- 6.29.06
12.12.06
Holidays and Works In Progress!
It's been a busy week! The Somei Yoshino Taiko Ensemble is in Los Angeles to rehearse for our big collaboration at the Cerritos Center in March of 2007. Tickets are selling at a brisk pace so if you are in SoCal on March 2nd reserve your ticket soon!
We are also busy preparing for our upcoming "Works In Progress" concert. Tickets just went on sale this week and are available on line at Plays411.com. We're working on a lot of new experimental material including Kelvin's first piece for On Ensemble! I'll be posting more soon!
peace,
12.2.06
December!
Wow, it's December already! Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving. On Ensemble is busy as ever. After the return from Wisconsin and the Thanksgiving break we've been recording the new album and will be starting a new session of classes this Sunday December 3rd. If you interested classes contact Kris at 310 350-8825.
Our next performance is December 16th at the LA County Natural History Museum's Family Fun Day. This month's theme is "Celebrate! Faire La Fete!". Very appropriate as we enter the holiday season.
This next bit is especially appropriate for all of you musicians and dancers out there: Cudamani, an amazing Balinese music and dance ensemble, is now accepting applications for 2-3 week summer institute. It's a rare opportunity to study music and dance from one of Bali's premiere ensembles and experience the culture and art of the island first hand.
I was fortunate enough to get to know Emiko, Cudamani's dance director, during the APPEX program this past summer. She is one of the kindest most amazing artists I've met and have not doubt that this will be an amazing program. There is more information at Cudamani's website. Applications are due January 5th and the institute is July 2-20 of 2007.
peace,
12.1.06
New Session of Taiko Classes
On Ensemble is now preparing for our fourth session of taiko courses and private lessons, this time with FOUR NEW COURSES!
Beginning
Sunday, December 3, Maz and I will be teaching the next session of our
in-depth taiko courses and private lessons! Designed specifically for
taiko players, On Ensemble's taiko lessons provide hands-on instruction
and in-depth exploration of taiko technique. Four of the five courses
are taught Sundays in Glassel Park (north of
downtown LA) and the remaining course (Composition for Beginners 101)
is
taught Friday evenings in Torrance.
Each course is $150 and class sizes are limited. Each class is 90 minutes. Participants are provided with weekly between-class exercises. Contact us today (kris@OnEnsemble.org, 310-350-8825) to reserve your spot!
SESSION FOUR COURSES:
Slant-Drum Technique 101 NEW!
Multi-Drum Taiko 101
Ji-Keeping 101 NEW!
Multi-Drum Taiko 201 NEW!
Composition For Beginners 101 NEW!CLASS DETAILS:
SLANT-DRUM TECHNIQUE 101 NEW!
Sundays 10am - 11:30am Glassel Park
December 3 - January 28
Maz continues his focus on basics with this in-depth course on slant-drum fundamentals. Participants learn the basics of stance and strike, and are given the drills and feedback necesary to make empowering steps toward a more relaxed, powerful, fluid slant-drum technique.MULTI-DRUM TAIKO 101
Sundays 12noon - 1:30pm Glassel Park
December 3 - January 28
Multi-Drum Taiko 101 is On Ensemble's most popular course ever! Back by popular demand, MDT 101 will be taught again this session, giving participants another chance to master the challenging drills and patterns of this fast-paced course. Students are introduced to the techniques related to playing rhythms across multiple taiko. "Taiko-set" drumming benefits from particular techniques that enable faster playing and quick hand movements. Multi-Drum Taiko 101 presents these techniques along with drills to improve comfort and speed with two or more taiko.JI-KEEPING 101 NEW!
Sundays 2pm - 3:30pm Glassel Park
December 3 - January 28
This brand-new course focuses on the all-important task of playing "ji-uchi", or the base-beat that underlies much of taiko music. Playing a solid back-beat requires substantial technical skill, as well as strong timing and listening skills. Ji-Keeping 101 introduces these concepts, along with the drills and practice patterns necessary to become a better ji-keeper.MULTI-DRUM TAIKO 201 NEW!
Sundays 4pm - 5:30pm Glassel Park
December 3 - January 28
On Ensemble's first 200-level taiko class (intermediate-level) continues where Multi-Drum Taiko 101 leaves off. Students are presented with intermediate and advanced techniques for playing between multiple drums and piece together a challenging two-drum pattern over the six-week course.Pre-Requisite: Multi-Drum Taiko 101 Participants must be able to complete, without error, the Multi-Drum Taiko 101 Challenge Pattern or must demonstrate similar ability to instructor.
COMPOSITION FOR BEGINNERS 101 NEW!
Fridays 8pm - 9:30pm Torrance
December 8 - February 2
This all-new class provides a gentle introduction to writing taiko music. Participants learn the "literal composition" technique for overcoming creativity blocks, as well as a number of tried-and-true musical concepts that can easily be applied to taiko. Individuals prepare short pieces, presented to the rest of the class at the end of the course.INDIVIDUAL LESSONS and WORKSHOPS
Interested in focusing on an aspect of your taiko not offered this session? On Ensemble now offers private lessons and workshops on all things taiko. Private lessons are $25 for 30 minutes and $40 per hour. Groups of two or more can schedule a workshop at $25 per person, per hour.Topics include:
Shamisen NEW!
Shinobue Flute
Betta Technique (upright nagado)
Rhythm and Timing
Shime Playing
Shime Tightening
Private lesson and workshop dates and times are scheduled individually.
