One Earth Tour: Evolution

Taiko: The Art of Layered Listening A Professional Development Workshop for Educators

Cheryl Mochalski Carole Ono Philip Pickering Teaching Artist Taiko Teaching Artist Taiko Teaching Artist

Galen Rogers Jesse Wiener Taiko Teaching Artist Taiko Teaching Artist

Saturday, December 8, 2018 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Longfellow Middle School Café, 1522 Ward Street in Berkeley

In preparation for the Kodo, One Earth Tour: Evolution SchoolTime performance Monday, February 4, 2019, 11am at Zellerbach Hall, University of , Berkeley

Table of Contents

Workshop Outline ...... 3

Artistic Literacy ...... 4

Workshop Leaders ...... 5

About Kodo & the performance...... 7

Artistic Concept: Layered Listening ...... 8

About the Art Form: Taiko Drumming ...... 10

Types of Taiko ...... 12

Engagement Activities ...... 13

Resources ...... 31

Your Starring Role in the Theater (theater etiquette for students) ...... 32

Acknowledgements...... 33

About Cal Performances and the Cal Performances Classroom ...... 34

Appendix A: Additional Information ...... 35

Cal Performances Department of Artistic Literacy Staff: Rica Anderson, Manager of Student Engagement David McCauley, Master Dance Teaching Artist Marilyn Stanley, Administrative Coordinator Laura Abrams, Artistic Residency and Community Programs Manager Sabrina Klein, Director of Artistic Literacy

© Cal Performances, Regents of the University of California, Berkeley 2018. pg. 2

1. Workshop Outline

9:45-10:00 a.m. MEET & GREET ● Check in / Coffee / Greetings 11:35 – 11:40 a.m. RHYTHM CIRCLE ● Each member adds a rhythm to create a group 10:00 – 10:10 a.m. WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS rhythm song. ● Sabrina Klein gives workshop overview & frame ● Taiko teaching artists welcome participants 11:40 – 11:50 a.m. KATA MOVEMENT ● Diamond configuration: follow the leader 10:10 – 10:20 a.m. OROSHI CLAP PATTERN ● Reflect ● A clap rhythm & ritual to bring our ensemble together. 11:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. TAIKO SONG ELEMENTS ● Keeping the beats 10:20 – 10:30 a.m. KATA/STANCE WARM-UP ● Beginning & ending Oroshi ● Connect to breath ● Call & response ● In pairs: create a strong base ● Rhythm patterns ● Exploring Kata shape & movement ● Flow Movement (Bound vs Free) 12:05 – 12:10 p.m. SANBON-JIME CLAP ● Reflect ● Clapping rhythm ritual to close session

10:30 – 10:40 a.m. CALL & RESPONSE RHYTHMS 12:10 – 12:15 p.m. WATCH VIDEO ● Kuchishoga system: creating rhythms with word syllables 12:15 – 12:20 p.m. OROSHI CLAP

10:40 – 10:50 a.m. 12:20 – 12:30 p.m. EMBODYING IMAGES FROM THE RANDOM COMPOSITION GENERATOR PERFORMANCE ● Adding an accent in an 8-beat rhythm ● Reflection on show ● Adding another accent in the 8-beat rhythm ● Share & reflect 12:30 – 12:40 p.m. REVIEW TAIKO SONG ELEMENTS 10:50 – 11:00 a.m. THROWING ENERGY / CUEING ● Review readiness to play ● Pass the imaginary object ● Create beginning pose together ● Throwing & catching energy ● Review taiko song elements ● Reflect together ● Create a rhythm ● Review musical elements 11:00 – 11:05 a.m. SANBON-JIME CLAP ● Clapping rhythm ritual to close session 12:40 – 12:50 p.m. PERFORM TOGETHER ● Hear each group’s piece 11:05 – 11:20 a.m. BREAK / SCHEDULE CLASS ● Put the taiko song pieces together VISITS ● Reflect

11:20 – 11:25 a.m. OROSHI CLAP 12:50 – 1:00 p.m. NEXT STEPS & CLOSING ● Discussion: Preparing students for class visits 11:25 – 11:35 a.m. ● Closing & evaluation LISTENING FOR THE INSTRUMENTS ● Demonstrate sounds instruments make 1:00 - 1:15 p.m. FINALIZE RESIDENCY SCHEDULES ● Play song & identify instruments ● School Coordinators finalize residency schedules ● Teaching artists perform song with Rica. ● Reflect & Discuss

