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 are some of Kaoru’s upcoming performances:

Monday, May 20th @ Shapeshifter Lab (NYC)
GO:  ORGANIC ORCHESTRA
COMPOSED AND IMPROVISATIONALLY CONDUCTED BY ADAM RUDOLPH
42 musicians

8:00 PM open rehearsal/concert (public welcome)
9:00 PM concert
$15 for both sets

http://www.shapeshifterlab.com/portfolio/may-20-go-organic-orchestra/

Wednesday, May 22th @ Shapeshifter Lab (NYC)
SKYE STEELE’S RAILROAD RODIA + CAT TOREN DOUBLE BILL

$10 cover
7:00p
8:00p

Skye Steele — violin
Kaoru Watanabe — flutes & percussion
Kyle Sanna — guitar
John Hadfield — drums
Chris Tordini — bass

http://www.shapeshifterlab.com/portfolio/may-22-skye-steeles-railroad-rodia/

Wesleyan University Spring 2013 Taiko Concert T-shirts

During all of this I was still recovering from jet lag after a weeklong journey to Japan (more on that in a moment). I usually like to spend as much time as I can over there but could only squeeze in one week due to the Wesleyan concert and a performance at a Gala event for the Settlement Music School where Philadelphia’s Kyo Daiko and I performed my piece Hiraki that took place the evening before I flew to Tokyo.

So… Japan.  For me, Japan is a barometer for where I am in life.  Most of my family is there as are the origins of my cultural heritage, and I spent many transformative years there.  However, because I don’t live there anymore, going back gives me an objective view of where I am in life.  Going to Japan gives me a mirror so I can see my ability to interact with people, my comfort in navigating unfamiliar waters, how attuned I am to the significance of people, places, things and moments.

The first few days in Japan, I spent visiting with family and friends as well as with some of the most important people to me in my professional life: the people who create the instruments I play.  Yoshihiko Miyamoto is the CEO of the Miyamoto Unosuke, one of Japan’s most respected taiko makers while Ranjo is a craftsman who has been making bamboo flutes (or shinobue) from dawn till dusk, every single day for almost forty years.  Although these two men are very different in most regards- Mr. Miyamoto is a cosmopolitan Tokyo-ite, educated in London and almost always in a tailored suit while Ranjo lives deep in the countryside in Chiba prefecture, sitting on the floor of his studio, perpetually covered in sawdust and urushi lacquer- I find our conversations invariably end up being about sound.  Whether discussing the taiko or fue, it requires the utmost discipline for a player to create a tone from the instrument that holds equal parts power and strength and grace and delicacy.  The quality of sound will depend greatly on the knowledge and intelligence a player brings to the music as well as a consistent philosophy of study.  For the instrument maker, it is important to have an attentiveness to both materials and tools as well as to the needs of the individual player.  A perfect collaboration between the the instrument maker and the performer occurs when both parties share the same dedication to the betterment of their craft: The courage to not rest on past accomplishments, to not be self satisfied and to want to grow and develop, especially as their reputation improves.  After seeing these people, I always leave with feelings of both inspiration to do better and disappointment for not having done enough.

Yoshihiko Miyamoto, CEO of the Miyamoto Unosuke

Ranjo has been making bamboo flutes (or shinobue) from dawn till dusk, every single day for almost forty years

After a few days in Tokyo, I took place in Tohoku Artist Caravan 2013, a project conceived, organized and held together by my good friend Daniel Rosen.  The caravan visited the small city of Kesennuma, a port town that was all but swept away by the tsunami of 3/11. The caravan consisted of basically two groups: painters who created vibrant murals on the grey walls of temporary shelters and musicians who performed in a newly constructed temple.  The cars were provided by Mini Cooper, the caffeine by Redbull, the taiko drums by Miyamoto and all twenty of us slept in an out-of-business Japanese inn overlooking cliffs floating above a peaceful sea.