SPACE IS LIMITED, SIGN UP TODAY!To register for a class or private lesson, email Kris Bergstrom at
kris@OnEnsemble.org or call 310-350-8825.ABOUT THE TEACHERS
Masato Baba started playing taiko at age six with Shasta Taiko,founded by his parents, Russel Baba and Jeanne Mercer. He has studied, performed, and recorded with renowned taiko artist Kenny Endo and taught extensively at the Taiko Center of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. He has recently returned from an extended stay in Japan where he studied Japanese flute and taiko and now teaches and performs with On Ensemble, Taiko Project, and Bombu Taiko.Kris Bergstrom began his taiko career as a member, composer, and leader of the university group, Stanford Taiko. He spent three years in Japan where he studied and performed traditional dance and nagauta shamisen. He has taught taiko in northern Japan, at Taiko Conferences, and at Cal State University Northridge. He has developed the TIASOU Method for shime tightening which he teaches in private and group lessons, along with shimedaiko playing technique.
peace,
Kris
11.17.06
Los Angeles
Maz and I got back into Los Angeles today. The smog and traffic welcomed us and made us feel at home. All I can say is thank goodness for the ipod. How did you make two thousand mile treks before ipods?
Once again we have to give a big shout out and thank you to Gian and the rest of the Capitol Civic Centre staff for bringing us out to Wisconsin. We had an amazing time out in Manitowoc and are already looking forward to the next Wisconsin road trip! Also a big thank you goes out to Denver Taiko, Kokyo Taiko, Taiju Daiko, the Toguri family and Jasmine for all of their hospitality along the way.
Kris is up in the Bay Area this weekend to see Somei Yoshino Taiko Ensemble's new collaboration called "Runaway Moon". If you are in the area definitely check it out! The performance runs from Nov 17th-19th at the SomArts Cultural Center in San Francisco.
After a couple days of recuperating we'll be back in the studio to start recording our next album and start rehearsals for our annual "Works in Progress" performance. Usually our "Works in Progress" performance is in December but this year it'll be in January instead. The performance will be Saturday January 13th at 8:00pm at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica. I'll be posting more details soon.
Kris and Maz will also be starting their new session of taiko classes on Sunday November 26th. I'll be posting the class schedule once it becomes available. If you are interested in On Ensemble classes contact Kris at: 310 350-8825.
peace,
11.14.06
Lawrence University
Whew... Yesterday was a big day. Maz and I drove from Chicago to Appleton, did a lecture demo for Clovis Grove Elementary School, gave a lecture at Lawrence University on the historical and cultural context of North American taiko, then led a hands-on workshop at the University.
A huge thank you goes out to Jasmine for all of her work in bringing us out to Lawrence University and for taking such good care of us during our stay. Also a thank you goes out to Erik for including us in your multicultural affairs programing.
Today we start the long trek back to Los Angeles. I'm typing this in the van with nothing but cornfields as far as the eye can see.
peace,
11.12.06
Chicago
After last night's performance Kris, Kelvin, Yoko and Eileen headed back to LA and the Bay Area today while Maz and I drove down to Chicago for a workshop with three of the Chicago based taiko groups.
We'd like to thank the members of Midwest Buddhist Taiko, Kokyo Taiko and Kaiju Daiko who came to the workshop. Also a big thank you goes out to Rev. Ron and Elaine, Ryan, Peggy and John for their help in setting up this workshop.
A super big thank you goes out to the entire Toguri family for their hospitality and for letting Maz and I stay at their house for the night! Tomorrow we wake up bright and early and head to Appleton Wisconsin for more workshops and residency activities.
peace,
11.11.06
Capitol Civic Centre Performance
Tonight we had a great performance at the Capitol Civic Centre in downtown Manitowoc, Wisconsin. We've really enjoyed our time here and have been floored by the enthusiastic response to our music. A huge thank you goes out to Gian and the entire staff at the Capitol Civic Centre for all of their hard work in bringing us out to their community.
Also a big thank you goes out to the tech staff at the centre for their work in making the performance a success and to Yoko and Eileen our awesome sound and lighting designers. Most of the On Ensemble crew heads back to LA and the Bay Area tomorrow while Maz and I drive down to Chicago for a workshop with some of the Chicago based taiko groups. After that we head back up to Appleton for another set of residency activities before heading back to Los Angeles. More from the road later!
peace,
11.10.06
Snowing in Manitowoc!
We're in Manitowoc and it's snowing! After our Denver stop Kris and I hit the road and met up with the rest of the On Ensemble team yesterday.
Today has been full of residency activities. In the morning we had a great lecture demonstration with over 900 students throughout the Manitowoc area. In the afternoon we conducted a hands on workshop with a very talented group of bands students from Lincoln High School under the direction of Mr. Micah Hoffman.
Tonight we had a fun meet, greet and short performance and met a lot of new Manitowoc friends. The Capitol Civic Centre is a beautifully restored theatre from the 1920's and we're looking forward to tomorrow night's performance. If you are in the Wisconsin Green Bay/Manitowoc area the performance is Saturday November 11th, at 7:30pm at the Capitol Civic Centre in downtown Manitowoc.
peace,
11.7.06
Denver Taiko Workshop
We hit the road two days ago. The drive from LA to Las Vegas is quite boring but after that we hit some really beautiful country. We even stopped for a little sight seeing in Eastern Utah.
Yesterday we got into Denver and had a great workshop with Denver Taiko tonight. A big thank you goes out to Aiko, Toni and Joyce for their work in setting up the workshop. Also a big thank you goes out to all of our new friends at Denver Taiko. We had a wonderful time working with you all and look forward to the next time our paths cross!
And last but definitely not least a little bit of North American Taiko history. Here's a picture of Kris and I with Mark Miyoshi's first drum! For those of you who don't know, Mark helped start Denver Taiko some 30 years ago and has gone on to be one of the most important pioneers in the North American Taiko Community. He has turned the wine barrel or stave-construction taiko into an art form and is one of North America's great folk artists.
Tomorrow we are off to Iowa and then will meet up with the rest of the On Ensemble crew in Manitowoc on Thursday. More later!
peace,
11.5.06
Wisconsin here we come!
The ipod has been charged the clothes packed and Kris and I leave for Wisconsin today! We have a performance this Saturday, November 11th in Manitowoc and will be stopping by Denver for a night of workshops on the way. I'll try to update while on the road but no promises:)
peace,
10.30.06
Wisconsin on the horizon...