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2. Artistic Literacy

What is Artistic Literacy? Having the skills and knowledge you need to connect meaningfully with works of art—that’s what we mean by artistic literacy. We think that means something different than knowing the names of all the different instruments musicians might play (though that’s a great thing to know!), or being able to reproduce the exact movement you might see during a show. To us at Cal Performances, it means you and your students will have a significant glimpse into the artistic process and will have a chance to try to solve the problems the artists aim to solve creatively. It means that the next time you see a performance, you’ll be able to use these same insights to connect with a work of art through the artist’s process and that this will deepen your experience as an audience member.

Artistically literate student audiences come to understand that every artist draws from a core set of concepts skillfully chosen and applied in performance to create a work of art both unique to the artist, and connected to other works of art.

And along the way, we hope that students of all ages—and their teachers and adult mentors—will be inspired to experiment with artistic decision-making and creativity themselves.

How to use this material We invite you to challenge yourself and your students to think with the curiosity and passion of the arts. This workshop guide is organized around four key artistic practices (as identified by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards at http://nccas.wikispaces.com/)

Investigating: Questioning, exploring and challenging.

Imagining: Opening the door to what’s possible, and even to what seems impossible.

Creating: Making artistic choices with a work of art in mind.

Connecting: Reflecting on both process and product and making connections to other aspects of life and study.

We’ve included pre- and post-performance engagement activities for reflection and artistic practice. Engaging your students in these activities gives them tools to make personal and meaningful connections to the performance. By no means should you feel limited by these suggestions! Go, make art, learn more…and share your experiences where you can.

And check out our Cal Performances Classroom Engagement Guide for further activities and tools with which to explore each SchoolTime performance. These are available online several weeks before a performance at http://calperformances.org/learn/k-12/.

If you have photos or lesson plans to share, please let us know! Use #Kodo@Cal

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3. Workshop Leaders

CHERYL MOCHALSKI is a member of Tatsumaki Taiko of Richmond, CA. She finds great joy in creating taiko music with the group and in sharing that music with the greater Bay Area community. Cheryl has studied the art of playing the with Marco Leinhard of the taiko group, Taikoza. She plays and arranges the traditional song melodies of the Shinobue to the taiko songs of Tatsumaki Taiko. She has also studied with to play the . Trained in classical western silver , Cheryl played in the University of Wisconsin concert band and at recitals and weddings.

Since moving to the Bay Area, Cheryl has taught high school Spanish in public schools is San Francisco, South San Francisco and in Marin County. She sees the study and performance of taiko as an expression of her passion for learning about the languages, music, traditions and cultures of the world.

Growing up in Berkeley, CAROLE ONO was drawn to the rhythms of taiko she heard at Community events and festivals. She was always captivated by the power of the sound as it reverberated through her body. Carole has taught 5th and 6th graders in the Berkeley Public Schools for many years, working alongside artists participating the “Artists in Residence” program, including the Latin Percussion Band and the African Dance Ensemble. In 2008, Carole enrolled in a taiko class at Tatsumaki Taiko with Phil Pickering and has never looked back. She even made a trip to the Kodo facility on in . Carole says, “Playing taiko is as rewarding as teaching a great lesson. You find yourself one with the other players, then look out at the audience and see by their faces that they are truly understanding what you are trying to communicate.“

PHIL PICKERING started playing drums at age 12. After high school, he spent 5 years performing full time in local bands around Northeast Pennsylvania. After moving to San Francisco to pursue a degree in computer science, he played in several Bay Area bands.

Inspired by a performance by the taiko group and a visit to Sado Island (Kodo’s home) Phil attended taiko classes at over the next 5 years. In 2000, he founded Tatsumaki Taiko. Initially a children’s taiko group, Tatsumaki Taiko began offering adult classes and now performs in festivals, events and school assemblies all over the Bay Area. Phil has hosted many taiko workshops with members of Kodo and Ondekoza, as well as other artists from Japan.

