• Workshop 3—Drumming Across Surfaces: Multi-Drum Basics

    Dive into the rhythm and excitement of drumming across multiple taiko! This workshop will focus on essential techniques to enhance your ability to move your bachi seamlessly from drum to drum. We will cover the basics of coordinating your movements as you play on various drums, building your confidence and skill, engage in targeted exercises designed to help you transition smoothly between drums, enhancing your overall drumming fluency, and combine everything into a lively and enjoyable practice exercise that you can incorporate into your own taiko practice. Bring lightweight shime/ okedo bachi.

  • Workshop 3—Embodied Storytelling through Movement

    PJ will present an immersive movement experience based on her creative initiative “TaikoPeace” (acronym for Partnerships, Empathy, And Creative Empowerment). She will incorporate elements of her dance “Ei Ja Nai Ka” and share a dynamic exercise she calls “Embodied Storytelling” that promotes group bonding and community building.

  • Workshop 3—Fue: Beginning Technique, Drills, and Scales

    We will learn various techniques on how to approach the shinobue on #6, #7, and/or #8 utabue which are shinobue tuned to a Western scale. We will learn different scales that I use to compose melodies.

  • Workshop 3—Hachijo Daiko

    History, background, and all the technical tools necessary for eventual creation of your very own Hachijo Daiko expression.

  • Workshop 3—Improvisation, spontaneous creativity

    We improvise daily. We make plans & adjust as things come up. Improvisation is a reaction to action. Improvising music allows us to offer ideas while being flexible & flow. It helps to open the ears to listen & respond. One does not have to do improvisation while performing, but practicing improvisational music will help with overall awareness, creativity, & development of skills.

  • Workshop 3—Injury Prevention

  • Workshop 3—Katsugi Okedo Fundamentals

    Katsugi okedo is a fun, challenging, and dynamic style that offers players many options for musical and visual expression and creativity. This workshop will focus on laying the groundwork for future study with a strong emphasis on building good habits, performing colorfully, and exploring the potential of the style.

  • Workshop 3—Odaiko Kihon

    Basics for performing on the ‘big drum’ will include stance, grip, hitting techniques, training tips, maximizing sounds, and relaxing. Traditional Kabuki patterns on the odaiko will also be introduced.  A practice odaiko piece, Odaiko Kakeai Kihon Kyoku (an open source piece), will be taught focusing on fundamentals, simple improvisation, base beat patterns, and becoming more comfortable and dynamic at performing the odaiko.

  • Workshop 3—Shime Daiko Soirée

    Using only shime daiko, we will work together to create a piece focusing on transitions and multiple Ji.

  • Workshop 3—Shime Drills

    Learn the shime drills San Jose Taiko teaches during its Audition Process as well as how these skills are evaluated.