Kelvin flew into Los Angeles a couple of days ago and we've been busy preparing for our run out to Manitowoc Wisconsin. If you are anywhere in the area the concert is Saturday, November 11th at 7:30pm. We're also be doing educational residency activities on the 10th. We're looking forward to heading out to the cold... One gets too soft living in Southern California. First thing to do before we head out? Buy Kris a pair of pants...
On our way to Wisconsin we'll be stopping by Denver for workshops with Denver Taiko and stopping by Chicago on the way back for more workshops. Should be a lot of fun connecting with the midwest taiko community.
After Wisconsin it'll be into the studio to get started recording our second album and preparing for our annual "Works in Progress" concert which will be held in early January. We've got lots of new ideas for the album and the "Works in Progress" concert and we'll be posting little tid bits along the way...
peace,
10.24.06
Blue Ginger and Garden Fresh!
Oops... Once again I missed a week of website updates. I just got back from a short run of performances on the East coast with Hiroshima. The highlight of the week had to be the amazing dinner we had at Blue Ginger. The miso butterfish is the bomb. If you live anywhere near Boston you must go try the miso butterfish. Really, no joking, you'll thank me later.
Also got to stop by University of Richmond and do a quick taiko workshop for Andy's world music class. Andy (Gamelandy) was one of the artists I had the privledge to work with over the summer during the APPEX program. He's also starting a gamelan group in Richmond, so if you are reading this and happen to live in Virginia, check it out...
Two weeks ago On Ensemble was up in Berkeley for a fundraiser concert at the Capoeria Arts Cafe which went really well. Thank you to all of you who came out to support Kelvin and see the performance. We were really blown away by the turn out! After the workshop we stopped by the Mountain View Buddhist Temple for a couple of workshops. Big thanks goes out to Joy, Rosh, Sue, Dishi, Elise, Linda and Barden for setting up the workshops and for the awesome Garden Fresh meal!
Next up On Ensemble travels to Manitowoc Wisconsin! Will keep you posted:)
peace,
10.23.06
Fundraiser Success!
Thanks to all who attended the Drum Fund Concert. You all helped make it a major success. We managed to raise $1,751.00 that evening!!! It was the first event of it's kind that I organized and I wasn't quite sure how things would turn out. I never wasted any time worrying about what the turnout would be, if I would do a sufficient amount of promotion, if we would have enough seats to accomodate all of the audience, whether we would have any technical difficulties in regards to the PA system, or if Me, Maz, Shoji and Kris would have enough time to rehearse given that we only had 8 hours to prepare the repetoire because since I made the decision to dedicate myself 110% to Taiko I knew things would work themselves out. Everything turned out just as I imagined they would.
I managed to teach Maz, Kris and Shoji an excerpt of "YATAI BAYASHI" in that little amount of time and I have to say that they did an amazing job at performing it. Thanks a lot guys. Eveyone in the East Bay who attended are eager know when we'll be performing here again. Hopefully it'll be very soon. I managed to make a connection with Nancy Hom of the Zellerbach Family Fund. She's a great contact to have and will be a great help in furthering the success of my school and of On Ensemble.
For all of you who are wondering when the classes will begin they will begin some time in January of next year. I'm still in the process of working things out with Susan Horn of Emeryville Taiko in regards to the space where classes will be held. Keep checking in here at OnEnsemble.org or at KelvinUnderwood.com.
Once again thank you very, very much
Kelvin
10.3.06
On Ensemble in Bay Area October 14th!
Yikes. I've neglected the website for too long. So much has happened since the last update... Where to start? For those of you in Northern California we're going to be in Bay Area for a special fundraiser. Kelvin is starting a new taiko school in Berkeley and we're putting on a special performance to help him raise money for a set of taiko!
On Ensemble Fundraiser Performance
Saturday October 14th, 2006
Doors open at 7:00pm
$10 at the door
Capoeria Arts Cafe
2026 Addison St.
Berkeley, CA 94704
For more info contact Kelvin at: (510) 684-7168
All proceeds from this performance are going to establishment of a new taiko school in the East Bay, so come out and support a good cause!
Since the last update we've been quite busy. Our performances at the "World City" and the Japanese Gardens went very well. I also went up to the Grass Valley Taiko Camp and took our good friend Yoshi up to Mt. Shasta for a couple days for a quick get away. For those of you who don't know Yoshi he's our instrument sponsor and has been a huge On Ensemble supporter from the very beginning.
I also just uploaded a bunch of new mp3s from our performance in Montreal with Patrick Graham back in May. We're kind of short on server space until the spiffy new server comes online so I had to take down the Neiro mp3s... Hopefully you've downloaded them already:)
Enjoy the new mp3s...
peace,
9.4.06
WAA Affiliated Showcase
Come see On Ensemble perform at the Western Arts Alliance booking conference this Thursday!
On Ensemble Affiliated Showcase
Thursday, September 7, 2006
9:30-10:00pm
Long Beach Hyatt
200 S. Pine Ave
Long Beach, CA 90802
Room: Seaview C
Also don't miss our performance for the opening of the "World City" series at the W.M. Keck Amphitheater at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Saturday Sept 16th at 11:00am and 12:30pm. The best part is that its FREE!
peace,
8.30.06
Taiko Classes Starting Sept 10th
Yikes... These weeks keep rushing by. Abduction had a very successful showing last week at the Arclight DocuWeek festival. The Los Angeles Times gave it a very glowing review. It's also been picked up for distribution in Japan!
If you are in the Los Angeles area, Kris and Maz start their next set of taiko classes Sept 10th! This session's classes include: Ridiculous Rhythms 101, Slant-Drum Solos 102, Multi-drum Taiko 101 and Improvisation 103. Classes are taught Sunday in Glassel Park at the On Ensemble studio and Friday evenings in Torrance. Space is limited so contact Kris at 310 350-8825 for more information and to reserve your spot!