The cars were provided by Mini Cooper, the caffeine by Redbull, the taiko drums by Miyamoto

The next morning after arrival, I woke around five and took a walk on a trail that took me around the edge of the peninsula.  I was deep in thought when at one point I felt a very nearby presence.   I looked up and saw two deer staring at me in perfect stillness. I had never seen deer like this before, with short straight antlers and a thick coat of fur.  We stared at each other for long time and they let me take a few pictures with my iPhone, but when I felt I had disturbed them enough and took a step along the path, in an instant they bounded off through the thick foliage.

on a morning walk around the peninsula

two deer staring at me in perfect stillness

I found out later that on 3/11 the ocean had come up through the narrow v-shape opening along the cliff wall in front of the inn with such force that a steel handrail about 30 feet up from the water was bent over completely.  Apparently, the force of the tsunami coming in from the ocean is much less than that of the force of it being sucked back out, evidence being the torii (red wooden gates found at Shinto shrines) that were found fallen towards the ocean and not away.

fallen handrail by the cliff

The temple, Jifukuji, was surrounded by land with a few brand new houses, still under construction, and foundations of buildings that were swept away.  It seems that everywhere we turned there was a reminder of the tsunami: a marker 15 feet up on the wall indicating how high the tsunami came, the piano we used in the concert that was a replacement for another piano that had been damaged beyond repair by the seawater and perhaps most hauntingly, the rooms in the temple that were crammed with individual shrines for each of the deceased victims of the tsunami.  In front of each sacred ornament and solemn photograph people would leave a can of beer or bag of sweets for the comfort of their departed loved ones.

Jifukuji

a shrine for all the animals that were victims of the tsunami

A list of the names of those who died in the tsunami

The concert was a homemade affair.  A few of us carried out the multiple wooden platforms that would become the small stage, we set up chairs for the audience and afterwards we vacuumed the floors after putting everything away.  There were three ensembles and one soloist.  The musicians I performed with were all at some point or another lead players in the taiko ensemble Kodo who have since left the group and moved on to have individual solo careers.  Even though we hadn’t played together as a group in many years, we were able to immediately fall back into our old rhythm.  We laughed at ourselves for not having maintained the hyper intense physical regiment that we all used to keep while touring with Kodo and found that playing some of our old repertoire was surprisingly strenuous.  However, in the end, we were all very relaxed and had a lot of fun, thanks especially to the enthusiastic response from the local audience.  Two current members of Kodo who were traveling to study a dance in Tohoku came and watched the entire 4 hour show.  At the end, true to their Kodo nature, they immediately began helping pack and move drums, equipment and cleaning the temple.

The concert was a homemade affair

a huge ship sitting in the middle of a lot on dry land

The following morning, we all loaded back up into our Minis and drove the ten hours back to Tokyo.  I took turns driving with my old friend Ryutaro Kaneko and we spoke of all sorts of things.  A wrong turn heading into the Tokyo area prolonged our trip by an extra hour but we still managed to arrive in Shibuya ahead of the rest of the caravan.  The following day, I was taking an afternoon flight out of Narita heading back to JFK.

 I have performances in the coming months at Shapeshifter lab, the Blue Note, Highline Ballroom, The River to River Festival (with So Percussion) and Lincoln Center Out Doors Festival. Information coming soon!

-Kaoru

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 and my new apprentice Alex Pfister at the Stony Brook Sakura Matsuri. And tonight, I will be performing with Matt Kilmer, Tim Keiper and Chris Dingman at the Cornelia Street Cafe. Our group, Motions, has been playing together for two years now and we’ve developed a really nice sound, rapport and repertoire that I’m sure you will enjoy. Our backgrounds are diverse – Matt Kilmer will be on percussions, Tim Keiper on Ngoni and percussion, Chris Dingman on Vibraphones and me on Japanese and Western flutes.

If you’d like to get a taste of what we will be playing tonight, please listen (and feel free to share) to one of our pieces, Milan, on soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/marinakano/milan 

It would be great to see some of you tonight and I’m sure this will be a great way to end your weekend and rejuvenate you for the coming week. Here’s the info below for tonight’s show.

