May 2019
Advanced Skills Class: Spring 2019
Ready to up your taiko game? The Advanced Skills Class is for you! Back by popular demand: Naname uchi! Naname uchi is a style developed in the Tokyo area and then around the US as a particularly engaging, movement-strong drumming style. Origins come from the local temple festival styles which were more formalized by the group Oedo Sukeroku. Please note that this is NOT a beginners' class, this is more akin to TRAINING. The pacing will be faster and…
Find out more »June 2019
Meet the Artist: Yuta Kato
Don't miss this unique evening of performance and conversation with Yuta Kato! Mark H Taiko is proud to welcome Yuta as the next featured performer in our Meet the Artist series. These concerts offer you a rare opportunity to experience taiko in an informal, intimate setting. Unwind after a busy Friday with music and inspiration! Bring your questions and energy to share with Yuta, and feel free to further the conversation by joining us afterwards for a bite or a…
Find out more »Intro to Hachijo Daiko with Yuta Kato
Join us for the first of 3 workshops with Yuta Kato! This 3-hour workshop will introduce you the history, background, and cultural context of what we know today as the Hachijo style of taiko. https://youtu.be/YnLbBi_o88A Hachijojima is an island located 178 miles south of Tokyo. During the Edo Period, convicts who committed the worst crimes (political activism) were sent to Hachijo island. Often times these convicts were members of the educated Samurai class. They brought with them sophisticated art and…
Find out more »Creating your Hachijo Solo with Yuta Kato
This 3-hour workshop will dive into the details of how to practically go about creating your own Hachijo solo piece. Yuta will lead you through a series of exercises based on lessons learned throughout his Hachijo Daiko experience. Yuta's Intro to Hachijo Daiko workshop (or previous Hachijo Daiko experience) is required for those who wish to take this workshop. https://youtu.be/LJCv7kVEna8 Hachijojima is an island located 178 miles south of Tokyo. During the Edo Period, convicts who committed the worst…
Find out more »Hachijo Party with Yuta Kato
Experience Hachijo Daiko as it was meant to be! We'll do our best to recreate the natural setting of where Hachijo Daiko is usually played on the island of Hachijo. Join us for an evening of Friends + Food + Drinks + Taiko! https://youtu.be/bJStMgYTRds Your ticket for this evening's event gets you yummy Japanese food, lots of camaraderie, and time to hit the taiko and try out some of your new Hachijo riffs. Just want to watch? That's OK too, but we encourage…
Find out more »Yodan Uchi with Yuta Kato
"Yodan Uchi," which means hitting on 4 levels, was originally composed by Yoshihisa Ishikura, Yutaka Ishizuka, Seido Kobayashi, and Motoei Onozatoone of one the first kumidaiko groups in Japan (Sukeroku Taiko of Tokyo, formed in 1959). This exciting and dynamic piece, in which the players hit on all 4 drum heads, has become one of the most popular in the taiko world today. https://youtu.be/rQsZGBmoUKY In this workshop, Yuta will cover naname and 2-drum exercises and drills that are essential to playing…
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