Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center would like to give a huge thanks to everyone who supported our activities in 2017, especially all the students and participants of workshops and intensives. The drive, discipline and passion demonstrated by all those who entered our space this year was the reason why we do what we do.
Besides our ongoing seven-week long sessions, we hosted six workshops/intensives with visiting expert musician/instructors Suzuki Kyosuke, Eien Hunter-Ishikawa, Ryutaro Kaneko and Kenny Endo. The combination of workshops, our ongoing classes, as well as our newly implemented benkyoukai (practice sessions) of Miyake Kai and Edo Bayashi Kai, is how we continue to promote and teach various aspects of traditional and contemporary Japanese taiko drumming and shinobue flute playing.
We are already planning some incredible things for 2018 and hope to have as many of you a part of it as possible!
Top left: Kenny Endo Workshop ©Richie Arbas
Top center: Eien Hunter-Ishikawa Soloing Workshop
Top right: Eien Hunter-Ishikawa Edo Bayashi Workshop
Bottom left: Suzuki Kyosuke Intensive
Bottom center: Suzuki Kyosuke Workshop
Bottom right: Kaoru's Japan 2017 ©Diana Wu
Upcoming class and performance schedule:
- 7-week session: seven classes per session with the final day being a recital performance. Available in beginner, intermediate, and ensemble (advanced) levels.
- Session I: Feb 25 - Apr 15 (No class on Apr 1)
- Session II: May 5 - Jun 24 (No class on May 27)
- Session III: Jul 1 - Aug 12
- Session IV: Sep 9 - Oct 28 (No class on Oct 7)
- Drop-in class
- NY Miyake Kai: drop-in benkyoukai (practice sessions), open to everyone. Resume on Jan 7!
- Edo Bayashi Kai: drop-in benkyoukai (practice sessions), open to everyone. Schedule TBA
- Workshops/intensives
- The first workshop in 2018 will be in Feb with Chieko Kojima! Schedule and details TBA.
Please visit taikonyc.com or email info@taikonyc.com to find out more about classes and benkyoukai at KWTC!
*A new division of KWTC, the Brooklyn Nihongo Gakuen Ensemble, has a performance at Brooklyn Japanese American Family Association (BJAFA) New Years Festival on January 13th at Roulette.
Hope to see you soon!