ONE DAY WORKSHOP: Sunday, November 20, 2016  10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Learn about taiko notation, basic rhythms and history at this one-day, hands-on workshop. At the end of the workshop, participants will have learned a taiko piece. No previous experience is necessary.

Venue: Taiko Space, (near Clark Drive & Frances Street)

Fee: $75 general or $50 for students/ seniors/ unemployed. Participants must be a minimum of 16 years of age.

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing, and bring a lunch. Bring soft-soled indoor athletic footwear, or be prepared to go barefoot – street shoes cannot be worn inside the taiko space. Water and juice will be provided.

Download Registration Form

The 2016 Regional Taiko Gathering ended with a BOOM! as Tiffany Tamaribuchi and Friends, Vancouver Okinawa Taiko and Winnipeg’s Fubuki Daiko rocked The Rio to close out the RTG in style. Thanks to the taiko players from across the continent who joined us for an amazing weekend of drumming, food and laughter. The blisters will fade but the memories will linger . . . check out a gallery from the weekend HERE.

INK

Miyake-Jima Geino Doushi-Kai taiko drumming workshops will be held in Vancouver, Canada, May 28 – May 29 at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Asian Centre Building – Music Studio (room 105). Led by Kazuhiro Tsumura. DETAILS AND REGISTRATION.

There will be two short (2 hour) workshops and an intensive (10 hour) workshop. The short workshops may be suitable for beginners or as a refresher for those who have studied the miyake form in the past. The intensive workshop features advanced techniques, kiyari (the chant), and kagura (shinto ceremonial) version. Beginners to taiko may join the intensive workshop.

Miyake-Jima Geino Doushi-Kai is an organization that is based upon promoting and preserving Miyake Taiko. The organization is founded by Akio Tsumura who comes from Miyake Island  and taught the Miyake Taiko style to the taiko group KODO. His sons will teach the workshops.

Miyake Taiko is a traditional Japanese taiko drumming style that has become popularized through the works of KODO and is performed non-stop for nine hours during ceremonial festivals on Miyake Island, Japan.

World Music Concert
Friday, May 6 7:00pm
Inlet Theatre, City Hall
Port Moody, BC

Uzume Taiko is known around the world for its bold musical collaborations and theatrical stage presence. As part of the Port Moody Youth Arts Fest, Uzume Taiko & Friends perform an amazing night of world music and drumming. Boris Sichon, Paul Bray and Kesseke Yeo will join the Ensemble playing a diverse collection of percussive and melodic instruments.

Tickets $5.00 /ticket
For online tix and more details

SAVE THE DATE: Vancouver Taiko Society Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, May 11, 7pm
111 West Hastings Street

ONE DAY WORKSHOP
Sunday, May 15, 2016 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Learn about taiko history, notation, and basic rhythms at this one-day, hands-on workshop. At the end of the workshop, participants will have learned a taiko piece. No previous experience is necessary.

Venue: Taiko Space, Vancouver

Fee: $75 general or $50 for students/ seniors/ unemployed. Participants must be a minimum of 16 years of age.

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing, and bring a lunch. Bring soft-soled indoor athletic footwear, or be prepared to go barefoot – street shoes cannot be worn inside the taiko space. Water and juice will be provided.

Please call 604-683-8240 before sending the registration form below and payment to Katari Taiko to:

Katari Taiko Workshop Registration
#410 – 111 Hastings Street West, Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4
Tel: 604.683-8240; Fax: 604.683.7911
E-mail: diane@dkam.ca; www.kataritaiko.bc.ca

Applicants will be accepted on a first come, first served basis to a maximum of 15. Registration will not be confirmed until the fee is paid.

Please Become A Member!

Katari Taiko Drum Group Association is a non-profit society dedicated to educating Canadians about the history, art and performance of traditional and contemporary taiko music (Japanese drumming). Your membership shows your support for the work of Katari Taiko. You will receive news and notices of upcoming performances and the annual general meeting.

