Portland Taiko | Workshops

Adult Community Workshop
This workshop for beginners is an introduction to the roots of taiko and the history of North American taiko. Students will learn the basics of good form while learning Renshu, the practice song, in the oral tradition. Try your hand at this invigorating activity! Due to limited space, this workshop is only open to first-timers through the Taste of Taiko beginner workshop package.

Basics of Barrel Taiko Making - Toshi Kato
The rapid growth of Taiko in North America has been possible due to the invention of barrel-taiko. Although taiko making may be time consuming, there is no easier, efficient, and cheaper way of making a good sounding taiko than using wine or whiskey barrels. Toshi Kato will lead a workshop to give you all the knowledge necessary in making quality barrel-taikos. Groups that want to start making their own drums, or people who want to brush up on their barrel-taiko making skills are strongly encouraged to attend.

Building Practice Drums for Your Taiko Team - June Schumann
Learn to make practice taiko from PVC pipe, a method first introduced by Uzume Taiko of Vancouver, BC. Members of Portland Taiko will share our knowledge with teams from other taiko groups. The workshop is designed as a team project. Each team will be given information about materials and tools needed, learn the basics in cutting and preparing the PVC pipes, and participate in the final steps of stretching and fastening the cowhide. Participating team will take home the PVC taiko completed by the team. Minimum of 3 persons and maximum of 6 persons per team. Bring camera to record your team’s drum building in process. $100.00 for materials and supplies.

Composing for Taiko - Byron Au Young
This workshop provides the compositional tools that inspire fearless creativity. Explore ways to structure rhythmic motifs, movement phrases, and other taiko ideas into a musical whole. Analyze various compositions, discuss the process of arranging kumi-daiko music, and generate sketches. Participants will gain practical skills to help them complete unfinished works or refine existing catastrophes.

Improvisation and Spontaneous Creativity - Russel Baba & Jeanne Mercer
Learn to develop group and individual skills to build overall awareness, insight, sensitivity, strength, and confidence through basic exercises and practice with improvisation. This workshop will utilize sounds and tones from various taiko, percussion, and other musical instruments as well as body movement. Please feel free to bring "narimono" and other instruments to add more dimensions to this session.

Introduction to Itsuka: Visual Music - Michelle Fujii
This 2-hour workshop presents a short arrangement of the movement-oriented piece, Itsuka. Participants will learn the basic elements of creating visual music, learn a new movement vocabulary, and explore the concept of taiko movement phrases.

Hogaku Hayashi (classical drumming) and Edo Bayashi (Tokyo festival music) in Kumi Daiko - Kenny Endo
This workshop will cover basic patterns from traditional classical and festival music and explore how they can be incoporated into modern kumi taiko. Concentrating on the patterns for shime daiko, this workshop will introduce both techniques for playing shime daiko as well as ways in which these rhythms can be applied to ensembles of various sized taiko.

Polyrhythms and Odd Time Signatures for Taiko Players - Jason Overy
You’ve got 2 hands, why not play a different rhythm in each one! Participants will learn to play polyrhthms on taiko. Keeping the beat and the “feel” going while playing in an odd metres of 5,7,9,11 and all of the above combined will also be discussed. Step outside of the “4 on the floor” and experience the rhythms of the middle east, eastern Europe, and African music in this workshop.

Scales and Composing with Fue - Masato Baba
Explore different scales that Masato has used in his compositions. Apply these scales to begin composing. A number six fue tuned to a western scale and basic technique will be required.

Small Drum Technique - Masato Baba
The large drums of taiko are often the focus of the taiko ensemble, but the smaller drums play a critical role in much kumidaiko music. This workshop covers basic small drum technique and emphasizes some of the differences between nagado (chu-daiko) hitting form and shime form. The drills and concepts of Small Drum Technique empower faster, more controlled playing and focused, effective practice.

Soran Bushi - Toru Watanabe
Soran Bushi originates from Japan's northernmost island, Hokkaido. It is a fisherman's dance, evoking the process of catching herring - setting the boat out to sea, casting and retrieving the nets, folding sails, and loading the catch. This powerful dance uses one's entire body to express this hard work. Please be prepared to sweat in this very energetic, team-building workshop!