They are also starting to offering private lessons and workshops on a variety of topics including: Shinobue Flute, Betta Technique (upright nagado), Slant Technique (naname), Rhythm and Timing, Shime Playing, Shime Tightening and Composition For Beginners. These lessons/workshops can be scheduled individually.
peace,
8.17.06
"ABDUCTION : The Megumi Yokota Story" opens in LA
This is exciting news, my first movie premiere! I composed the score for this documentary last year and it premiered at Slamdance winning the Audience Award for best documentary! Since then it has been doing very well on the film festival circuit and has finally made its way to Los Angeles! The film will be shown for a week at the Arclight Cinema on Sunset Blvd as part of IDA's 10th Annual DocuWeek. Here are the details:
ABDUCTION The Megumi Yokota Story
ArcLight Cinemas
Hollywood, CA
www.arclightcinemas.com
tickets: 1-323-464-4226
Friday, August 18, 1:30pm
Saturday, August 19, 3:15pm
Sunday, August, 20, 5:30pm
Monday, August, 21, 8pm
Tuesday, August, 22, 10:15pm
Wednesday, August 23, 10am
Thursday, August 24, 11:45am
peace,
8.16.06
End of APPEX
Wow. Sorry about the long pauses between the updates recently. The APPEX program just ended this past weekend and I still haven't recovered. I'm at a loss for words because I want to explain everything that happened and how I met all of these incredible artists and how we came together, worked together and went through this amazing process together. But it's just too much for me to put into words at the moment. It would take me days just to recap all of the activities but that wouldn't even get to the really important stuff. I don't know what to say. All I can say right now is that it was a profound life changing event and I'm eternally grateful to Judy Mitoma and the entire Center for Intercultural Performance staff for having the vision for a program like APPEX.
On the 9th and 11th we had two sold out showings of the collaborative work that came out of the program. If you missed the show you can see great pics taken by Jorge Vismara here. There was even a review in the Los Angeles Times.
But APPEX really wasn't about the performances it was about the process and I have been profoundly changed by it. The world seems much smaller now that I have 17 new family members from across Asian and the US and the world seems much larger after experiencing such a diversity of stories and art forms.
Once again a huge thank you goes out to Judy, Emiko, Marcia, Anu, Sabrina, Jorge and Janet for all of their hard work in making the APPEX program happen and a great big hello to my 17 new brothers and sisters.
peace,
7.23.06
APPEX 2
APPEX continues to be an amazing experience. It is such an unbelievable opportunity to collaborate with such great artists from across Asia and the US. Our two Salon performances both went very well! Check out photos from the performances here.
Meanwhile Maz, Kris and Kelvin had a successful performance at Descanso Gardens and Maz filled in for me with Hiroshima at this weekend's Pasadena Jazz Festival.
AND... Kris and Maz are starting Session Two of their in-depth taiko courses and private lessons this week! This session's topics include: Slant Drum Solos, Improvisation, Small Drum Technique and Ridiculous Rhythms. Classes are held throughout the day on Sunday and Thursday and Friday nights. If you are interested call Kris at: 310 350-8825.
peace,
7.16.06
APPEX
Wow! The reason I haven't updated this site for the past couple of weeks is that I've started a 6 week intensive residency at UCLA's Center for Intercultural Performance called APPEX. It's been an amazing life-changing experience. I'm collaborating, working with and learning from master artists from Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and the US. I at a loss for words. Life changing is as good as I can come up with...
There are a series of performances coming up this Wednesday, July 19th and Friday, July 21st. Then another showing of collaborative work at the end of the process on Wednesday, August 9th and Friday, August 11th. The performances will be at the Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater, 120 Westwood Plaza, UCLA. They are only $12 for general admission and $10 for students and seniors. You can purchase tickets by calling: 310-825-2101.
You can also view images from the residency here. More later!
peace,
Hawaii Day 7
Here's proof that we actually did work in Hawai'i! These photos are courtesy of Irvin. The Zenshin Concert was really great. The Maui Arts and Cultural Center is a beautiful place to perform and congrats again to Zenshin Daiko for 7 years of annual concerts. Were here back at the internet cafe getting some work done.
We're such nerds. Kris just logged into his computer back in Gardena, printed out a business letter and in his glee declared, "nothing like printing from abroad to make yourself feel good about who you are."
This picture is what we've been doing since the performance. Patrick this picture is for you. Don't worry we'll bring you on our next Hawai'i tour:)
peace,
6.28.06
Hawaii Day 6
Hello from the Big Island! We've been having a wonderful time in Hawai'i. Our first stop was a performance at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center with Zenshin Daiko. A huge thank you goes out to Tony, Val and all of Zenshin Daiko for their work in bringing us to Hawaii.
After that Maz flew to Honolulu for workshops with Taiko Center of the Pacific while Kris, Kelvin, Rosie and I had two days of Maui adventures. A huge thank you goes out to Kenny, Chizuko and TCP. Basically Maz worked while we played. We almost died driving around the perimeter of the island, went to a red sand beach in Hana, and jumped off of waterfall into a pristine fresh water pool. Life is good.
Now we're on the Big Island for workshops with Puna Taiko and have found our way to a cafe with free wireless. More updates later!
peace,
6.20.06
On Ensemble Live at Theatre La Chapelle MP3s and MAUI here we come!
Okay. I know I promised those MP3s soon in my last post and while 13 days doesn't really qualify as "soon" in the digital age back in the horse and carriage days it was practically overnight.
Anyways I'm posting "Little Man" the first of the Live at La Chapelle MP3s today:) Enjoy! I'll be posting other soon! Okay... not really soon but sooner than 13 days.
We're currently rehearsing for our upcoming Hawaii tour. I know... life is hard. We have a performance with Zenshin Daiko at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, then its off to Oahu, the Big Island and Kuaui for workshops!
peace,
6.7.06
Montreal MP3s on the way!