KT Workshop Form

Have you ever wanted to play taiko? Are you looking for new skills? Attend the 2016 Regional Taiko Gathering in Vancouver this summer.  Some of the most skilled and well-respected taiko leaders and other artists will present a variety of hands-on workshops. You will also have a chance to enjoy a concert by leading  taiko players in North America and meet members of the taiko community.  The event is open for beginners, youth, practitioners, and professionals alike.

ONE DAY WORKSHOP
Sunday, February 21, 2016 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Learn about taiko history, notation, and basic rhythms at this one-day, hands-on workshop. At the end of the workshop, participants will have learned a taiko piece. No previous experience is necessary.

Venue: Taiko Space, Vancouver

Fee: $75 general or $50 for students/ seniors/ unemployed. Participants must be a minimum of 16 years of age.

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing, and bring a lunch. Bring soft-soled indoor athletic footwear, or be prepared to go barefoot – street shoes cannot be worn inside the taiko space. Water and juice will be provided.

Please call 604-683-8240 before sending the registration form below and payment to Katari Taiko to:

Katari Taiko Workshop Registration
#410 – 111 Hastings Street West, Vancouver, BC V6B 1H4
Tel: 604.683-8240; Fax: 604.683.7911
E-mail: diane@dkam.ca; www.kataritaiko.bc.ca

Applicants will be accepted on a first come, first served basis to a maximum of 15. Registration will not be confirmed until the fee is paid.

Please Become A Member!

Katari Taiko Drum Group Association is a non-profit society dedicated to educating Canadians about the history, art and performance of traditional and contemporary taiko music (Japanese drumming). Your membership shows your support for the work of Katari Taiko. You will receive news and notices of upcoming performances and the annual general meeting.

KT Workshop Form

by Susanne Tabata

Against the Current, a co-production between the Vancouver Taiko Society and the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival, took the stage on November 6 at the Japanese Hall on Alexander Street. It was at once a great piece of art and a reminder of the dispossession and reclamation of culture common to First Nations and Japanese Canadians.

While a stripped-down version of this performance work took place this past summer at the Powell Street Festival, it took a seated audience in a quiet historic building to be able to make sense of the story. Two interwoven cultures, both with a common love of the sea; unbowed by past historic injustices; standing together in song, dance, drumming and spoken word.  All on the ground that once was home to their kin – the salmon as a metaphor for the lifecycle and journey home.

There are so many moving parts to this performance so we turned the tables on one of the creators of the work who is also the editor of The Bulletin, John Endo Greenaway, to ask him a few questions about this great piece of contemporary work.

How long did it take you to create this work? 

Although there was big push in the two months before the show, the process before then was rather long and unhurried. You could say it meandered like a lazy stream, and then turned into a raging torrent. But seriously, it began about two years ago. We had our first work-in-progress showing of the taiko works at Katari Taiko’s 30th Anniversary concert at the Vancouver Playhouse last December. I actually missed that show because I was in hospital recovering from a sudden case of acute pancreatitis – thankfully my daughter Emiko was able to step in at the very last second and play my part. I guess my illness and recovery was in keeping with the theme of the show! When we premiered the piece at the Powell Street Festival most of the pieces were in place, but we added quite a bit of the non-taiko content for the Japanese Hall show, including adding in Grace Eiko Thomson as one the “voices” of the piece.

She was my personal favourite!

Me too! I’ve known Grace for a long time and worked with her in various capacities but never dreamed we’d share a stage together. Of all the performers, it was the biggest stretch for her and I’m so pleased so agreed to do it – she did a fabulous job!

What performers were featured in this performance?

There were about sixty performers all told, including five of Vancouver’s taiko groups; the Lil’wat family singing group Tzo’kam led by Russell Wallace; storyteller Rosemary Georgeson, who worked in the fishing industry for a long time; and Grace of course.