What All the Cool Kids are Doing - Kelsey Furuta & Kristy Oshiro
Often times, adult taiko players will say, “I wish I had taiko when I was growing up…” As youth, we are so lucky to be a part of such an extensive taiko community that has brought us together to share stories, friendship, and energy. So let’s have fun, and take advantage of that! Come to this workshop to meet and connect with other youth from the region. Hang out with old friends and welcome new friends to the taiko community. The workshop will include drills, jams, and simple composing/collaboration.

Taiko on the Move - Bonnie Soon
Activate your body to create new movement that will express visual metaphors along with the taiko beats. Imagery and gestures will be explored to communicate your power, grace and emotion while playing taiko drums.

Taiko Tidbits - Stan Shikuma
How was taiko started? Who is known as the “father of taiko” here? in Japan? Why squat so low on Miyake? or do sit-ups on Yatai Bayashi? What is kuchi-shoga? Can you speak odaiko, shime and atarigane? Know any cool Ainu songs? What’s a polyrhythm? How hard is it to count to four? If you don’t know, then this workshop is for you! A must for those who think about taiko!

Taste of Taiko
This introductory track is for students who have never played taiko before and includes two workshops. Your first is the Adult Community Workshop where you will learn a bit about the history of taiko and North American taiko then try your hand at this invigorating activity. At your second workshop, learn the Basics of Barrel Taiko Making with Toshi Kato.

Twirl! - Yuta Kato
Yuta Kato will teach his version of Twirl Renshu by exploring the many possibilities of twirling bachi, all in one piece. Be prepared to be challenged and feel free to take the exercise home to include the twirling skills within your own pieces.

Vocal Improvisation with Taiko - Linda Uyehara Hoffman
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.

West African Shakere - Israel nii Annoh
The shekere, or hyotan, is a percussion instrument that often accompanies taiko ensemble music. In this workshop, participants will learn basic techniques of the West African shekere.

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WORKSHOP LEADER BIOGRAPHIES

Israel nii Annoh
Born in Accra, Southern Ghana, Israel Annoh’s love for the drums began with playing hand drums and African percussion in the Anohware Cultural Group. He has performed and toured in Great Britain, Ghana, the Republics of Benin and Togo, and in West Germany. For the last 20 years, Annoh has been based in Portland, OR, performing with Ghanaian drum master Obo Addy, Northwest Afrikan American Ballet, Gino Vannelli and the Michael Allen Harrison Band. Annoh has been on the teaching staff for Jefferson Performing Arts music and dance departments for the past 14 years as well as teaching at the Salem Thunderbird Dance Camp, the MetroArts Young Musicians & Artist Camp, Portland Public Schools and numerous residencies.

Bryron Au Young
Byron Au Yong has written over 50 compositions, including works for the On Ensemble. His music has been performed in Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the United States and has been funded by the American Composers Forum, Ford Foundation, and Meet the Composer. He has collaborated with six taiko groups and has taught music to beginning and advanced drummers in Los Angeles, New York, Penang, Seattle, and Tokyo.

Masato Baba
Masato Baba started playing taiko at age 6 under the tutelage of his parents and founding members of Shasta Taiko, Russel Baba and Jeanne Mercer. In 1996 he moved to Hawaii to study and perform with the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble. He taught at Endo's school, the Taiko Center of the Pacific, and directed the center's youth group. In Tokyo, he studied taiko with the Nihon Taiko Dojo and bamboo flutes with Kyosuke Suzuki of the Wakayama school. Baba has become one of the most respected taiko players in North America. Currently living in Los Angeles, he maintains an active performance schedule with On Ensemble and as a performing member of TAIKOPROJECT (re)generation.