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GALEN ROGERS is a taiko and dance professional based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He studied taiko at the San Francisco Taiko Dojo from the age of 8 to 18 studying directly under Grand Master Seichi Tanaka, the person who brought modern taiko to America in the 1960s. Galen co-founded Oberlin College Taiko and is now the director of Jiten Daiko, a taiko ensemble based at the Buddhist Church of San Francisco, which focuses on pioneering new expressive territory for taiko arts. He also teaches taiko, gamelan, and ethnomusicology to high school students at San Francisco’s Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and Marin Academy. He studies Balinese dance and gamelan with Gamelan Sekar Jaya, a Berkeley-based Balinese performing arts ensemble, and he practices capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art, and gaga, Ohad Naharin's dynamic movement language.

JESSE WIENER is a Bay Area based taiko drummer, dancer, and teacher. She spent her early years exploring various forms of movement in Minneapolis, MN and continued her study at Oberlin College. Jesse began studying taiko with Oberlin College Taiko and currently is a co-artistic director and performing member of Jiten Daiko. She delves into dance creation and performance with Nina Haft and Company and Molly Rose-Williams and Company. Jesse draws from her dance and music engagement to teach creative movement to children around the Bay Area. Her passion for child development and the performing arts informs the ways she cultivates encouraging and explorative environments for children.

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4. About Kodo & the performance

Kodo Taiko In Japanese the word “Kodo” conveys two meanings: “heartbeat,” the primal source of all rhythm; and “children of the ,” a reflection of Kodo performers’ desire to play the drums with the heart of a child. The sound of the great taiko is said to resemble a mother’s heartbeat as felt in the womb, when babies are often lulled asleep by its thunderous vibrations.

Kodo’s Mission Kodo strives to both preserve and re-interpret traditional Japanese performing arts. Beyond this, Kodo members collaborate with artists and composers from across the musical spectrum and travel all over the globe to bring back to their home, Japan’s Sado island, a kaleidoscope of world music and experiences which then influences the group’s performances and compositions.

Kodo’s performances consist of three principal elements: 1) Pieces based upon traditional Japanese folk arts, learned from local people throughout the country, and reimagined for the stage to capture their universal spirit and energy. 2) Compositions created by friends and mentors of Kodo from all around the world (not just Japan). 3) Original compositions by Kodo performers themselves.

About One Earth Tour: Evolution With Evolution, Artistic Director Tamasaburo Bando crafted a program that places Kodo's best-known work alongside some of the core repertoire, highlighting both men and women of the ensemble. A combination of classic and current is complemented by new compositions created especially for this production.

Evolution is a program of large-scale works performing on a wide variety of drums with impeccable precision, from the Katsugi Daiko (or “portable taiko”) drums to timpani to the massive 660-pound o- daiko drums. The show also highlights dance, song and flute performances, and incorporates surprising visual effects.

About Artistic Director Tamasaburo Bando Tamasaburo Bando is a leading actor, and the most popular and celebrated onnagata (an actor specializing in female roles) currently on stage. His profound aesthetic sense has been demonstrated across numerous platforms and he has received acclaim for his direction of stage productions and films. In April 2012, Bando assumed the position of Kodo’s artistic director. In September 2012, he was recognized as an Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder (Living National Treasure).

For more information on Tamasaburo Bando, go to: https://tinyurl.com/yb9hxwbb pg. 7

5. Artistic Concept: Layered Listening

Listen for the loudest and softest and find the layers of sounds. Listen for silence- listen for the spaces between sounds. Listen for patterns of tension and release in music. Listen for emotion: tragedy, sadness, gloom, jubilation. - From “How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci” by Brian Gelb Image credit: Vanessa Brantley Newton

You don’t just listen to Taiko. You watch it. Your heartbeat pounds with it. Your energy shifts up and down with it. It is a layered experience, using different senses. Even listening to Taiko isn’t a single-step process. If you focus your eyes and ears on the different instruments, the dynamics (loud/soft, slow/fast, flowing/sharp), and the interlocking rhythms, you will be engaging in layered listening and hear things in the music that may surprise and delight you.

What do we mean by “layered listening” when we talk about listening to music?