How were you able to have so many creative voices providing input into this work without losing your vision?

It can be difficult working with so many people, but, in this case, those cumulative voices ended up providing the vision for the piece, each one layered upon the other to create a multi-dimensional whole. To me that is the key to the power of the finished work – that sense of community. It wasn’t an intellectual or academic exercise, it was very real and honest. I don’t think there were a lot of egos to begin with, but if they existed, they were checked at the door. It was really a pleasure working with everyone.

Is Against the Current as you originally imagined it?

Yes and no. To be honest, the original vision was so amorphous and unstructured, that the final result was a pleasant surprise. We brought most of the performers together in July for the first time, not long before the Powell Street performance. Tzo’kam had worked with Sawagi Taiko before, but I had never worked with them, or with Rose. By the end of that rehearsal, I knew it would work, and I was very happy!

The relationship between our cultures could use more exploration. Do you have any ideas about that? 

You know, to be honest, I’d never put that much thought into the relationship before this collaboration. As I worked on the script with Savannah Walling and teased out the various threads, it became clear that there is a lot of common ground, even though in some ways, the two cultures are very different. I hope that this was not just a one-off, and that we can continue to explore art-making together in the future.

Keep your hopes up that an encore performance of Against the Current will be programmed next May 2016 when Vancouver Asian Heritage Month will feature a Japanese Canadian theme.

Press (courtesy of Vancouver Moving Theatre)

[Against the Current]  Hardy salmon focus for two very different cultures…. The resilient fish is a good metaphor for both of these resilient communities in the area, which have faced everything from extradition from traditional territories to wartime internment and more… It is an area in transition and one where community collaboration is key to its survival…. “So many of these shows come out of cultural groups brainstorming about something that can be done which speaks to their experience and the neighbourhood,” said Greenaway. “In this case it was an idea around salmon and fishing traditions in the Japanese community, and I felt it was impossible not to bring in First Nations, and it all came together so organically. “And as it came together, the threads of salmon as a sustaining force in both communities, and also struggling against almost impossible odds to meet your goals intertwined.  – The Province

Against the Current: Taiko and Indigenous Voices Shake the Japanese Hall… It was at once a great piece of art and a reminder of the dispossession and reclamation of culture common to First Nations and Japanese Canadians… Two interwoven cultures, both with a common love of the sea; unbowed by past historic injustice; standing together in song, dance, drumming and spoken word.  All on the ground that once was home to their kin- the salmon as a metaphor for the lifecycle and journey home. – The Bulletin: a journal of Japanese Canadian Community

Audience Feedback

Over the years, I have been following the story of the salmon. I love that the story of the Salmon people keeps return and evolving in the community, just like the returning cycle of the salmon.

I loved the collaboration with First Nations and Japanese. Fantastic show – Amazing drumming! 

This was the coolest event I have ever attended in my life!!! And I was at Woodstock! More!! This can change the world!! (Blaine, Washington, USA)

The talents and skills utilized are phenomenal … an unstoppable force!

Bridging the two communities together is a fantastic way to build solidarity and respect for all. Great festival! Lots of amazing talent. 

It was a great show.  I loved the combination of First Nations song and Japanese drumming. Both cultures’ mixture!

What a wonderful show!  Amazing to see the collaboration and so important to celebrate our salmon. Hope to see more!  (North Vancouver)

I was very excited to see the collaboration across communities in “Against the Current”. 

What a beautiful collaboration!  I was struck by the power and grace of both the Salish performers and Taiko drummers – they blended beautifully.

This was absolutely amazing!  The best show I’ve seen in a very long time. 

So much talent and spirit! 

Beautiful!

Awesome Show.

Incredible performances. It was a fabulous experience!

Double Happiness!  Drumming! Singing!

Quite amazing how two cultures’ drumming mixed with each other.

Incredible! Thank you!  More!

Stunning & Powerful – Thank you!!

Arigato!! Great Job.

Five Stars.