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Mark H Rooney Taiko

Taiko Instructor & Performer

CONNECT 2020 is coming!

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Mark H Taiko is proud to present CONNECT 2020!

We had such a great time at CONNECT 2018 that we can’t wait to do it all again – but EVEN BETTER! – this summer! Please plan to join us in College Park, MD on August 1 & 2! This will be a conference experience you do NOT want to miss!

CONNECT 2020 banner

CONNECT 2020 allows all participants to have a shared experience. Everyone will get to take the same 4 awesome workshops (12 total hours of workshops in 2 days … and yes, that is EVEN MORE drumming than at CONNECT 2018!). We’ll also share meals, have lots of great time for conversation, and celebrate on Sunday night by performing for each other TOGETHER. This will be different from other taiko conferences – it is possible for everyone to meet EVERYONE!

We’re delighted to announce the truly amazing instructors who will be leading our workshops: Yurika Chiba, Ryo Shimamoto, Unit Souzou Co-Directors Michelle Fujii and Toru Watanabe, and David Wells!

CONNECT2020 instructors

Don’t miss your opportunity to CONNECT with your fellow taiko players this summer! Registration opens at NOON on Saturday, February 1, and you can find lots more information on our main conference page!

Sponsored by

ASANO TAIKO U.S.

2020 is almost here!

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Happy Holidays from Mark H Taiko!

Thanks to all of you who are part of the Mark H Taiko family for making 2019 such a fun, taiko-filled year! We’d like to pause and give a shout-out to all our incredible students, fabulous Miyako and MHTX members, and amazing friends from near and far who’ve joined us for workshops or for the Sakura Taiko Takeover over the past year. YOU are what makes our corner of the taiko world such a wonderful place to be and we are so glad to have you with us on this taiko journey. Doumo arigatou gozaimashita!

Another year is almost here … and with it, as always, MORE TAIKO!

Three awesome taiko workshops to kick off 2020!

As is our tradition here at Mark H Taiko, we’ll be starting the New Year with some workshops to help you get your taiko year in gear! Please save the date and join us in Takoma Park!

Saturday, January 4

Katsugi Okedo: The Moving Drum (12:00 – 3:00pm)
The okedo daiko is a tied drum with a barrel-shaped body – and it is light enough to move with you as you play! Learn the fundamentals of this exciting style and how to move as you drum!

Taiko Communication (4:00 – 7:00pm)
Spend some time focused on the connection and communication among taiko players while also learning key techniques for improvisation and soloing in a kumidaiko context!

Sunday, January 5

Intro to Naname Uchi (1:00 – 4:00pm)
Naname uchi is a favorite of many taiko players because it offers so many interesting possibilities for movement and expression. Whether you are new to naname (pssst, it’s our focus for the Winter Advanced Skills Class starting in January!), looking to brush up on fundamentals, or interested in exploring the methodology for teaching this style in your own group, this workshop is for you!

We hope to see you there!

All three of these workshops are open to anyone who has taken at least two full series of Mark’s Rec Class or has equivalent experience (about 6 months). We welcome visitors from out of town who are looking to start 2020 off with some taiko camaraderie! (And as always, those who sign up for multiple workshops get a special discount!)

Of course there’s lots of other great stuff happening next year too – our first Introductory Taiko Workshop of the year is on Sunday, January 12; classes will be starting up again in January; we’ve got a new Taiko Voices blog series in the works, featuring many of YOU from the Mark H Taiko community; the 2020 Sakura Taiko Takeover is happening at the Tidal Basin on Saturday, March 28; AND we’ve got CONNECT 2020 coming up on August 1 & 2! SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO!

We’ll see you in 2020!

Happy Fall from Mark H Taiko!

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person wearing grey socks stands on wooden stairs with pumpkin, leaves, and coffee
photo by Alex Geerts on Unsplash

It may still feel like summer here in DC (how many more of these 90-degree days are we going to have?) but we know you’re as ready for those warm and fuzzy fall feelings as we are!

We’re super excited to be back in the taiko zone again after a summer break. Our Fall class series kicked off this week and we’re loving all the great energy all of our students are bringing to the Recreational Taiko Class and Advanced Skills Class! Don’t miss the opportunity to see all of these great folks sharing that taiko energy at our Fall 2019 Recital … our Mark H Taiko recitals are always fun and family-friendly events and they just keep getting bigger and better every year.

Mark is also super excited to bring his newest venture, The Mark H Taiko Connection (aka MHTX), to the venue where he first saw taiko 22 years ago! Boston-area friends, come out at see MHTX at the Manjiro Festival in Fairhaven, MA this Saturday!

And for those of you looking ahead to 2020, we’re excited to announce our next Introductory Taiko Workshop, which is coming up on January 12 … our last several Intro Workshops have all sold out, so if you or a friend wants to sign up, don’t wait to register!

And now … bring on the pumpkin spice! 😉

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