Mark H Rooney, Taiko Instructor and Performer
markh@markhtaiko.com
Artist’s Bio
Mark H Rooney – “the world’s most dangerous half-Japanese/half-Scottish solo improvisational taiko artist” – has been studying, performing, and teaching taiko for the past 20 years in the US, Japan and Europe. He was the Artistic Director of Odaiko New England, the founding instructor for Wesleyan University’s taiko program, and a touring member of Taikoza. Mark has collaborated with a wide variety of artists and groups including Tiger Okoshi, Opera unMet, UpRooted Dance, Arts on the Horizon, and ilyAIMY. He now lives in the Washington DC area, continuing with his mission: “taiko for all people at all levels.”
Photos
Click photo to go to hi-res version
#randomactsoftaiko
Check out all the photos, tweets, and videos from Mark H’s immersive social media performance in October 2015.
Selected Press Coverage
Discover Nikkei, June 22, 2015
Associated Press, October 7, 2014:
Public Asian, November 13, 2013:
Reuters/Yahoo News, Dedication of Stone Lantern Plaza in Tidal Basin, 2013:
Takoma Park Folk Festival, August 15, 2012:
New City Patch, February 10, 2012:
The Epoch Times, May 5, 2009:
Curriculum Vitae
Professional Experience
- Instructor, Great Falls Elementary School Taiko Program, Fairfax, VA (Feb 2014 – Present)
- North American Taiko Conference Organizing Committee Member (2013 – Present)
- Tour Manager, Ryo Shimamoto North American Workshop Tour (2012 – Present)
- Director, Mark H Taiko School (2011 – Present)
- Affiliated Teacher, House of Musical Traditions, Takoma Park, MD (2011 – Present)
- Performing Member, Kizuna, Washington, DC (2011 – Present)
- Group Leader, Lakeville Youth Taiko, Lakeville, MA (2009 – 2011)
- Instructor, Summer Arts Intensive Youth Program, Roxbury, MA (2007 – 2011)
- Artistic/Executive Director, Odaiko New England, Boston, MA (2008 – 2010)
- Founding Instructor, Wesleyan University Taiko Program, Middleton, CT (2006 – 2010)
- Instructor, Concord-Carlisle High School Taiko Program and Advisor, Taiko After Dark, Concord, MA (2005 – 2010)
- Instructor, Allston Boys and Girls Club After School Taiko Program, Allston, MA (2005)
- Assistant Artistic Director, Odaiko New England, Boston, MA (2004 – 2007)
- Assistant Tour Manager, Kodo One Earth North American Tour (2005)
- Staff, Kodo Arts Sphere America (KASA)/Mix Japan Tour (2003)
- Staff, Kodo Earth Celebration (2002 – 2005)
Selected Workshop Clients
- Blue Man Group, Boston, MA
- East Coast Taiko Conference
- The Genki Spark, Boston, MA
- Mugen, Clarkstown High School, Clarkstown, NY
- North American Taiko Conference
- Philadelphia Taiko Center, Philadelphia, PA
- ShinDaiko, Boston, MA
- Shippu Uchi Daiko, Wakayama, Japan
- Taiko Tides, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
- UConn Taiko, Storrs, CT
- Wellesley University Aiko, Wellesley, MA
- Yamatai, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Performance Highlights
- Boston Center for the Arts’ Summer Concert Series
- Boston Children’s Museum
- Boston Red Sox National Anthem (with Tiger Okoshi)
- Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival, Cambridge, MA
- Cultural Series presented by Macy’s, National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
- Dedication of Japanese Lantern Plaza, Tidal Basin, Washington, DC
- Diplomatic Events at Japanese Ambassador’s Residence, Washington, DC
- Flower Mart at National Cathedral, Washington, DC
- Japan Society of Boston Annual Dinner
- Manjiro Festival, Fairhaven, MA
- National Cherry Blossom Festival Sakura Matsuri
- Opera in the Outfield, Washington National Opera at Nationals Park, Washington, DC
- PABU @ The Four Seasons, Baltimore, MD
- Peabody Essex Museum, Boston, MA
- Taikoza tours in US, Europe, and Russia
- Takoma Park Folk Festival, Takoma Park, MD
- Third Annual North American Taiko Conference, Los Angeles, CA
- Wesleyan University Commencement with Barack Obama in attendance
- Washington, DC Folk Festival
- WNBA Half Time Show, Mohegan Sun, Uncaseville, CT
- And more than 100 school performances
Performance Collaboration Highlights
- with Lumina Studio Theatre: Kabuki Coriolanus, Silver Spring, MD
- with Nen Daiko, Ekoji Buddhist Temple Obon Matsuri, Fairfax, VA
- with Nobuko Miyazaki: US Botanic Garden 1000 Bloom Chrysanthemum Festival, Washington, DC
- with Opera UnMet: The Ties that Bind MLK Celebrations, Boston, MA and New York, NY
- with UpRooted Dance: Performance at Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
Education and Taiko Training
- B.A., Boston University
- Ryo Shimamoto, Shippu Uchi Daiko
- Eiichi Saito, Kodo
- Elaine Fong, Odaiko New England
Influential Teachers
- Masato Baba
- Russell Baba
- Kris Bergstrom
- Kenny Endo
- Michelle Fujii
- Yoko Fujimoto
- Yoshikazu Fujimoto
- Patrick Graham
- Eitetsu Hayashi
- Shoji Kameda
- Seido Kobayashi
- Chieko Kojima
- Marco Leinhard
- Jeannie Mercer
- Yosuke Oda
- Tiffany Tamaribuchi
- Kaoru Watanabe