Hearing music invites us to respond on many levels: our bodies may move with energy, or our moods and emotions may respond, or we imagine different scenes and ideas in our minds while we listen. This kind of listening is usually casual and happens in a moment, passing by a moment later and maybe leaving a light echo of something felt, something experienced that comes back to us after time has passed. “Layered listening” is a way of paying attention to all the ways the artists are playing the music, as individuals, in groups, as an entire ensemble, and inviting ourselves INTO the music in a different way.

We talk about “paying attention” deliberately in our work—because paying attention is like paying money for something we value. If we pay with our attention, we earn something back: a listening experience that opens up a new way of finding something valuable in music. This deeper paying attention—what we are calling “layered listening”—rewards the listener in surprising ways. While sometimes the music will still wash over us and slide away, layered listening can help keep us tuned in to the choices and intentions of the artists in a way that allows us to find something new and powerful in the music. We get into the artistic process and appreciate what the artists are doing in a new way. We have a chance to find something new and different that can change the way we think about music and ourselves.

It takes a little practice to pay attention to each of the layers you can hear in a piece of Taiko performance, and a little practice as well to give your listening a softer focus to hear all of the layers together. You can sharpen your hearing to listen for individual instruments or rhythms as separate parts, or soften your listening to hear all of it working together. When you can do both together, you discover a richness and complexity that isn’t obvious through casual hearing. Layered listening helps you discover combinations of playing and performance energy, including:

Individual instruments with their individual sounds and tones

Groups of the same instruments playing the same thing at the same time

Groups of the same instruments playing the same thing at DIFFERENT times

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Groups of the same instruments playing DIFFERENT things at DIFFERENT times

Groups of DIFFERENT instruments playing DIFFERENT things at DIFFERENT times

Groups of DIFFERENT instruments playing DIFFERENT things at the same time

Groups of DIFFERENT instruments playing the same thing at the same time

By this time, you might be thinking, “How can I listen to all those things at the same time?” It’s easy to hear them—it’s harder to focus your listening (and your eyes, and your energy) in such a way that all those layers come through to you. This is what the Taiko musicians need to do for every single performance of every single song—listening both to their own instruments and to all the layers in the music that everyone is playing. They have to pass the listening energy around the stage and they have to be ready to receive energy from the other musicians and from the audience.

Layered listening takes practice and skill. It’s part of every Taiko performer’s artistic toolbox. And we as audience can use this skill to get more out of every music experience, including this year’s performance of Kodo: One Earth Tour: Evolution at Cal Performances.

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6. About the Art Form: Taiko Drumming

“As a percussion, is the most primitive instrument and it may have been used for communication or religious rituals. In feudal Japan, was often used to motivate troops, to call out orders or announcements or to set a marching pace.”

The word taiko means “big drum” in Japanese. It also refers to all drums used in classical Japanese music and to the drummers who play them. Taiko come in all shapes and sizes, from the huge o-daiko to the small shime-daiko.

Origins of Taiko Drums similar to Japanese taiko were introduced from and around the 4th century. Taiko became known as the voice of Buddha with the power to spread wisdom, compassion, truth and beauty through its rhythms.

According to Japanese myth, the sun goddess once hid herself in a cave causing the world to go dark. In an attempt to coax her out, the goddess Ame no Uzume danced, stomping her feet on a wooden tub. The loud drumming drew the sun goddess out of the cave, bringing light to the world again.

Uses of Taiko Taiko has played a number of important roles in Japanese culture and traditions, with specific kinds of drums used for different events.

In warfare: Loud enough to be heard during battle, taiko was used in wars to inspire soldiers, frighten the enemy and issue commands.

At Imperial Court: , one of the oldest styles of court music featured taiko drums and was performed in castles and shrines across Japan.

In Performing Arts: Used in traditional Japanese theater like and Kabuki, taiko sets a mood or

pg. 10 recreates sounds of weather and nature.

In Daily Life: In villages, taiko was central to many folk festivals. Farmers believed its thunder-like sound brought rain to their fields. Drumming signaled when men went to hunt and when storms were coming.

Taiko was also used to determine the borders of villages. Since a village was only as large as the sound of their drums could travel, villages tried to create the loudest drums and have the best players.