Just got the recordings from our Montreal concert with Patrick Graham today and will be posting MP3s soon! Speaking of MP3s... Patrick's website has a TON of great MP3s as well!
Also congrats goes out to Yukai Daiko for a successful spring concert! There was a great turn out with lots of SoCal taiko people so congrats Yukai on a job well done!
I'll post those MP3s soon...
peace,
6.2.06
June Already!
June is here! It's going to be a great summer. You know why? Because On Ensemble is heading to Hawaii at the end of the month? Nope. Because the best gelato place ever just opened up down the street from my apartment. If you are a LA native it is well worth your time to find this place. It's called Pazzo Gelato at it's located on the corner of Hyperion and Sunset. Now there's a comic book store AND a gelato place in walking distance. It's going to be a great summer.
On Ensemble is heading out to Port Hueme today for lecture demos and I'm performing with Hiroshima this weekend in Temecula. Also, don't forget Yukai Daiko has a free spring concert this Saturday!
peace,
5.30.06
Invitational Aftermath
What a weekend! Congratulations Senryu Taiko for hosting a really great invitational! For those of you who don't know the Collegiate Taiko Invitational is a once a year gathering of college taiko groups from across the country. There are workshops, discussions lots of taiko and a big concert featuring all the collegiate taiko groups.
For us collegiate taiko alums its a mini-reunion of sorts, a chance to catch up and check out the upcoming taiko talent. And there is alot of upcoming taiko talent! The highlight of the weekend for me was Yukai Daiko and Stanford Taiko's joint performance of "Omiyage" and UCLA Kyodo Taiko's "robot breakdown".
I'm also going take this moment to make something clear about "Omiyage". I often get sole credit for the piece but there are lots of people who also deserve credit. Bryan Yamami came up with the title and the original concept of the piece as part of the TAIKOPROJECT re:generation program, Kris Bergstrom was instrumental in the release of "Omiyage" as an open-source song and Yuta Kato has done a lot of work in further developing the visual aspect of the piece. Beyond that the whole open-source taiko concept is really just a way of codifying a spirit of sharing and openness that was taught to us by our taiko teachers.
So yeah, share the love, play the piece and don't worry about crediting me. That isn't the point anyway. If you are a taiko group and interested in the piece just send me an email and I'll email you the score and the mp3s:) Also you can check out this NewsForge article (originally posted last summer) on open-source ideas in the North American Taiko Community.
Also if you are in the Los Angeles area Yukai Daiko is having their 2nd Annual Spring Concert this Saturday and the UCLA's Northwest Auditorium at 7:30pm and it's free!
peace,
5.27.06
12th Annual Collegiate Taiko Invitational
The Collegiate Taiko Invitational is this weekend! UC Riverside's Senryu Taiko is hosting the invitational this year. It's big news for the collegiate taiko community because for 11 years the invitational has been hosted by one of the original three taiko campuses: Stanford, UCLA and UC Irvine. So congrats Senryu for stepping up, taking initiative and doing your part for the taiko community!
I was a freshman at Stanford when Stanford Taiko hosted the first invitational. Wow, I'm old... Collegiate taiko has really come a long way since then. The groups keep getting better and better and the community keeps growing! This year there are 12 collegiate groups participating!
There's a concert featuring the collegiate taiko groups on Sunday, May 28th. Details or at the UC Riverside campus events website.
"Abduction: the Megumi Yokota Story" continues to do well on the film festival circuit. You can keep up to date on the film's progress by visiting the Safari Media website. If you are Atlanta you can see the film at the upcoming Atlanta film festival. Or if you are in Australia the film will be at the Sydney film festival June 17-18.
I'm also currently writing music for another documentary called... Well actually I can't tell you yet... but don't worry I'll post info as soon as possible.
peace,
5.22.06
Back to LA
Well, we're back in LA (kind of). Right after we returned Maz headed up to Portland to continue work on the piece we was commissioned to write for the Pacific Northwest Taiko community. I jumped right into rehearsals with Hiroshima for a sold-out performance at the Cerritos Center last Friday. After the performance my wife I drove up to the Bay Area for the weekend to attend her good friend's wedding.
Our trip up to Seattle has been postponed. But don't worry we're still working to try to get On Ensemble up to the Northwest soon.
Lots of fun things happening in the near future. I'm starting work on a documentary film score and On Ensemble is heading out to Hawai'i in June!
peace,
5.13.06
MONTREAL 3
Wow. This trip has been amazing. 3 sold-out performances to great audiences, a great theatre, and lots of new friends and fans. What more could you ask for?
As always we have a ton of people to thank. A huge thank you goes out to Christiane who's vision and work made these concerts happen. A big big thank you goes out to Richard, Simone, Jeremie, Andy and the entire staff at La Chapelle for being such a great theatre. A great big huge thank you goes out to Arashi Daiko for lending us their taiko and for all of their help and energy over the weekend. And a enormous thank you goes out to Patrick for all of his music and work in making the concert happen. He doesn't know it yet but we're going to make Patrick the secret fifth On Ensemble member.
Want to see pics? Check out this slide show taken by photographer and electronic musician John Sellekaers.
peace,
5.12.06
MONTREAL 2
Quick update from Montreal. We just had our first performance last night to a great sold-out crowd. The reception we've had here has been amazing. Playing with Patrick has also been amazing. He fits so seamlessly into what we do it's like it was meant to be. Hopefully we'll find many more opportunities to perform and create new work together. I'll try to post a few pics soon.
peace,
5.5.06
MONTREAL
Just got back from Maui. Managed to forget to take pictures yet again... But I spent most of my time in bed with the stomach flu so be thankful no pictures were taken. We're getting very excited about our upcoming concert in Montreal. The concert is going to a collaborative effort with our ON '06 : Rourou collaborator and new found friend Patrick Graham.
