June Performances
Here are some of Kaoru’s performances this month! Hope to see you there: Wednesday, June 5th Silk Road Project “I’m excited to be working with the Silk Road Project again (the first time was a few years ago when they were doing a residency at the Natural History Museum) in an educational performance in a [...]
Kenny Endo in NYC: Private Lessons and Performance
Private Lessons with Kenny Endo The great Kenny Endo is in town and is offering private lessons on Wednesday, May 29th of this week, and Thursday June 6th and Friday June 7th of next week. Private lessons are $30 for half an hour or $60 for 1 hour. Lessons with 2 people are $45 each for 1 [...]
KWTC has a new home!
Hello Everyone, Good news!! KWTC has found a new home. We’re currently in the process of moving in, and there is still much to be done before we start classes. If you want to help move stuff/build floors/paint/etc/etc please send an e-mail (info@taikonyc.com) and we’ll get in touch!! More information coming VERY soon! Meanwhile, here [...]
Spring 2013 Update
So far, 2013 has been a chain of back to back traveling/performing/teaching engagements followed by long lulls during which I wonder if my career has come to an end, followed by more runs of intense and prolonged bursts of creative effort and exhaustion. Recently, I performed at Brooklyn’s ShapeShifter Lab (one of my favorite places [...]
TONIGHT – Motions @ Cornelia Street Cafe, 8:30pm
Hello Everyone, I hope everyone is well and enjoying the spring weather and blooming sakura blossoms. This has been a full week – On Tuesday, I returned from the Tohoku Artist Caravan in Japan. Friday, I performed with my Wesleyan students at the WesTaiko Spring Concert. Just yesterday, I performed with Sumie Kaneko, Barbara Merjan [...]
Final Request of Support for Artist Caravan!
UPDATE: Our deepest thanks to everyone for your support of the Tohoku Artist Caravan! Part of the caravan is already departing tomorrow for Kesennuma while the rest of us will be heading up in a few days. People like Ryutaro Kaneko and Testuro Naito will be reunited for the first time since leaving Kodo. For those [...]
Farewell to Evan Schnoll and Workshop Updates
We are really excited that our first generation apprentice, Evan Schnoll, will be heading off to Japan for the year. Evan’s been an integral part of KWTC and while we are sad that he’s leaving, we’re thrilled for him and looking forward to hearing about his adventures abroad. Evan, we wish you all the best [...]
RSVP for Upcoming Workshops!
TAIKO WORKSHOP led by KAORU WATANABE Sunday, April 14th Location: Complete Music Studio 227 St. Marks Ave. Brooklyn, NY. 11238 completemusic.com Beginner workshop: 1-3pm Basics in posture, form, hitting techniques, simple rhythms and songs, strength and stamina training. New people are also welcome! Regular workshop: 3:15-5:15pm The focus will be on Odaiko and improvisation. To [...]
KWTC Taiko Workshop and Upcoming Performances
Hello taiko enthusiasts! I hope this message finds everyone well. I miss our weekly sessions but have been keeping busy with performances, teaching and preparations for the new studio. There have been some setbacks and we’re pushing back the opening date to the beginning of May. I’m currently in Houston, TX for a concert at [...]
KWTC takes March off, Classes resume in April
Hello taiko friends, Hope this finds you well. As most of you know already, we are leaving our wonderful home at the Village@Gureje at the end of this month. We’ve mentioned temporary alternate locations while we are still prepping our new space, but considering Kaoru’s performance and travel schedule, we decided instead to take some [...]
Kaoru Watanabe and Kenny Endo in the Press
Read about Kaoru Watanabe and Kenny Endo’s performance at the 38th annual Music From Japan Festival in New York this past Saturday! Japan Daily Press: US audience in awe of Japanese traditional musicians’ tribute to 2011 disaster victims The Mainichi 毎日ｊｐ(毎日新聞): Taiko, flute concert pays tribute to disaster victims, wows U.S. audience —- If you [...]
KWTC Location Change
To all KWTC students and friends, KWTC is changing locations! After five incredible years at the Village@Gureje, the Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center will be moving in March. We will still be at the Village@Gureje for the next few sessions, but please double-check either these newsletters or at taikonyc.com regarding the location of sessions in the future. Since [...]
Pre-Release Sale of “Convergence” ends this Saturday, Feb 23!
Order your pre-release copy of Kaoru Watanabe and Kenny Endo’s new CD, CONVERGENCE, now! Free shipping and handling if your order before Feb 23. Order here: http://www.watanabekaoru.com/e/store Also check out a video of Kenny and Kaoru performing together at the Jazz Heritage Center in San Francisco last May!
Support Artist Caravan!