In Spiritual Practice: In the belief system, spirits live in all natural things including the mountains, water, fire and animals. The taiko’s “voice” called these gods when praying and giving thanks. Priests also used taiko to drive away pests, illness and evil spirits.

For more information on taiko and its history, go to: https://tinyurl.com/lw23jsm https://tinyurl.com/3bp6w2

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7. Types of Taiko Drums

Taiko drums are beautifully crafted, hand-made instruments. As with many other artistic and cultural traditions, the art of building taiko is carefully passed down through generations. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/yabn3eak

While there are many types and variations of taiko, these instruments are most frequently seen at taiko performances. Note: When the word taiko is used in a compound word situation, the “t” changes to a “d.”

Nagadou-daiko The nagado-daiko (long-bodied taiko) is the most popular drum used in the modern kumi-daiko style of playing. It is common at festivals and in temples and shrines (where it is called miya-daiko.) Its sound is characteristically deep and reverberant. This drum can be placed on various stands for different styles of playing. O-daiko The largest drum in the ensemble, O-daiko literally means “big fat drum” and some o-daiko can reach huge proportions. It is made out of a hollowed tree trunk, over which a cow hide is stretched and tacked down. The larger the drum body, the deeper the sound. O-daiko are typically placed on a stand and played horizontally, often by two people at the same time. Usually, one player beats out a basic rhythm while the other solos. Often built for shrines and temples, mammoth o-daiko can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take the builder years to complete.

O-kedo Believed to be the oldest taiko style drum, the body of the o-kedo is made from staves or planks rather than a solid piece of wood. It is easier to carry because the skin is roped rather than tacked. These drums are about six feet long and three feet in diameter and are usually raised up on a high stand and played horizontally. Short bodied O-kedo, which are light enough to be carried and played while dancing, are becoming increasingly popular. These may be struck with slats of bamboo to produce a sharp slapping sound.

Shime-daiko Similar to the o-kedo in that the skins are attached by rope rather than tacked, shime- daiko are much smaller with a high, sharp sound. In taiko groups, the shime-daiko is often used to keep the basic rhythm and establish time, but it is a versatile solo instrument as well. It has a one piece body carved out of hardwood, and the shell is often beautifully lacquered and decorated.

Uchiwa This hand-held drum is shaped like a paddle or fan (uchiwa means fan). Often seen in parades and festivals, temple monks originally used it to keep time while they chanted.

Bachi Bachi are sticks used to play the drums. Large drums are played with large bachi, small drums with small bachi. These sticks are often made from a dense wood such as oak.

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9. Engagement Activities

Session # 1: Teacher-led Session

WHAT IS MUSIC?

Guiding Questions:

When do sounds move from being noise to becoming music?

What “cues” do we receive that music is being made?

Step 1 Group Brainstorm

1) Conduct an age-appropriate group brainstorm, grappling with the question “What is music?” 2) Capture ideas and thoughts on a board or large chart paper. 3) Encourage concepts such as organization/composition, intentionality (the sounds are not accidental), and basic of music including but not limited to: rhythm, melody, tone, patterns that repeat.

Step 2 Reflection: How does music make us feel?

4) What kind of music makes you feel happy? Do you notice the kind of beat/energy it has? 5) Why do you think the artists/musicians chose to write and/or sing the music in that way? What would they do if they wanted to make the music have you feel calm? Sad? Scared? 6) Every time we hear music, we can notice what the artist decided to do--how to play the instruments, which instruments they played, if they played loud or soft, fast or slow, with just one voice or instrument or with many. Let’s keep this mind as we learn about a kind of music from Japan called Taiko. Our guest artists will be here on ____ to explore this music with us.

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Session # 2: Class visit – Led by Taiko Teaching Artists

TAIKO RHYTHMS & ENSEMBLE CUEING

Guiding Questions

How do performers prepare to perform? How do performers communicate with each other during a performance? How can we use words to create rhythmic patterns?

Artistic Literacy Tool Box Listening. Cueing. Kata (Body shape/stance) Oroshi. Sanbon-jime. Rhythms. . Dynamics. Soft focus.

Overview Students will explore ensemble rituals, how to stand/move for taiko, how to create rhythms, and how to cue one another.

Time needed: 40-60 minutes (can be extended with layers of exploration).