Also just turned the big 30. I thought for sure this year would be the birthday when I wake up and feel like an adult. Instead, I walked to the newest store in the neighborhood, Secret Headquarters and blew 30 bucks on comic books. The walking to the store part did make me feel rather grown up.
peace,
4.27.06
NEIRO DVD
Oh my where to start... First of all our DVD is available at CDBaby.com! I've also updated the video page with new videos from the DVD. Enjoy!
I spent last weekend in Winnipeg leading workshops for Hinode Taiko. I'd like to thank Pam, Mr. Ono, all of Hinode Taiko and Genki Daiko for all of their hospitality and warmth. I've never been fed better!
Tomorrow I head off to Maui for workshops with Zenshin Daiko. Zenshin Daiko is also going to be hosting all of On Ensemble for a concert in June.
Our next big concert is in Montreal at the beginning of May. Kelvin is coming down to LA again right after I return from Maui to prepare for our collaborative concert with crazy fingered percussionist Patrick Graham. Should be a really great concert, I'll post more details when I get back from Maui:)
peace,
4.20.06
Spirit of Taiko
All you NPR and public television junkies out there take note, Maz will be featured in a documentary titled "Spirit of Taiko" along with taiko pioneers Kenny Endo and Seiichi Tanaka. The program will air on May 28th on KQED for those in the bay area. Also check out this article on the Portland premiere of the film last week.
Kris is in Japan right now for shamisen lessons and a big performance with his sensei Kineya Katsuyukie. I'm off to Winnipeg again to work with Hinode taiko for the fourth in a series of four week long residencies. It's a small miracle that I haven't completely worn out my welcome.
Things are continuing to go well for "Abduction: the Megumi Yokota Story" including winning the best documentary at the San Francisco Asian American Film Festival and the audience award at the Omaha Film Festival.
And... We have our own humble little DVD which will be available very soon. Right now they are in boxes taking space in our already cramped studio.
peace,
4.15.06
Digital Camera
I got a digital camera for Christmas, then realized that having a camera means nothing if you are not in the practice of actually taking pictures. So I took the camera with me when Maz and I went up to Mt. Shasta for a concert with Shasta Taiko over the weekend and came back with this picture of... a branch...
Sigh... The taking pictures thing is a bit of a work in progress apparently.
Still working on some Rourou goodies for you all. Haven't had much time though. Right after the concert Kris left to the East Coast for some workshops and school performances, Maz and I headed to Shasta for a concert. Then Maz went off to Portland to work with the Northwest taiko community and I headed to Stanford for workshops with Stanford Taiko. Whew.
Got some updates coming including some added performance dates in Seattle at the beginning of June!
peace,
4.1.06
Whew
Well another spring concert has come and gone. Once again we have a TON of people to thank! This is far from a complete list but here goes...
Huge thank you goes out to Meg Imamoto, East West Players and the entire EWP crew. Gargantuan thank you goes out to our lighting designer, Eileen Cooley and sound engineer Yoko Ito. Big, big, big thank you goes out to the California Traditional Music Society and the Counseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec for their support. Huge thank you goes out to our ever faithful Yukai volunteer crew!
Thank you to our wonderful guest artist Patrick Graham!
Thank you to Yoshihiko Miyamoto and Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten who has been behind On Ensemble from the beginning.
A very special thank you goes out to our FoundatiOn Team whose financial support makes these concerts possible. We really wouldn't be able to put these concerts together without the core support of our FoundatiOn Team. It really, really, really wouldn't be possible.
Lastly but definitely not least thank you to all of our friends, family, fans and supporters who came to our performances of ON '06 : Rourou.
Give me a few days and I'll post some MP3s, pics and other fun stuff from the concerts.
peace,
3.31.06
ON '06 : ROUROU OPENS TODAY!
peace,
3.30.06
ON '06 : ROUROU
On more day till ON '06 : ROUROU! Our guest artist Patrick Graham has been in Los Angeles since Monday and we've been working on some great material including a fun new collaborative piece based on cycles of 13 beats. Patrick brings a whole new palette of sound to the group and we're really excited about this collaboration. Our first DVD filmed at last year's spring concert has also been finished and will be available for the first time at this year's concert!
Our first performance of ON '06 : ROUROU is this Friday, March 31st and 8pm and the David Henry Hwang Theatre located at 120 North Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. We have two more performances of ON ' 06 : ROUROU on Saturday, April 1st at 2pm and 8pm. There will be tickets available at the door (bring a friend!) or you can get them in advance by calling 323 960-7782 or online at Plays411.com/Rourou.
peace,
3.21.06
Yamasong
Two weeks till ON '06 : ROUROU! Had a good weekend. Maz went to Vancouver, he's been commissioned to write a piece for the Northwest Taiko community. Kris had taiko classes (Maz and Kris are teaching taiko classes every sunday) and I installed a new mixing/recording desk with Charlie our intrepid studio mate. We actually salvaged this great mixing desk from the trash, it's crazy what you can find in LA dumpsters... It needed a little work but it looks great now that it's installed.
As we get closer to concert time, here's the track from our donor EP I've been promising:
Yamasong.mp3 - 6.2MB: Cut from EP2
It's a new song we've been working on. We did a preliminary version of Yamasong for Works In Progress and will be premiering it at ON '06 : ROUROU. Enjoy the track and as always, feel free to copy, post, and otherwise share this music.
peace,
3.17.06
DVD coming soon!
In addition to ON '06 : ROUROU we have a DVD coming soon! Get excited. Leading up to ROUROU I'll be making lots of fun updates! Today's tasty tidbit is the DVD trailer. Enjoy!
We're hopefully (fingers crossed) have the DVD available in time for ON '06 : ROUROU. Just another incentive to get those tickets:)
peace,
3.15.06
16 days
Sixteen days till ON '06 : ROUROU! Time is flying. Preparations continue in full swing... I'm going to post a new mp3 very very soon to get you excited about our upcoming concert. Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after, I just need another day to make the final adjustments to the track.
