This article is from the Clinton School PTA.
Clinton student Hannah Kennedy beats on Taiko drum
The sound of pulsating drums reverberated throughout the Clinton School auditorium on March 6, as artists from the Taikoza, a Japanese music and dance group, showcased the history and culture of Japanese festivals through the drums and other musical instruments, dance and song.
The Taikoza dance and drumming group consists of three drummers, of which one is also a dancer, personifies power, grace, pulse, and driving rhythms.
Festivals are an important aspect of the cultural heritage of local Japanese villages. The “Japanese Festival Drums” assembly was a thrilling introduction to Japanese folk festivals. Marguerite Bunyan, a drummer with Taikoza, told students that villagers used the taiko drums to pray for rain and to give thanks for bountiful harvests.
The huge Taiko drums were originally used in Japan to purify and drive away evil spirits. During the assembly, the drum sounds kept the audience engaged and bouncing to the rhythm in their seats.The drums weigh between 100 and 150 pounds and are carved out of tree trunks, Bunyan explained. The ropes on the side of the drums can change sounds when they are strummed, she added.
Taikoza draws from Japan’s rich tradition of musical performance to create a new sound using a variety of instruments. The combination of drums, shakuhachi, and fue (both bamboo flutes) is a rare and unforgettable treat for American ears.
The performers invited some students to come on stage to play the taikoza drums and went out into the audience to give students an opportunity to play the small cymbals.
The umbrella dance demonstrated both grace and agility as dancer Chikako Saito twirled an umbrella and performed movement, martial arts and acrobatic skills while dancing to the Taikoza drum beats. Students learned that karate originates from the Japanese island of Okinawa.
Taikoza Japanese Festival Drumming Group at Clinton School
By the end of the performance, students enjoyed learning about Japanese drums and culture and were even speaking a few Japanese words.