Supplies and Prep ● Whiteboard or easel sheets and markers. ● Open space for moving and performing.

Instructions

Step 1 Oroshi

“An oroshi is a drum pattern of increasingly rapid beats, often leading to a drum roll.” – from online Taiko Glossary

Performers often engage in warm-up activities where they move, vocalize or play in unison. This is an effective way for everyone to transition quickly into a cohesive ensemble, and to set the “performing energy” for the group.

a) In a circle, facing me, take a wide stance and hold your arms out so they are parallel with the floor. b) Follow my movement, and the tempo (the rate or pace) of my claps. c) If you can add vocalization (following my example), include this as well. d) Reflect together: • What did you notice about the movements and the sounds we made? • What did you notice about the tempo (speed), or the dynamics (range of volume) in our rhythm?

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Step 2 Kata Warm-Up/Stance An important part of creating art is getting ready, the preparation. A painter has paint brushes and paints, a writer has a pen, a dancer has a body, a musician has an instrument. A taiko player has both instruments and their body to get ready. In this activity we are going to focus on getting our bodies ready and feel our strength.

Connect to Breath

a) Standing together in a circle, focus on your breathing. b) Follow my instructions for everyone to breathe together: • Slowly inhale, then slowly exhale • Slowly inhale, then quickly exhale • Quickly inhale, then slowly exhale • Inhale, then let your breath out is spurts (connect this to movement)

Create a Strong Base (Kata or shape/stance)

a) Find a partner and stand with your feet together, facing each other. b) Choose who will be Person A and Person B. c) Put your hands together, palms to palms. d) Person A stands like a tree with their feet together. Person B slowly presses more heavily against Person B’s hands (without hurting or knocking them down!) until they feel like they might lose their balance. e) Person B now stands, while Person A pushes against their hands until they think they might lose their balance. f) Reflect: • What did you notice about your experience (both pressing and standing?) • If you didn’t feel as strong and stable as you’d like, how might you stand to make your body stronger and more stable? g) Widen your stance and bend your knees (imagine your tree’s “roots” are wide and deep beneath you) and take turns pressing against each other’s hands again. h) Still in a wide stance, bring your right leg forward and bend it at the knee and hold your left leg straight and behind you. Take turns pressing against each other’s hands one last time. • What did you notice this time? • What helped you stay strong?

Exploring Kata

In the last activity we discovered the stance that was strongest and most stable for our bodies. Taiko drummers regularly embody strong physical shapes or movements – called Kata – as taiko drumming requires lots of strength and stamina.

a) Pretend you have a big drum in front of you. b) From where you’re standing, jump into Kata for taiko drumming (front leg bent, back leg straight, hips pointed at the drum.) c) Following the leader’s prompts, pretend you’re air drumming different sizes of drums. Try drumming fast, slow and medium speed.

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d) Now everybody walk around the room. When you make eye contact and come close to another person jump into Kata and show with your body that you are ready “to play”, then hit an imaginary drum in front of you three times. Move onto the next person and repeat several times.

Flow Movement (Bound vs Free)

Let’s explore using our muscles to move in different ways.

a) First, imagine that your body is a bowl of noodles, loose and floppy. Moving like this, do you feel ready to play taiko? Why or why not? b) Now, move like a robot with your muscles tight, stiff and tense, and your movement sharp and jerky. Do you feel ready to play taiko now? Why or why not? c) Get into your strong Kata stance/movement again. How does that feel compared with the other movements you just did? How do you show with your body that you are ready to play taiko? d) From your Kata, hit a pretend drum.

Step 3 Call & Response Rhythms Do you play a musical instrument? If so, what do you play and how do you learn the music? By listening to or watching a teacher? By reading notes on a page? Many musicians first learn music by reading notes.