MOTIONS
When: Sunday (TODAY), May 5th 2013
Time: 8:30pm (doors open, show starts at 8:45pm)
Where: Cornelia Street Cafe  - 29 Cornelia Street, NY 10014 (nr the West 4th ABCDEFM and Christopher Street 1)
$20 (includes a drink)
More info: http://corneliastreetcafe.com/performances.asp 

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

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 of you interested in seeing the results, we will be streaming here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tohoku-artist-caravan

—

Dear Taiko Community,

Evan kindly wrote us a quick farewell note:

Hi KWTC friends!

I’ve just finished packing and making sure all my papers are in order, and now I’m ready to head to Japan tomorrow! As many of you know, I’m moving to Japan for a year to teach English in Hakodate, Hokkaido. While there, I’ll be studying Japanese and seeking out all the music and art I can find. I’m looking forward to jumping into very deep water from a very high ledge.

While I’ve been studying with Kaoru and helping at KWTC, it’s been an incredible experience meeting and making music with so many different, amazing people. This is an exciting time for KWTC, perfect for the coming spring, with a new space in the works, a new apprentice, and lots of new students and new ideas. I’m sorry to be missing all the fun, though I’m confident that I will receive frequent updates and pictures (right guys?). I’ll also be sharing updates of my trip in a blog, which I would be happy to share with anyone who is interested.

All the things I’ve learned from Kaoru and everyone at the studio, as well as all the amazing extended taiko community who come through New York, will be my foundation as I head out, and I want to thank everyone for being a big part of my life so far.

Keep in touch, and come visit me in Hakodate!

Best,
Evan

TAIKO WORKSHOP LED BY KAORU WATANABE – UPDATED
Sunday, April 14th
Location: Complete Music Studio (http://www.completemusic.com/)
227 St. Marks Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238

Beginner workshop: 1-3pm – FULL (If you would like to be placed on a waiting list, please email us).
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 – Spaces still available!
The focus will be on Odaiko and improvisation.

To Sign Up:
Please RSVP to info@taikonyc.com. Space is limited. Please indicate Beginner, Regular or Both. We will send an email confirmation once we secure your spot.

Fee:
First time trial: $25
Single class Non-members: $35
Single class Members: $30
If you have a 10-class package, you can apply your classes!

Cancellation Policy:
Please email us at info@taikonyc.com if you need to cancel. Cancellations are accepted up to 24-hours in advance with no penalty. If you cancel in less than 24-hours or do not show to the workshop, you will be charged the full fee for the class and we will bill you accordingly.

For more information: Email us at info@taikonyc.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 Sign Up:
Please RSVP to info@taikonyc.com. Space is limited. Please indicate Beginner, Regular or Both. We will send an email confirmation once we secure your spot.

Fee:
First time trial: $25
Single class Non-members: $35
Single class Members: $30
If you have a 10-class package, you can apply your classes!

For more information: Email us at info@taikonyc.com.

SUKEROKU WORKSHOP
Monday, March 25th 7:15 – 9:15
Location: Teachers College of Columbia University
with Taiko Aiko Kai

Imaizumi-sensei of Sukeroku Taiko who visited us last May is returning to New York and will conduct a workshop for us on Monday, March 25th. The workshop will be held in the music room in the Horace Mann Hall from 7:15PM – 9:15PM. The fee for the workshop is $25. Don’t forget to bring a photo ID to enter the building. The entrance is on the north side of West 120th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway.  The closest subway is 116th Street and Broadway on #1 train.

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 the gorgeous Asia Society Texas Center with some great musicians: Ralph Samuelson and Akihito Obama on shakuhachi and Sumie Kaneko on shamisen and koto. Read about our performance here.