Kaoru will be performing with fellow past members of KODO, traveling to Sendai, one of the areas of Japan hardest hit in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Kaoru and his colleagues are raising money for this project. Contribute to this project on their crowdfunding sites on Campfire (Japanese)or Indiegogo (English)! Read more below: 皆様、 ２０１３年も、もう２月 。まだまだ寒さが厳しいですが、雲ひとつない真っ青な空を見上げていると、春が来るのも近いのでは？なんて思ったりしているTokyoDexチームです。 さて、今月皆様にお知らせしたいトップニュースは４月に行われるアートプロジェクト『東北アーティスト・キャラバン』!!! 東北アーティスト・キャラバンは、日本各地のアーティストやミュージシャンが連れだって気仙沼市唐桑町に集まり、人々が待ちのぞんでいた文化注入をこの地域で行おうというプロジェクトです。地域を再生し、日本国内／世界中から観光客を呼び寄せ、人々の関心を高め、地元経済を立て直すお手伝いをする長期のアートプロジェクトです。またクライマックスには、著名な太鼓芸能集団「鼓童」OBの共演を目玉とするオープニング・パーティーをとり行います。 CAMPFIREを通して、東北アーティストキャラバンのファンドサイトも起動開始！500円からの支援が可能で、金額に応じてアーティストオリジナルグッズなどといった、様々なリータンも提供。このプロジェクトを実現できるように１円でも多くのサポートが必要です！みんな一緒に唐桑町へ色を届けませんか？ご支援のほど宜しくお願い致します！ 今回の「あれやこれやカフェ」Vol.14はアーティストキャラバンのキックオフ・パーティーとして３／８（金曜日）に参加アーティスト達もでる。東京からもこのプロジェクトを盛り上げちゃいます！もちろんいつもと変わらず入場無料！ アーティストキャラバンのアップデートはfacebook pageはこちらから。ぜひ“いいね！”をお願いします！ [...]
Shakuhachi Marathon, March 2nd
Rising young shakuhachi star Akihito Obama, who has studied various styles of shakuhachi from the most traditional techniques to min-yo, or folk, and contemporary shakuhachi, offers a full day of workshops plus demonstrations for players of all levels. **Kaoru will be a special guest instructor during the min-yo and contemporary music session from 3-5pm** Beginner Session: 10 pm–12 pm Learn [...]
New CD Release
CONVERGENCE celebrates the confluence of the musical journeys between Kenny Endo and Kaoru Watanabe. These two first met when Kenny, a celebrated taiko maestro, invited a fledgling, teenaged Kaoru to perform with him in St. Louis, MO in the early 90’s. In the decades since, they have come to share a similar life/artistic path defined by intensive study and performance with some of the [...]
Kenny Endo Workshop: Feb 20, 2013
The great Kenny Endo will be teaching a workshop at KWTC on Wednesday, February 20th, 2013. Take this opportunity to learn from his vast knowledge and experience! Exact material to be decided. For more information and to RSVP, email evan@taikonyc.com. (Regular class on that day will be canceled and replaced by the workshop.) KENNY ENDO [...]
Artist Caravan and Music From Japan Festival 2013
Hello Everyone! Kaoru is now back in Brooklyn after two whirlwind weeks of travel, performances, and teaching in Barbados, Trinidad, Australia, New Zealand, and Antigua. See pictures and read all about it on his website! Looking forward, Kaoru will be traveling in Japan and the US for two projects: MUSIC FROM JAPAN, FESTIVAL 2013 : Exploring [...]
Art Lee Workshop with Taiko Aiko Kai
KWTC had a great time at the East Coast Taiko Conference this weekend! A great big thank you to organizers Ingrid Tu (Yamatai, Cornell) and Sam Huang (Gendo Taiko, Brown) for all your hard work. An announcement on behalf of Taiko Aiko Kai: Art Lee Workshop Feb. 4 (Monday) Please let us know if you are interested [...]
Happy (Late) New Year!
Hi all, Evan here, and even though January is ending, my KWTC new year is just beginning! Big thanks to Barbara for taking on classes this month and leading awesomely as always while Kaoru has been traveling the world (and provoking my jealousy of warm temperatures.. Trinidad… Australia…) and I’ve been performing in a pit [...]
Sumie Kaneko CD Release Party TONIGHT!
Happy New Year, Everyone! Kaoru will be performing tonight at Ryles Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA) with koto and shamisen player Sumie Kaneko for her CD release party. The show begins at 9pm and is $10 at the door. Read more about Sumie and her music at her website: http://www.sumiekanekomusic.com/ Tomorrow, Kaoru will be back in [...]
Last Classes of 2012 and New Year’s Eve!
Thanks to all those who came out the Bo-Nen-Kai Party! Now for the last KWTC events of the year: Sunday Dec 30th: Open Jam Session Instead of having regular classes, KWTC will be holding an open jam session from 2-6pm. Bring a friend, a snack or drink to share, and come hang out! This will [...]
Bo-Nen-Kai Party TONIGHT!
Come celebrate the conclusion of 2012 with us tonight at Bo-Nen-Kai, literally “forget-the-year-party”, at Shapeshifter Lab! Kaoru will be joined by tap dancer Tamango, koto/shamisen player Sumie Kaneko, singer Akiko Hiroshima, percussionist Barbara Merjan and members of his taiko ensemble. There will be great live music, dancing, drinks, good company, and much merriment! For those of you [...]
End-of-Year Happenings at KWTC
Hello friends, A LOT is happening at the end of the year for KWTC. With so many events happening, below is a listing of what’s going on to clear up any confusion. Hope to see all of you before the end of the year! Dec 21st (THIS FRIDAY), 7pm Taiko Benefit Jam for The Village [...]