What’s interesting about taiko is that we learn and teach the music by speaking rhythms to each other. “Kuchishoga” is a system where different syllables translate to different sounds on the drum. The rhythm of the syllables mirrors the rhythm played on the drum, and the timbre (distinctive quality of a sound) of the words, seem similar to the sounds the drum makes. (For instance, DON captures the resonant sound of hitting the center of a drum. KA suggests a lighter sound, as when the drummer hits the stick against the wooden edge of the drum.)

a) I’m going to say DON, and my teaching partner will then play DON on the drum. Let’s do the same thing with: • DOKODON • KA • KARAKA • A combination of these words to create a simple pattern. You can also signal or cue your drumming partner to the volume at which you’d like them to play. Speak softly and they’ll play quietly, speak loudly and they’ll play loudly. And it’s sometimes funny to try super complicated/super long rhythms to challenge your teaching partner!

b) Now we will try some repeat-after-me. I'll say a 4-beat pattern, then you say it back to me. c) Option: My drumming partner will play the pattern at the same time you say it (to illustrate how the syllables translate to drum sounds.) Copy their movements on the drum at the same time that you say the syllables. d) Try this series of rhythms (sequence for building Matsuri Daiko - festival taiko rhythms - without anyone knowing that they are learning a composition):

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#1 don don don rest #2 don don don ka #3 don don don ka ka #4 don don don kara ka #5 don don don kara ka ka #6 don don - don don rest #7 don don - don don ka #8 don don - don don ka ka #9 don don - don don kara ka 10 don don - don don kara ka ka

Step 4 Random Composition Generator Within a rhythm there can be accents or emphasis which give it a more distinctive, interesting quality. We’ll explore adding accents in this next activity

8-beat Rhythm with Number Accent

a) Divide into three or four smaller groups. (Teaching artists to check in with each group). b) Listen as Teaching Artist plays a simple 8-beat rhythm on atarigane (gong with mallet). Emphasizes heavily on the 1 count. Listen for the “1” in this 8-beat rhythm. Repeat c) When played again, everyone clap (or stomp) to emphasize the 1. Repeat this several times so we all feel the 1 deeply in our bodies. d) Each group choose a number between 1 and 8 for their group. e) Now I’m going to play the same 8-beat rhythm on the atarigane, and we’ll count clearly to 8. This time though, when we get to the number that your group chose, everyone in your group should say “DON” and strongly stomp their feet. (For example, if your group chose the number 5, say “DON” and stomp on the fifth beat of the 8-beat rhythm.) f) Let’s try this group by group first a couple of times. g) Now, let’s try it with all the groups going at the same time. We’ll do this a few times, and I’m going to count clearly to 8 so we can all lock into this rhythm. If it’s distracting to hear and see the other groups, your group can stand in a circle, face one another and focus your attention just on what your group is doing. (The teaching artist can help cue each group for when they are supposed to say DON.)

Adding Two Accents to Rhythm

a) In your groups, choose another number between 1 and 8. The number should be different from the first one you chose together. b) We’ll do the 8-beat rhythm again, but this time when you get to your new number say, “KA” and clap your hands. One group at a time a few times around. c) Ok, let’s challenge ourselves further – when I play the 8-beat rhythm your group will do the DON/stomp for the first number you chose, and the KA/clap for the second number. We’ll practice this several times. (Teaching artists will move around to each group to assist.) d) After a few rounds, the teaching artist fades out the 1-8 count, but keep playing the beats on the atarigane. They also may add some variation to the rhythm, in order to make it more musical. pg. 17

e) Ready to move to the next level? Let’s do this again, but this time as your group plays your part try to also listen to the group(s) next to you and what they emphasize in their rhythm. Keep your focus “soft” so you can hear the whole ensemble. f) Reflect together: • What was it like to listen to each other while playing your own part? Any strategies that helped? • When I stopped counting, what were the other cues you started to rely on?

Step 5 Throwing Energy / Cueing

Taiko drummers share something with jazz musicians--they improvise when they’re performing. Musicians will sometimes stray from the structure of a song when they feel inspired in the moment to build on what they’re playing and create a new musical passage. When performers improvise, they need to signal or “cue” the other musicians when they finish their improvisation, so the ensemble knows to resume their parts in the song.

In taiko, performers not only cue each other, but send energy and support to other members of the ensemble. Taiko can be physically demanding, and drummers need to keep their energy up. So, taiko drummers try to help each other, they believe that if you share your energy, sending it to others in your group, you can make more energy. In Japanese this is called kiai. You’ll see kiai in action when taiko drummers yell encouragement to one another or shout out, “HUP!” as they play.