I just got back from another weekend in Winnipeg leading a series of master classes for Hinode Taiko. Winnipeg is becoming my second home, I've been up there once a month since the beginning of the year and city has really grown on me. It's like the exact opposite of Los Angeles. Damn cold and cheap housing. Don't get me wrong, I still love Los Angeles and On Ensemble will be a LA based ensemble for the foreseeable future. But I saw a condo for sale in Winnipeg for $39,000... Canadian! That's like what, twelve bucks? AND their conservatives are like our democrats, their liberals are way left of that and there's even another more liberal party that actually gets votes, crazy... I almost became a Canadian citizen right there and then.
AND there's great Japanese food! I know, I know you're thinking "great Japanese food in Manitoba?" But I tell you it's true. If you ever find yourself in Winnipeg go to Edohei. It's the best sushi I've had since the first On Ensemble performance in Hakodate, Hokkaido.
Peace,
3.10.06
New Photos, ep2, DVD etc.
I've got lots of things to post but not enough time to get everything organized and actually update the website properly. Sigh. In addition to preparing for ON '06 : ROUROU we're working on a limited edition EP for our FoundatiOn Team and production has began on our first DVD! The DVD was shot last year at NEIRO and will be available soon! I also have new photos to post. I'll post them soon but for now here's a sneak peek:
Peace,
3.8.06
Stanford Magazine
We got a little write up in the current issue of Stanford Magazine. Seems to be some confusion with my name though... Shoki is a new one. I get Shogi a lot, or Soji or even Showgee. I guess K is right next to J on the jeyboard:)
We're busy preparing for ON '06 : ROUROU. We brought Kelvin down (he lives in Oakland) to LA last week for rehearsals and a photo shoot. We're also recording a new limited edition EP for our FoundatiOn Team. I'm super excited about this year's concert. Of course I say that every year but this year it's really true. Having Maz back from Japan is great and the music has been evolving and changing to reflect our new group dynamic.
Peace,
3.3.06
On '06 : Rourou Tickets Onsale!
As promised tickets for our annual concert series go on sale today! You can get your tickets online at Plays411.com/Rourou or by calling: 323 960-7782. Tickets to all shows are $26.50 in advance, and $29 at the door. There is a $5 discount available for students and seniors.
Peace,
3.1.06
Modern Drummer Review
This is exciting! We just got a review in Modern Drummer magazine! We got 4 drumsets out of 5 drumsets and they called us "an exciting taiko ensemble looking at new ways to apply traditional Japanese drums." Yeah!
Also don't forget ON '06 : ROUROU tickets go onsale in a couple of days!
Peace,
2.21.06
ON '06 : ROUROU
ON '06 : ROUROU tickets are going on sale March 3rd! We're excited about this years concert and are gearing up for the rehearsals, preparation and fund raising. ON '06 : ROUROU will be held at East West Player's David Henry Hwang Theater on March 31st and two performances on April 1st. We'll be posting more information soon but mark your calendars and get your tickets on March 3rd.
Peace,
2.20.06
Good news
Good news! "Abduction: the Megumi Yokota Story" the documentary I composed music for just won the audience award at the Slamdance film festival for best documentary! You can keep up on the documentary and the film festivals it will be attending at the Safari Media website.
You'll also notice that Maz and Kris are also posting updates. We fell behind the last week but expect more updates from Maz and Kris soon:)
Peace,
2.7.06
Maz back in the US
Hi everyone! I’m back from my Japan experience, which was both good and bad. I’m happy I did it and now I’m glad to get on with my taiko life.
When I first moved to Japan, I couldn’t stop thinking of what I missed in America. As I was getting set to return, I couldn’t stop thinking of what I was going to miss in Japan. It’s funny how one adapts so quickly to their surroundings. Since I’ve been back, I’ve had my share of Mexican food and sunflower seeds, but I long for a good bowl of Ramen at “Ramen Dojo” which was just a five-minute bike ride from our apartment. Loreen definitely misses all the damn good panya (bread/pastry shops). It’s also funny how much changed when I was gone.
I’ve missed out on so much. Shoji has accumulated so much knowledge in the recording process and production, Kris has hacked everything in his home and is taking big strides in taking scratching classes, Michelle and Yuta left, Kelvin joined, one of my close friends is getting married, and the Star Wars saga is forever over. I feel like I haven’t changed much myself, but if I think about it, I’ve done a lot over my stay in Japan.
Loreen and I taught English to children ages 1-14 (don’t ask how we taught to babies), which has rekindled my passion for teaching. Keep checking back about taiko classes! Information to be posted soon. I also studied Edo Bayashi (Japanese traditional festival music of old Tokyo) with a wonderful teacher named Kyosuke Suzuki. Kenny Endo-sensei often refers Suzuki-sensei as “Superman” because he can do everything. He plays flute, taiko, sings, and is the number one lion dancer in Tokyo. He really looks like a cat! Amazing!
I took taiko classes at Nihon Taiko Dojo, which really helped me think about my form. Well, maybe it made me realize how much I need to practice! Arrrgghhh! I feel like I’m back in my place now doing what I’ve done for my whole life. Hope to see you soon!
Maz
1.31.06
DIY Everything
I've been on a do-it-yourself kick recently. My new motto is, "You don't own it unless you've hacked it." I've been hunkered down in my apartment repairing random electronics, sewing tool holders, and personalizing more or less everything I own. A big part of this recent passion is practical; I needed a case for my turntable and mixer setup and nothing ready-made fit the bill. Sometimes hacking is the only option.
Another
part of it is economics; the cracked but serviceable AC power filter
I got at Goodwill would save me $20. A lot can be accomplished with
a fearless screwdriver.
And a lot of it is just fun; I like seeing the insides of things, tweaking
them to be more useful, and generally prolonging the life of objects.
