Heather Mitchell-Buck, Author at Mark H Rooney Taiko

Fall classes are ALMOST HERE!

08.24.2023 by Heather Mitchell-Buck //

All of us here at Mark H Taiko love summer … but we also can’t wait for fall because it means the return of taiko classes. So if you are ready to hit some big drums … READ ON! We have a busy season filled with LOTS of taiko ahead of us!

Not sure which of our classes is right for you? Just ask Mark H and he’ll help you decide which class is the right fit!

Intro Workshops

Sunday, September 10 AND Sunday, September 17, from 5 – 8 pm

people playing taiko in an introductory workshop

If you’ve never tried taiko before, or if you’re looking for a refresher on your taiko fundamentals, join us for one of our TWO upcoming Introductory Taiko Workshops and find out what it feels like to play a drum with your whole body. This workshop is a prerequisite for our Adult Rec Class, so if you want to join that class, be sure you signed up for one of these two workshops FIRST!

Adult Rec Class

Sundays from 5 – 7 pm, beginning on September 24

As always, our Adult Rec Class is a great opportunity for taiko players at all levels to get together and have fun playing taiko with a bunch of other amazing people. Like our Intro Workshops, this class usually sells out FAST, so don’t wait to register!

Skills Class

Sundays from 2 – 4 pm, beginning on September 24

If you took Otoha Asano’s All-Levels Shime-daiko workshop last month and you’re ready to up your taiko mojo, join us for the next session of our Skills Class! There’s nothing like working on your shime technique to improve your all-around taiko playing and to help you understand the songs in your personal taiko repertoire inside and out.

Styles Class

Tuesdays from 8 – 10 pm, beginning on September 27

Thanks to Otoha Asano’s amazing workshops this summer, we know many of you are REALLY eager to keep learning Odaiko! If that’s YOU, grab a spot in our Styles Class this fall. This powerful style is what many people think of when they hear the word “taiko” … and, as anyone who has ever tried playing odaiko can tell you, it’s a challenging and exhilarating experience.

Plus: Fall Recital!

Sunday, November 19 @ 7:00 pm

As always, our classes will wrap up with an informal, family-friendly recital. Please save the date and join us to see loads of fun taiko! The recital is a great way to kick off the holiday season and celebrate our whole Mark H Taiko community. More details on the recital will be posted here soon – stay tuned!

We can’t wait to see everyone this fall!

Summer workshops with Otoha Asano!

06.21.2023 by Heather Mitchell-Buck //

Announcing our 2023 Artist in Residence: Otoha Asano!

Born into a family with a 400-year drum manufacturing history, Otoha Asano had very early exposure to taiko. She has since pursued the path of becoming a professional taiko artist and teacher in order to share her passion for wadaiko and to inspire the next generation of taiko players.

Join us July 30 – August 6!

Otoha-san will be in the DC area for a FULL WEEK and will be offering SEVEN (yes, you read that right!) open workshops!

Trust us: you do NOT want to miss this opportunity to learn from one of Japan’s master odaiko players and teachers.

Otoha Asano plays odaiko in a bright red dress

Three Odaiko Workshops + Two Intensives!

Whether you’ve just taken your first series of our Recreational Taiko Class, or you’re an experienced taiko player looking to build your skills and creativity as a soloist, we have an Odaiko workshop or intensive that is right for you!

(psssst – we’ll let you in on a little secret! The Fall 2023 series of Mark H’s Styles Class will be focusing on Odaiko, so if you want to join that class and don’t have previous Odaiko experience, be sure to sign up for Otoha-san’s All-Levels Odaiko Workshop so you are ready to join the class!)

Plus Two Shimedaiko Workshops!

Otoha-san will also be offering two Shimedaiko workshops! These are perfect for anyone ready to begin their journey with this nuanced and challenging instrument … or who’s interested in improving their shime technique.

(We’ve got ANOTHER secret for you! We’ve got some cool opportunities to keep working on that shime technique coming up in our Skills Class, so don’t miss Otoha-san’s All-Levels Shimedaiko Workshop if you’re new to shime playing!)

Take multiple workshops and save!

Want to take more than one workshop? Of course we’ve got you covered with a sweet discount! Sign up for 2 or more workshops and SAVE 10% on your registration!

Sign up today!

We welcome current and former Mark H Taiko students as well as anyone from out of town who’s looking for a little taiko camaraderie! So click that button below to get more info and register!

Registration + More Info

Introductory Taiko Workshops coming up in September!

06.16.2023 by Heather Mitchell-Buck //

Not to brag, but our Introductory Taiko Workshop is one of the best things to do in DC on a Sunday evening. It’s a lot of fun, you get a great workout, there are always interesting people to meet, and oh yeah … you get to hit BIG drums with BIG sticks! What better way is there to kick off your week?

Two Intro Workshops this September!

Because our Intro Workshops have been so popular recently, we have TWO dates to choose from this September. We hope that you can join us on Sunday, September 10 OR Sunday, September 17 from 5:00 – 8:00pm!

If you are interested in joining our Recreational Taiko Class, you absolutely want to register for this workshop, because it’s the prerequisite for joining the class!