gratitude of his encouragement. Next is Fuyuumi. She is not as nervous as she was before when the concourse started. Next, to perform is Shimizu. He changed his cello to a baroque style to fit with his song. She thanks him because he taught her many things about music and she learned a lot from him as well. Next is Tsukimori. Hino is called to come back from practice because it's almost time for her to perform. She thanks him because he is the first person who showed her the beauty of the sound of the violin. Second to the last, Tsuchiura. He has always been worried of Hino. She says that she wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't of his encouragements. Lastly, she performs Ave Maria in her school uniform. She thanks the violin for it brought her to many wonderful encounters and memories. She thanks Lili because he was the one who introduced her to music. At the end of the selection, Tsuchiura, Tsukimori, Yunoki, Hihara and Shimizu plays Elgar’s Salut d'Amour for Hino.
#2 - The Barefooted Vibrato
La Corda d'Oro ~Primo Passo~ - Season 1 - Episode 5
On the day of the first selection, Hino turns up dressed informally through her ignorance. Thankfully, Lili shows up in her dressing room and uses magic to provide her with a selection of dresses. At one point, Hihara enters without knocking and sees her wearing a nun's habit. However, Lili quickly switches her back to the school uniform and Hino attempts to pass it off as "seeing things". A teacher then directs Hihara away from the girls’ dressing room. Hino and Lili eventually choose a knee-length white dress. During the performance, Hino's accompanist ducks out, criticizing Hino's lack of commitment to music practice. Tsukimori arrives at the scene and defends Hino, while her accompanist runs away crying. Hino goes on without accompaniment; after a few notes, she is asked to leave the stage because all participants are required to have an accompaniment. Tsuchiura steps forward from the audience and takes the place of Hino's accompaniment. Tsuchiura tells Hino to forget their arguments, and the two take the stage. Hino plays Chopin's Tristesse, or "song of parting" but she feels that it is not an ending, but a beginning, during the performance; Tsuchiura admires Hino and her way of performing. Everybody, even the judges, remarks on how joyful and vibrant the piece sounds when Hino plays it. The concourse members, too, are overcome with emotion. Then Tsukimori goes on and gives a powerful performance. In the end, Hino comes last in the selection and Tsukimori comes first.
#3 - The Gavotte's Grim Future
La Corda d'Oro ~Primo Passo~ - Season 1 - Episode 2
Episode two introduces Len Tsukimori, a highly talented but very conceited second year music student. He is disdainful towards Hino and her friend Ryoutarou, a member of the Soccer Club, when they meet. Despite this, when she hears Tsukimori practicing the violin, she is greatly moved and give him great praise, which he haughtily dismisses. After hearing him play, Hino is able to recall the feelings and with the magic violin, she is able to play the piece, which Lili tells her is Schubert's Ave Maria. Hino also meets the friendly, outgoing third-year music student, Kazuki Hihara, on the rooftop. Hihara tries playing Gavotte, Hino's practice piece, on his trumpet, but Hino is puzzled that the melody sounds different from when she plays it.
#4 - An Unlikely Prelude
La Corda d'Oro ~Primo Passo~ - Season 1 - Episode 1
Episode one introduces the main characters, Lili and Kahoko Hino, and the Seiso Academy setting. Lili is a fairy involved with the school's music contest, the Intramural concours; Hino is a student who is chosen to enter the competition by Lili, despite not being a music student, because she is able to see Lili. Lili presents Hino with a magic violin, which can be played by any true lover of music. Another character introduced is Shoko Fuyumi, a first year student who is bullied by other music students because she was entered into the concours. When Hino defends Fuyumi, the music students challenge Hino to play, and she agrees to play before the concours in one week's time. Also introduced is Ryotaro Tsuchiura, when he accidentally bumped her and she nearly fell off the stairs, but catching her just in time.