Russel Baba & Jeanne Mercer
Russel Hisashi Baba is a gifted musician and creative artist who has focused on refining an intuitive natural style. His distinctive sound on the saxophone and flutes, plus the innovative approach in his writing, have opened opportunities to perform and tour with esteemed artists in the creative as well as traditional fields, notably, jazz musicians drummer Eddie Moore, violinist Michael White, and pianist Andrew Hills; taiko artist Seiichi Tanaka, Kenny Endo, and San Jose Taiko; and butoh dancer Min Tanaka. Russel may be one of the first Asian American artists to produce his own work with the critically acclaimed recording “Hisashi” in 1978. since then he has produced “ Earth Prayer” in 1992 which features Andrew Hills and “Spirit Drum- Taiko Stories From America in 1999 with Jeanne Mercer and now on CD. Russel started taiko training in 1972 with the San Francisco Taiko Dojo under Sensei Seiichi Tanaka, who introduced and fostered the taiko tradition in North America. Russel Baba and Jeanne Mercer founded Shasta Taiko in 1985, offering the art of taiko to hundreds of Mt. Shasta area youth and adults. Their program has developed some individuals who are emerging as exceptional artists and teachers themselves. Russel has influenced and inspired his peers as well as the next generation in jazz and taiko and is a recognized pioneer in Asian American jazz. Russel and Jeanne recently have been selected for the California Arts Council-2002-2003-2004 Touring Artists Directory featuring their performing group “Stories”.

Kenny Endo
Kenny Endo is a performer/composer and pioneer in contemporary taiko. Utilizing the traditional Japanese drum in innovative collaborations, his music blends taiko with rhythms influenced from around the world in original melodies and improvisation. Trained in western drums and percussion, Endo began his studies of kumi daiko (ensemble drumming) in 1975 with Kinnara Taiko (Los Angeles) and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo. In 1980, Endo embarked on a decade-long odyssey in Japan studying with the masters of hogaku hayashi (classical), matsuri bayashi (festival), and kumi daiko. He is the first non-Japanese national to be honored with a natori (stage name and master's degree) in hogaku hayashi, and has an M.A. in Music specializing in ethnomusicology from the University of Hawai'i. Endo's original compositions and performances have been well received by audiences throughout the world. As a composer, Endo has released three CDs: 'Eternal Energy' (1995), 'Hibiki' (1998), and 'Jugoya' (2000). Recently, Endo performed as a taiko soloist with the Honolulu Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, percussionist Kiyohiko Semba, Hawaii Opera Theater, and with singer, Bobby McFerrin. His ensemble recently performed on tour in Germany and Belgium, at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., at the Georgia Dome for Microsoft's Global Meeting, and opened for The Who concert in Honolulu. Endo maintains an active schedule performing, collaborating, composing, and teaching while also serving as Artistic Director of Taiko Center of the Pacific, a school of traditional Japanese drumming in Honolulu. Working with artists in various genre, he has paved new directions in using the traditional taiko, bringing a refreshing and creative approach to music through his background in western, ethnic, and traditional Japanese drumming. For more about Kenny Endo's work please see: www.kennyendo.com

Michelle Fujii
Michelle joined Portland Taiko leadership in 2005 after touring nationally with PTE for several years. Known for her innovative fusion of taiko and dance, Michelle is a member of the North American Taiko Conference Advisory Board. She started her taiko training as a performing member of San Jose Taiko and went on to become artistic director of UCLA Kyodo Taiko the first collegiate taiko group of its kind. After graduating with a degree in Ethnomusicology, Michelle rejoined San Jose Taiko as artistic staff. In 2001 she was awarded the prestigious Bunka-cho fellowship from the Japanese government to study with Japan's foremost traditional folk dance troupe, Warabiza, where she studied under the tutelage of master dancer/choreographer Shohei Kikuchi.

Kelsey Furuta
Kelsey Furuta began playing taiko at the age of 10 with Tsunami Taiko of Seattle, Washington, the first children’s taiko group in the Pacific Northwest. She was also an original cast member of TAIKOPROJECT, participating in its world premier tour of “(re):generation.” She continues to compose and perform with Tsunami, and is a recent graduate of Seattle University with a BA in Liberal Studies. Kelsey was lucky enough to have the opportunity to culminate her four years of academic studies and twelve years of taiko playing with her latest taiko project, producing a concert for the two youth groups in Seattle.

Toshi Kato
In 1973, Toshi Kato came to the U.S. seeking greater exposure to music. After living in San Francisco for 13 years, he moved to his current home in Concord, California. Kato plays the guitar, piano, drums, and has constantly shared his love of music with his family. When his son and daughter took up taiko at the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, he slowly got involved in the drum-making aspect. He started off by making taiko for the local group, “Shinmu Daiko,” and also built drums for his own community rice-pounding group, “Kagami-Kai.” In 2003 with the suggestion of his son to sell some Taikos at the Taiko Conference Marketplace, Kato decided to seriously study and improve his barrel-taiko building techniques. Kato recently quit his day job as a gardener and is, for the first time, following his passion for music by building Taiko drums of good quality and reasonable prices for the taiko community.

