Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org taiko in new york city Tue, 15 May 2012 16:25:07 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Japan Day @ Central Park http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/ElxEgkXRLAQ/ http://sohdaiko.org/2012/05/15/japan-day-central-park/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 16:24:52 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=700 This weekend, Soh Daiko participated in the 6th Annual Japan Day in Central Park! A few of us arrived there early in the morning to encourage the runners at the start of the Japan Run, and two of us took part in the race!

Ready to run!


After the race we kicked things off with Matsuri and Yuudachi, to a wonderful audience gathered for a day filled with all kinds of activities and performances.

Thanks to those who organized the event, and everyone who came out to see us – we had lots of fun performing, and hope we spread some of the Matsuri spirit!

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2012/05/15/japan-day-central-park/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2012/05/15/japan-day-central-park/ JAA Sakura Matsuri and Music For Youth Performances http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/ef3iemoqv7I/ http://sohdaiko.org/2012/04/22/jaany-sakura-matsuri-and-pequot/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:22:17 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=677 This Saturday was a busy one for Soh Daiko, with a performance in Queens in the morning, and another in Southport, CT in the afternoon. In the morning, a few of us (with the help of some old members!) traveled to Flushing Meadows Corona Park and performed at the Sakura Matsuri celebration, organized by the Japanese American Association of New York.


Afterwards, the group drove up to beautiful Southport, CT to play as part of Music For Youth‘s Young Persons’ Concert series. Over 100 children (and many adults too!) came out to watch us play. As part of the concert, we had a workshop in which many of the kids got to give taiko drumming a try for themselves!


Thanks to all those who came out to see us at both performances!

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2012/04/22/jaany-sakura-matsuri-and-pequot/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2012/04/22/jaany-sakura-matsuri-and-pequot/ American Museum of Natural History: Japan Fest! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/tKUg2XxenKg/ http://sohdaiko.org/2012/03/23/amnh-japan-fest/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:43:45 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=645 Last Saturday, Soh Daiko performed at The Museum of Natural History’s Kaufmann Theater. Our performance was one of many activities in the museum’s Cherry Blossoms: Japan Fest event, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the gift of Japanese cherry blossoms to New York City.

Not our best packing job


 


After our performance we gathered in the Marine Life wing, under the giant whale, where we led the crowd in dancing to Sakura Ondo, and other festival music. All in all, a fun day! Thanks to all those who came out to see us! :)

Special thanks to Santiago Andujar for taking these wonderful photos!

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2012/03/23/amnh-japan-fest/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2012/03/23/amnh-japan-fest/ Soh Daiko at Dickinson College http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/OjSwTrWP3io/ http://sohdaiko.org/2012/03/07/soh-daiko-at-dickinson-college/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:04:40 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=615
On March 3, 2012, Soh Daiko packed up our taiko and drove out to Carlisle, PA to give a workshop and performance to the students, friends, and family of Dickinson College. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Shawn Bender, Assistant Professor of East Asian Studies and author of an upcoming book about the roots of taiko, and prepared for our taiko workshop!

The ten workshop participants listened to Alan’s short history of taiko from Japan to the East Coast, and then they quickly warmed up with jumping jacks, sit-ups and push-ups. After teaching them a few basics, we handed the bachi off to them and they got their first chance to hit our drums! We hope they came away with a better sense of the important aspects of taiko, from history to hitting. Look out for the newest taiko group on the East coast – Dickinson’s own up and coming taiko group!


After the workshop, we breaked to inhale our dinners and get ready for the show. Our one hour performance from 7-8pm was quickly approaching as it took time to get all our obi just right. Wearing our traditional red and white happi, we started with Miyake, and moved through the six pieces, changing the atmosphere from serious and pensive to festive and fun. Ending with our signature piece, Hachidan, we recieved a warm round of applause and a sigh of relief! Our first full performance of 2012 was finally under our belt!

Even the men look pretty

We were very pleased with the turn out and had a chance to interact with the audience members afterwards, such as one sweet Japanese lady one who had traveled from the Japanese community in Texas to visit the school and who expressed her delight to have had the good fortune to be there for the performance. Perhaps she will show up for our workshop later this year!

We hope the Dickinson community enjoyed our performance as much as we enjoyed our trip out to Carlisle! Thanks to you all, and thank you to Shawn for supporting Soh Daiko and the spread of taiko in America.

Post performance drinks

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2012/03/07/soh-daiko-at-dickinson-college/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2012/03/07/soh-daiko-at-dickinson-college/ Congrats, Aya! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/bCisyacqtvg/ http://sohdaiko.org/2012/01/27/congrats-aya/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:34:12 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=591 After more than 6 months of training, Soh Daiko is happy to announce that Aya Ino has made it through the trainee and probationary member periods to become our newest member! As the group’s 74th member, Aya has joined a line of talented artists who share the passion of taiko. Our group would like to congratulate all her hard work and dedication! Otsukaresama!!!

