Workshop #10
Essential 7 Sounds for Chappa
Ringtaro Tateishi
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
It has become possible to move around on stage in recent years, as when using Katsugi Okedo and chappa. These instruments are very difficult to handle to make good sound. Rintaro Tateishi, former member of Ondekoza, has performed with Matsuriza at EPCOT in Wait Disney World, and will share chappa skills for the beginner.
A famous chappa player controls over 200 different sounds. Ringtaro introduces the most essential 7 sounds in this workshop. Later, you can create your own original sound. Please bring your own chappa.
Workshop #18
How to Tie Roped Shimedaiko Drums Really Tight Like the Pros
Marco Lienhard
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
After giving many workshops around the world, one question is always how to tie a roped shime daiko. Bolt are simple, but they weigh a lot and don’t look as nice. Rope is, after all, simply best for the hides.
You will learn how to efficiently tie the drums in order to get them as tight as the bolts would in as little time possible. This workshop will give you some tips on how to master the way of tying shime daiko. As an Ondekoza member, this was a done on a daily basis; it was a great way to warm up to the shime, develop an understanding for your instrument, and learn how to care for it. Also learn how to tie the ropes in case they break.
Workshop #20
Issho-Ni (community piece)
Christine Sato
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
“Issho-Ni” (translated as “Together”) is a community festival style song/dance inspired by the KASAMIX cultural exchange program, developed by Rhythmix Cultural Works (RCW) and Kodo Arts Sphere America (KASA). With the intent of sharing this song with taiko players around the world, Issho-Ni combines rhythm patterns from Cuba and the Middle East adapted fortaiko, with a traditional Matsuri groove. An Odor style dance accompanies the drumming using movement derived from waltz, salsa, and more! Issho-Ni was taught at the Kodo Apprentice Center in 2008 as a way to share a spirit of North American Taiko in Japan.
Workshop #24
Katsugi Daiko and Lateral Drumming
Patrick Graham
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
Katsugi daiko generally refers to taiko that are attached on a strap, worn by the player and played laterally, allowing varying degrees of mobility. he popularity of this style of taiko playing can be traced back to the 1980’s and the outstanding innovations in technique and rhythmic experimentation by the group Kodo.
Kodo was hugely inspired by their work with Korean drummers such as Kim Duk-Soo and his virtuosic playing of the traditional Korean changoo drum. Kodo went on to design their own unique instrument, called the shimejishi daiko, a laterally-played drum. There are other drums of diverse origins that are played in this manner, and it is indeed a common thread through the traditions of many countries: Turkey, Iran, India, China, Korea, and Japan.
My fascination with this style of drumming over many years has led me to adapt many techniques from various origins into a unified lateral drumming approach, which I apply to oke-daiko and shimejishi daiko. I have visited traditional festivals in Aomori prefecture in Japan to see oke-daiko in a traditional context, studied the modern approach to katsugi daiko and shimejishi daiko privately with drummers such as Tetsuro Naito (Kodo), and researched the diverse drumming traditions of Turkey and Korea to develop my own personal approach to the lateral drumming style. This workshop will give participants an historical context to the lateral drumming currents, both traditional and modern, in taiko today. Also, the workshop will give participants an intensive hands-on experience with lateral drumming, regardless of the drum type- worn on a strap, or placed on the floor- this versatile technique can be applied to many different drums and situations. Participants will learn basic posture (standing and sitting), beater grips (bachi and take bachi), proper striking techniques, sound production, as well as the care and tuning (rope tensioning) of the various drums (oke-daiko, shimejishi, etc.)
Special emphasis will be placed on learning several rhythms, ranging from traditional Japanese patterns to traditional Korean and Turkish patterns, and how to consolidate these into a fluid, lateral technique. A printed workshop hand-out will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own katsugi daiko… as well as earplugs!
Workshop #26
Key to Your Ki
PJ Hirabayashi
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
Tap into your ki (energy) with activities that will build awareness, activate individual and group ki, and erase the boundaries between players and the audience. The workshop will challenge participants in movement, rhythm, timing and improvisational skills, all without using taiko…the ki to becoming a better taiko player.
Workshop #27
Kiriko Daiko - Beginner
Walter Tsushima
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture is home to the famous Grand Kiriko Matsuri held every summer on August 23-25. Wajima Kiriko Daiko Hozonkai is a preservation association that educates and further promotes the culture and history of the Noto Kiriko Matsuri based in the Noto Peninsula of Japan. A kiriko is a towering lantern that accompanies mikoshi (portable shrines) and varies in size from children’s kiriko to massive kiriko that tower as high as 10 meters, requiring up to 50 or more people to carry it.
Kiriko Daiko is a style specific to the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture. The taiko is played in an upright style, usually with two people on a single drum. Unlike performance taiko where songs are performed, Kiriko Daiko allows for versatility - it allows the player to combine any of the Kiriko Daiko rhythms they have studied in any order. It is this freedom which makes Kiriko Daiko so exciting to both perform and watch. We welcome you to learn the basis of Kiriko Daiko with us!