Yuta Kato
Yuta Kato grew up in Concord, California, studying karate and performing from an early age with Kagami Kai, a folk mochi rice-pounding and music ensemble. With these influences in music and movement, he joined the San Francisco Taiko Dojo’s Rising Stars at the age of 12. Yuta graduated from UCLA in 2003 with a B.A. in World Arts and Cultures, and during his college years, he joined UCLA Kyodo Taiko and served as their Artistic Director. He also danced with Modern Hip Hop Teams of UCLA and with DVS (a competition Hip Hop Team). In 2002, Yuta studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan, studying with Kiyonari Tosha (one of the original Sukeroku Taiko members), and spent a month studying the folk Taiko tradition of Hachijo Island. In 2003 and 2005 he served as the Assistant Coordinator for the North American Taiko Conference, and this experience has heavily influenced his thoughts about the role of Taiko in the community. Yuta has performed with TAIKOPROJECT and On Ensemble, taught taiko classes at Higashi Honganji, and advised the new UCLA Taiko group called Yukai Daiko. He currently works for Portland Taiko as artistic staff.

Kristy Oshiro
Kristy, Japanese American, grew up in Hawaii and has been playing taiko from the age of nine. She played taiko with Kona Daifukiji Taiko under the leadership of Reverend Ryuji Tamiya in Hawaii. She joined Portland Taiko in 2001 and is currently a member of the Portland Taiko's community group, teaches Portland Taiko classes and is a music major at Portland State University.

Jason Overy
Originally from Victoria, Jason Overy moved to Vancouver after completing a Bachelor's degree in performance at the University of Victoria. Since then he has performed, toured and recorded with a variety of local and international acts in a wide range of styles. Jason also composes music for theatre and modern dance and has received a Jessie award for music composition and performance for the TJ Dawe play entitled Tired Cliches.

June Schumann
June Arima Schumann is one of the founding members of Portland Taiko. She has lead Portland Taiko's drum building activities, and has taught volunteers to participate in the entire process of drum making. She is one of few women taiko builders in this country. In her other life, June is the director of Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center located in Portland's Old Town where Japantown thrived until 1941.

Stan Shikuma
Stan Shikuma has been playing taiko since 1981. He performs with Seattle Kokon Taiko, directs Kaze Daiko (a taiko youth group), and serves on the Board of the North American Taiko Conference. As a taiko performer, composer and percussionist, he has worked on: new opera, live accompaniment to Japanese silent films, puppet theater, a Playstation game soundtrack, an educational CD-ROM, Butoh dance, and avant-garde performance pieces. He has also written several articles on the history, teaching, and performance of taiko.

Bonnie Soon
Bonnie Soon has been involved with Uzume Taiko for twelve years, creating and performing work that is toured nationally and internationally. She teaches taiko drumming in the Lower Mainland for both children and adults. She began her performing career as a dancer, touring with numerous companies including Paula Ross Modern Dance Company, Kokoro Dance, and Snake in the Grass Moving Theatre. Bonnie has professional credits in stage management and has worked in all aspects of media production from graphic design to video production.

Linda Uyehara Hoffman
Linda Uyehara Hoffman has been a taiko player for over twenty years. She was a founding member of Katari Taiko, the first taiko group in Canada, and of Sawagi Taiko, the first all-women’s taiko group in North America. She performed as a folk singer/guitarist in coffee houses in Vancouver, BC, San Francisco Bay area, and the US Midwest, as well as singing on the streets throughout the south of France.

Toru Watanabe
Toru Watanabe, folk dance artist and performer, began performing and choreographing in college for Yossakoi Team. In 2001, Watanabe became a performing member of Warabi-za, one of Japan’s foremost folk-dance performing groups located in the Northern prefecture of Akita. He has appeared in three original musical productions and is an organizer and head teacher in Warabiza’s in-house residency program for youth. Watanabe performs over 200 times per year throughout Japan as well as choreographing dances for musicals at various local community theatre groups (students groups, adult community groups).

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