I've come to a bigger life realization in all this though... Hacking is a great way to slow down one's consumption. I'm always trying to live a simpler life, with fewer things and less waste. But at the same time, I have an unrelenting desire to be comfortable and efficient. I care that my desk is exactly 27" high and I'll pay $300 for a good, ergonomic keyboard. I want my table and desk suspended from the ceiling so that it's easy to clean the floor with my bagless vacuum cleaner. I want to listen to time-shifted NPR as I brush my teeth with non-animal-tested toothpaste in my organic, hemp pajamas. In short I'm a marketing company's dream.
So
in order to resist the temptation to buy newer, better things, my solution
is:
BUILD EVERYTHING.
Well, not *everything*. But everything I can. By forcing myself to make what I need, I'm a very slow shopper. Just ask Shoji --- my recording setup has taken me over a year and a half, and it's not even close to being done. You see, first I had to learn how all this recording stuff works, so I'd know what things I need. Then I had to research and get the best of those various things, and to make sure it'd all work with GNU+Linux (the operating system of choice for hackers). Then I needed to build a case for all those things, but that required welding. You see how this is going?
I'm
now in my second semester of welding at the community college and the
case is half-complete. And I haven't bought a piece of recording gear
in months!
Hiroka is only fueling the fire; she gave me three pairs of boxers that
she had hand-sewn from my old t-shirts. Right now I'm wearing what is
likely the *only* pair of Stanford Taiko recycled boxers in the world.
And when we wash them, it will be with soap that Hiro hand made to match
our skin's chemistry. Dreamy.
The end result of all this is that I'm spending more time learning than buying. It takes forever to research, ask questions, and figure all this stuff out. I'm still a consumer, and I can't totally free myself from the desire for newer and better things. But at least I can stretch my wants over longer time periods. And for a relentlessly comfort-conscious American, it's about the best I can currently do.
When the dream recording system, and the dream turntable/mixer case, and the custom-made practice space shelving, and the lofted bed with hidden storage etc etc are done, we'll post some pictures here. But don't hold your breath.
Happy Hacking!
1.27.06
Back in LA
Back in Los Angeles after a fun yet brisk week in Winnipeg. This year is already off to a quick start! We're starting planning for our annual concert, March 31st and April 1st. We'll be announcing more details soon.
Masato and Kris will be starting a series of classes in February. We'll post details soon! Masato has also been commissioned by Portland Taiko to compose a piece for the Northwest Taiko Community. Kris is also busy with a series of workshops for Stockton Taiko.
Peace,
1.22.06
Slamdance!
"Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story" premieres today at the Slamdance Film Festival! The Safari Media website has also been updated with a trailer and more press including an interview with Jane Campion about the film. It was an incredible experience composing and recording music for the film and I feel very fortunate to be involved with this project. Chris and Patty (the fearless directors) we're great to work with and I wish them all the best at Slamdance!
I'm in Winnipeg at the moment for a 5 day workshop residency with Hinode Taiko. It's been a lot of fun and I'm enjoying the snow and brisk air. It's great having the opportunity to work and compose for another taiko group full of characters:) I mean that in the best possible way.
One of Hinode Taiko's alumni, Makoto is an up and coming chef in the city. There is a fun taiko connection here; Kris, Makoto and I were all summer interns at San Jose Taiko back in 1998. We rented a bedroom together and spent the summer playing taiko, playstation and day dreaming of the day we would have our own taiko groups and restaurants. So if you are ever in Winnipeg and you're looking for a great place to eat check out his restaurant Glutton's.
Peace,
1.16.06
Martin Luther King Day
Today is a day of reflection and gratitude. Gratitude for not just Doctor King but for all those in the movement who sacrificed so much to make our country a better place. Reflection on the work that still needs to be done and the challenges that we still face.
Stanford has a great website for the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute with audio clips and text of many of his speeches. One of my favorite Doctor King speeches was one titled "Where Do We Go From Here?". Click on the "Contents" button next to the publication "A Call to Conscience". No matter how many times I hear or read them Doctor King's words continue to inspire.
Peace,
1.5.06
First Fridays at the Natural History Museum
If you are in the Los Angeles area come see us perform tomorrow at the Natural History Museum for their First Fridays event. Tickets for the event are $15 General admission and $12 for students and are available at ticketweb.com or by phone at: (866) 468-3399.
We got a positive review from NewAgeReporter.com and have been nominated for the 2005 NAR awards under the following categories; Album of the Year, Best Instrumental Album - Acoustic, Best New Artist, and Best World Album. I'm going to seriously lobby for that "Best Contemporary Taiko Album recorded with 2 mics and a laptop" category. We might also do well in a "Best Taiko/Turntable/Tuvan Throat Singing" category or "Best Album for Recovering Video Game Addicts" or "Best Taiko Nerd Album" and we'd be a lock for "Best Album Recorded on a Diet of Spicy Eggplant With Tofu".
Peace,
1.4.06
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Oh wow! It's the New Year! Happy Year of the DOG!
2005 was a great year for On Ensemble. The big news of the year was the release of our first album "Dust and Sand". Our debut album was met with positive reviews and made it all the way to number 3 on at NewAgeReporter.com. A huge thank you goes out to Ed Bonk at Lazz Promotions and Becki Carr at yarrpr who helped us promote "Dust and Sand".
It was also a year of change for On Ensemble. We said goodbye to two of our members Yuta and Michelle. Michelle left to become the Artistic Director of Portland Taiko (you go Mich!) and Yuta also moved to Portland to join the Portland Taiko staff. We wish both Michelle and Yuta all the best on their new paths, but don't worry I'm sure you haven't seen the last of Michelle or Yuta in an On Ensemble costume!
We also said hello to our newest member Kelvin Underwood and a great big welcome back to Masato who has returned to Los Angeles after a year and half studying taiko and fue in Tokyo.
2006 looks to be another great year. Things are already off to a quick start, we had a performance today at the Pasadena Food Bowl and have another coming up at the Natural History Museum for their First Fridays event. Whew.
Peace,