TAIKO WORKSHOP (*Please RSVP ASAP*)
Sunday, April 14th, 2013
For those of you with an itch to play taiko- we are planning to hold a workshop from around 1 pm at Complete Music Studios on Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights. We will run beginner and regular sessions, working on basics, improvisation, pieces- same as we usually do in class. If we can get a handful of people we will book the space so please RSVP as soon as you can at info@taikonyc.com.

Here are some of my upcoming performances:

Monday, March 25, 9pm
GO: ORGANIC ORCHESTRA @ ShapeShifter Lab (NYC)
Composed and improvisationally conducted by Adam Rudolph

18 Whitwell Place, Brooklyn, NY 11215. R train to Union

Sunday, March 31, 6:30pm
Bella Gaia: Origin Stories of Japan @ NYU Skirball (NYC)
Award-winning composer and director Kenji Williams brings a special and exotic version of BELLA GAIA (Beautiful Earth) to New York! Inspired by stories of astronauts who returned to Earth transformed after the view from space, and working with J-Collabo, “BELLA GAIA: Origin Stories of Japan” explores the relationship between humans and nature through ancient Japanese arts fused with modern expression and technology. The 70-minute immersive performance produced and performed by Williams, features Japanese traditional artists performing Live Noh (dance), Gagaku (ceremonial orchestra), and Shomyo (chanting), and more.
Tickets: $15, $20, $30, $40, $75 (Orchestra Seats with VIP reception pass from 5pm)
566 Laguardia Place, New York, NY 10012. A, B, C, D, E, F, M  trains to West 4th St.
More info here: http://j-collabo.org/news/bella-gaia-origin-stories-of-japan/

Monday, April 1, 10:30pm
Imani Uzuri @ Blue Note (NYC)
Recently praised in the New York Times for her “gorgeously chesty ruminations” by music critic Steve Smith, “stunning” (New York Magazine) vocalist and innovative composer Imani Uzuri returns to the Blue Note on April 1 to perform songs from her new acclaimed album, The Gypsy Diaries, which draws on her rural Southern roots as well as influences ranging from Sufi devotionals to Romany laments. Uzuri will be joined by a stellar group of musicians who are all featured on the album, including Marika Hughes (cello), Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese shinobue flute, western flute), Todd Isler (world percussion), album co-producer Christian Ver Halen (acoustic guitar), and Neel Murgai (sitar, daf).

Friday, April 5, 9pm
Skye Steele’s Railroad Rodia @ Zirzamin (NYC)
Skye Steele, violin
Kyle Sanna, guitar
Kaoru Watanabe, flutes
John Hadfield, drums
Chris Tordini, bass
and surprise guests TBA….
90 W Houston Street, New York, NY 10012. B,D,F,M trains to Broadway Lafayette.

Mondays, April 8 and 22, 9pm
GO: ORGANIC ORCHESTRA @ ShapeShifter Lab (NYC)
Composed and improvisationally conducted by Adam Rudolph

18 Whitwell Place, Brooklyn, NY 11215. R train to Union

Saturday, April 13, 7pm
Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts 
with Kyodaiko@Settlement Music School, Mary Louise Curtis Branch, Presser Hall
On March 11, 2011 the northern Tohoku region of Japan experienced a 9.0 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami and nuclear disaster. For over 25 years, Shofuso Japanese House and Garden has had a relationship of cultural exchange with the city of Sendai (in the Tohoku region). Over the years, various folk artists have brought the culture of Sendai to Philadelphia. The Japanese-American community at Shofuso developed deep friendships with the artists of Sendai. KyoDaiko Taiko Drummers of Philadelphia will perform Hiraki, an original composition by Kaoru Watanabe as a memorial to the victims and a celebration of the resilience of the survivors.
Tickets: $20, $15 for seniors (65+) and students
416 Queen St, Philadelphia, PA 19147.

Thursday, April 18, 7pm
Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts
with Kyodaiko@Shofuso Japanese House & Garden
Doors open at 5pm for guided tours of Shofuso until 6:45pm. This performance is outdoors and will happen weather permitting.
Tickets: $20, $15 for seniors (65+) and students
100 Horticulture Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19122.