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2012/01/27/congrats-aya/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2012/01/27/congrats-aya/ Performance at JSDD’s WAE Center http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/_SaURM59Lp8/ http://sohdaiko.org/2011/11/09/performance-at-jsdds-wae-center/#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:11:40 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=570 On Sunday, November 6th 2011, Soh Daiko held a full performance at the Congregation Beth Alm of West Essex’s Center sponsored by the Jewish Service for the Developmentallly Disabled (JSDD). The performance included six pieces, four of which we had not performed since long before Taiko Jam, as well as an audience participation session. After watching the marathoners race in New York, we headed out to Verona, New Jersey, and met a fantastic audience who were both enthusiastic about our drumming and a chance to drum themselves!

Loading up the van

Miyuki brought us extra food!


Tech time

Pre-performance warm up led by Momo


Soh Daiko members Matt and Jane

The show begins with Miyake!



Thank you all for supporting us out in New Jersey, and a special thanks to former Soh Daiko member and composer Peter!
]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2011/11/09/performance-at-jsdds-wae-center/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2011/11/09/performance-at-jsdds-wae-center/ Fall 2011 Workshops / Recruitment! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/kC3DfklYhwU/ http://sohdaiko.org/2011/09/22/fall-2011-recruitment-workshops/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:42:42 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=526 Soh Daiko is pleased to announce a public two-day taiko workshop and recruitment on Saturday, October 15, and Thursday, October 20, 2011!  The workshop will introduce the basics of taiko through a short lecture, demonstrations, and guided exercises.

All are welcome to attend, not only those interested in joining the group!

Recruitment for 2011 has finished.  Please check back next year!

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2011/09/22/fall-2011-recruitment-workshops/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2011/09/22/fall-2011-recruitment-workshops/ Taiko Jam http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/jYYqQD9OAC8/ http://sohdaiko.org/2011/08/24/taiko-jam/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:14:29 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=506  

On Saturday, August 20th, Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble, Inochi Taiko, Mirai Daiko, San Francisco Taiko Dojo, and Soh Daiko performed for a packed house of 1700 people at the Stanford Memorial Auditorium for the 8th Bi-Annual North American Taiko Conference‘s Taiko Jam Concert. What a rush!

Soh Daiko spent months preparing for this event that was filled with blood, sweat and tears. The last time Soh Daiko performed at Taiko Jam was in 1997, which was the first conference held in Los Angeles. To be invited again and to perform with such prestigious groups was an honor and privilege.

Soh Daiko performed our two signature pieces, Yuudachi and Hachidan, with musical interludes by our good friend, Yoko Fujimoto of Kodo.  Our group avoided a near catastrophe in Yuudachi as an odaiko on stage right began to roll off the riser during our performance. Luckily Matt, one of our newest members, caught the stand as it rolled off the stage to save the day! MVP!!!

We would like to give a huge THANK YOU to San Jose Taiko, Meg Suzuki, Kris Bergstrom, Yuta Kato, Taiko Jam and Conference staff, Yoko Fujimoto, and many others who helped put together an amazing conference and concert. We would also like to thank all the audience members, family, and friends for your overwhelming amount of support and standing ovation! Otsukaresama!!!!

Photos by Kim Nakashima

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2011/08/24/taiko-jam/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2011/08/24/taiko-jam/ Come to TAIKO JAM http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/SCEaL3KcvNI/ http://sohdaiko.org/2011/08/08/come-to-taiko-jam/#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:14:41 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=488 There is less than two weeks before Soh Daiko’s big performance at the 2011 North American Taiko Conference’s Taiko Jam concert at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California! Make sure you buy your tickets in advance and credit the sale to “Soh Daiko!” It will be an unforgettable show! Hope to see you there.

]]> http://sohdaiko.org/2011/08/08/come-to-taiko-jam/feed/ 0 http://sohdaiko.org/2011/08/08/come-to-taiko-jam/ American Museum of Natural History Performance http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SohDaiko/~3/nesWr_DYaaM/ http://sohdaiko.org/2011/07/25/american-museum-of-natural-history-performance/#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:32:49 +0000 Soh Daiko http://sohdaiko.org/?p=467 As the North American Taiko Conference, Taiko Jam Concert is swiftly approaching in mid-August, Soh Daiko prepared a dress-rehearsal for its alumni and the public at the American Museum of Natural History this past Saturday, July 23rd.

Escaping the 100+ degree temperatures, the group transported our equipment from the basement of our dojo on the Upper West Side to the prestigious museum on Central Park West, carting our stands, taiko, and sweaty selves through its displays of African masks and moon rocks.

After setting up our pieces, Soh Daiko performed for alumni, friends, and family. We would like to give a big THANK YOU to all of you who gave us valuable feedback and comments.

Shortly after adjusting our pieces, with seats packed and audience members in the aisle, Soh Daiko performed for the public. We would also like to thank everyone who attended this open-rehearsal performance! We feel slightly more prepared for our upcoming show at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California on August 20th. Buy your tickets now!

Soh Daiko would also like to thank Matt Tom-Wolverton for not only all his technical skills, but for providing all these amazing photographs for all Soh Daiko posts.

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