March 2019
Advanced Skills Class: Winter 2019
Join Mark H for a class all about Timing, Bachi Control, & Speed! Want to broaden the range of what you can express through taiko? Ready to challenge and expand your taiko abilities? Working on these three intertwined skills can make a HUGE difference, no matter what style you are playing. In this series, we'll focus on drills and exercises that will improve all three skills, including double drum drills, metronome work, increasing lengths of repetitions, and listening exercises. Please…
Find out more »2019 Sakura Taiko Takeover at the Tidal Basin
Save the Date! Winter may still be in full swing, but here at Mark H Taiko, we're already gearing up for our Sakura Taiko Takeover at the Tidal Basin. We will gather among the cherry blossoms at the ANA Tidal Basin Stage for a full day of free, family-friendly Japanese drumming performances! Support our performers and help make the Sakura Taiko Takeover possible! 100% of proceeds will go to covering the costs of the event and supporting the taiko groups…
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, good drinks (alcoholic and otherwise), lots of camaraderie, and time to hit the taiko and try out some of your new Hachijo riffs. Just want to watch? That's…
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…
Find out more »