Saturday, April 20, 6:30pm-Midnight
with Kyodaiko @ 105th Anniversary Gala dinner, Settlement Music School(Philadelphia, PA)
Grand Ballroom, Hyatt at The Bellevue, 200 South Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102.

April 2013: Tohoku Artist Caravan (Sendai, Japan)
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)! In the same vein as Kickstarter, they must raise at least 2 million yen or else the project will not be funded at all! You can contribute on Campfire now or stay tuned for the Indigogo site in English soon. Find Artist Caravan on social media: Facebook and Twitter (search for #ArtistCaravan)

Thank you and hope to see you all soon.

Kaoru

Kenny Endo and Kaoru Watanabe’s sold out show at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (Music From Japan Festival 2013) in February!
Photo by Ken Howard 

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 missed the performance, no sweat! Catch Kaoru Watanabe and Kenny Endo with special guest Sumie Kaneko (koto and shamisen) at Shapeshifter Lab on Tuesday, March 5th. Details below.

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 the new space is still being developed, we may be in other temporary locations until build out is completed.

In the meantime, regarding the next couple weeks- here is my and the KWTC schedule:

Feb 20th (Wed) Kenny Endo workshop 6-8 pm
Feb 23rd (Sat) Kenny Endo and Kaoru Watanabe concert (see below for details)
Feb 24th (Sun) regular class with Evan (Kaoru will not be there)
Feb 27th (Wed)  regular class with Evan (Kaoru will not be there) THIS WILL BE THE LAST CLASS FOR KWTC at GUREJE!!
—
March 3rd (Sun) Stay tuned!

Also check out a video of Kenny and Kaoru performing together at the Jazz Heritage Center in San Francisco last May!

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 the basic techniques of sound production and fingering

Advanced Session (traditional): 12:30 pm–2:30 pm
Practice complex techniques through musical selections from the classic honkyoku repertoire

Advanced Session (min-yo, folk music/contemporary): 3pm–5 pm
Learn new techniques for min-yo and contemporary music

Beginner session is open to anyone; advanced sessions are open to anyone with more than two years of experience. Participants in any of the three sessions may observe the other session at no additional cost. A limited number of instruments are available for rental, please call             (212) 715-1220       to reserve an instrument. Max 15 participants per session.

TICKETS
$35/$30 Japan Society members
ADVANCED SESSION PASS: $10 OFF your purchase of tickets to both advanced sessions

Buy tickets below or call the Japan Society Box Office at             (212) 715-1258      , Mon. – Fri. 11 am – 6 pm, Weekends 11 am – 5 pm. (Note: ADVANCED SESSION PASS only available by calling or visiting the Box Office.)

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 most acclaimed musicians in traditional and contemporary Japanese music and a devotion to cross cultural and multi-disciplinary collaboration. As evident in this album, their music draws from Japanese festival and Kabuki theater musics to American jazz, free improvisation and other musics from across the globe.

On pre-release sale now! Make your purchase by Feb 23 for an autographed copy with free shipping/handling HERE. Listen to a sample of Together Alone here, a new track on the CD.

The release date coincides with Kenny and Kaoru’s performance at the Music From Japan Festival. The festival runs from Feb 23-24th in NYC at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. Read the press release here and buy your tickets here.

Album cover designed by Mari Nakano

Kenny Endo will also be teaching a workshop at KWTC on Wednesday, February 20th. Read more here and email evan@taikonyc.com to RSVP.

KENNY ENDO is one of the leading artists in contemporary percussion and rhythm. He is the vanguard of the taiko genre, continuing to pave new paths in this Japanese style drumming even after thirty-five years as a career taiko player. A performer, composer, and teacher of taiko with numerous awards and accolades, Kenny Endo is a consummate artist, blending Japanese taiko with rhythms influenced from around the world into original melodies and improvisation.