Workshop #28
Kokoro-kara: Developing and Expressing Spirit
Tiffany Tamaribuchi
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
We talk about spirit all the time when we talk about Taiko. In many cases we say it is the most important aspect of what we do, but in some cases people have a general idea about what it means but not necessarily a practical sense of what it all means or how to express it in practice and performance.
In some cases we are talking about developing ki, or feeling or expressing kokoro, but we are also talking about expressing passion, emotion or dramatic elements as we drum.
This workshop explores different tangible aspects of the concept of spirit as it relates to the practice and especially the performance of taiko.
This workshop may also include elements of basic fundamentals and improvisation.
Workshop #36
Odaiko with Spirit
Koji Nakamura
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
2+ years
Learn the significant skills and spirituality to be an Odaiko player, such as stance, hitting, posture, practice routine, and spirituality through Japanese traditional ritual piece. In addition, advanced skills of Odaiko playing, including structuring of Odaiko solo pieces, physical exercise, and how to express the air as well as the spirit to be Odaiko player will be taught.
Should have some experience of Odaiko. Please bring Odaiko bachi.
Workshop #37
Open Source Taiko: Omiyage
Byron Yamada
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
Learn this dynamic piece presented to the taiko community as an open source piece by Shoji Kameda and popularized by TAIKOPROJECT. Here, participants will have the opportunity to lean either the shime/okedo part or the chu daiko part.
We’ll start with defining basic concepts and patterns, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. From there we’ll cover the foundations of rhythm, focusing on polyrhythm as the key to complex syncopation. There will be plenty of hands-on practice so that you can experience the variety of rhythm that will be covered!
Workshop #39
Solid Shime Daiko Playing
Kenny Endo
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
Good shime daiko technique will improve your technique on all sized taiko. This class will concentrate on the intricate shime daiko techniques and patterns found in the lively festival music of Edo Bayashi (Tokyo festival music). Emphasis will be on timing, playing with precision, grip, sound, nori (groove), and relaxing.
Workshop #40
Taiko Activities for the Young and Young at Heart
Yurika Chiba
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
Children will not learn unless they want to. This workshop for adult instructors will cover basic teaching principles, which will help you to make intrinsically motivating taiko lessons for your youth classes. This is a hands-on session, where you will also learn (by doing) fun activities and taiko games for practicing skills. This workshop is designed for those teaching students between the ages of 5-18, although most activities can be modified for any age level.
Workshop #44
Vocal Improvisation with Taiko
Linda Uyehara Hoffman
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
2+ years
This workshop will focus on vocal improvisation - experimenting with solo singing and taiko. Previous vocal improvisation experience is not necessary, but participants should feel comfortable singing alone and soloing on taiko.
Workshop #46
Wrists!
Adam Weiner
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00
Want more power? Faster chops? Precise striking? It’s all in the wrists! If the taiko player is the link between bachi and taiko, then the wrist is the fulcrum for that link. Whether you’re on Odaiko or shimedaiko, your wrists are being put to serious work every time you play. Wrist snap should be a rudiment of good taiko technique, and will help both save energy and reduce strain on the rest of your body.
In this workshop we’ll focus on awareness of the wrists, from stretches to improve flexibility, to isolation drills that will identify and improve problem areas.
*New for this year’s workshop is a section devoted to grip and how grip directly affects what your wrists are doing!*
Workshop #50
7 Ways to Develop New Material
Byron Au Yong
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
2+ years
Are you stuck with a great idea but at a loss how to develop your thoughts into a polished taiko work? Explore seven ways to structure music and movement phrases to create compelling works. This composing for taiko workshop will provide tools to help you complete unfinished works or refine existing catastrophes. Each participant should bring a pencil.
Workshop #51
Advanced Skills and Drills
Kristy Oshiro
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
5+ years
Participants in this workshop will be immersed in a challenging and fast-paced learning environment where we will focus on drills that work on many different aspects of taiko form, technique and musicality. We will then take those drills and vary them, link them, and layer them in ways that can be applied to the drills you already know. This workshop was presented in 2007 and will feature all new drills!
Workshop #58
TaKeTiNa-A Different Way of Experiencing Rhythm
Elaine Fong
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 3:00 PM
Are you curious about the nature of rhythm? Imagine the possibility that taiko drummers with 1 year of experience, and master taiko drummers can all engage in a deeply rhythmic learning process. Can you imagine an organic way of experiencing rhythm that is radically different from the way all of us learn taiko? Like kumidaiko, taketina is a group process. In taketina your innate rhythmic ability is accessed, using the body as the main instrument. Participants are guided into three different rhythmic layers - voice, steps and hands. Have you ever been curious about what a plyrhythm is? In taketina, you will have a chance to encounter a polyrhythmic journey. Taketina can provide an interesting complement to taiko instruction, as this rhythmic process reinforces a natural, non-linear “at your own pace” way of learning that can develop kinesthetic (body feel) awareness of rhythm. In the taketina process, musicians are as challenged as participants who may have no previous rhythmic experience or training.