Pass the Imaginary Object

a) Sit in large circle. I’m going to hand something to the person next to me, then they are going to pass it onto the person next to them, and so on. Watch closely. (Teaching artist picks up an imaginary object giving it a specific size and weight and carefully passes it to the person on their left.) When you “take hold” of the object and pass it on, try to give it the same size and weight as when it was passed to you. We’ll have the object go around the circle until it reaches me again. b) Reflect:

● What did you notice when we did this activity? ● How did you communicate with your neighbor the qualities of your object? Just as we used our bodies, facial expressions and eye contact to communicate the qualities of the object, taiko drummers often signal or cue each other, sending messages and energy through their physical gestures (movements that express ideas or emotions), expressions and eye contact.

Throwing & Catching Energy

a) Standing in our circle, we’re going to cue each other again, but this time we’ll send our energy across the circle. b) Imagine that you have a taiko drum in front of you. Let’s play a short rhythm on it: DON DON DON. c) I’ll now send this DON DON DON rhythm to someone else in the circle, and I’ll be clear about how I pass them the energy of this rhythm. I can choose to pass it with a big energy, moving my whole body and making large movements and with a deep, strong voice, or use quick energy and high voice. The challenge is to be specific

pg. 18

about the way you send the energy—do you blast it like a lazar, loft it like a fly ball or fling it like a catapult? d) When I send my DON DON DON, the person who receives it catches it saying DON DON DON, mirroring the same energy (and physical and vocal qualities) I had when I sent it. e) They then choose a different energy to send their DON DON DON to another person in the circle, who copies that energy when they catch it, then chooses a new energy when they send it out. f) Continue until everyone gets a chance to catch and send DON DON DON with specific energy. g) Variations to repeat activity: ● 2nd time: mark the pulse or beat of the DON DON DON as we throw and catch. ● 3rd time: drop the physical gestures, and just using eye contact to cue others in the circle that we are throwing them our energy. ● Option: add kiai during one round. h) Reflect together: What was it like to catch and send energy? To cue each other? Discuss how musicians communicate with each other when they perform.

Step 6 Sanbon-jime Close

There’s a custom in Japan to celebrate the end of an event (like a wedding, banquet, meeting or company party) with a hand-clapping rhythm. This is called sanbon-jime.

a) Follow the rhythm I clap. b) Repeat until all are clapping in unison, and all finish together.

pg. 19

Session # 3: Teacher-led Session

THROWING ENERGY

Overview Reinforcing the power of sharing energy amongst members of an ensemble and the importance of individual focus to support a group,

Practicing nonverbal communication/cueing between members of an ensemble.

Time needed: 30-40 minutes (can be extended with layers of exploration).

Supplies and Prep ● Space for a large circle ● Vocabulary from TA session #2

Instructions Remind students that they learned from the Teaching Artists about some of the ways taiko musicians communicate with one another on stage, and that one of the main ways is to “throw” their energy toward one another when it’s time for someone else to join in.

Step 1 Ask students what they remember about the energy conversation. Reinforce concepts introduced by the artists in Session #2: using the body to demonstrate energy; using sound (kiai) to demonstrate and release energy; the importance of focusing and being ready to receive energy from someone else.

Step 2 Form a large circle – this activity can be done outdoors if the weather holds.

a) Demonstrate through pantomime the forming of a “ball” that contains a kind of “energy.” For example, scoop air tight into a baseball-sized “ball” and determine that it is packed solid and hard with focused energy. “Throw” the ball of energy to the person to your left, and ask them to “catch” the ball with same energy and shape with which it was thrown. Pass the same “ball of energy” around the circle.

b) When it comes back to the teacher, s/he reshapes the “ball” into, for example, a much larger and lighter energy (like an oversized balloon), and this time, makes eye contact with someone across the circle, signaling that s/he wants them to “catch” the energy. This student then maintains the same energy and passes it to someone else across the circle. Coach so that every student catches and throws the energy.

c) For the final round, each person will “catch” the energy that is thrown to them, mimicking the size, shape and energy that is thrown to them. But before

pg. 20

throwing to someone else, they take the time to reshape the “ball” (making it bigger, smaller, lighter, heavier) carefully establishing the energy, then making direct eye contact with someone else across the circle to “catch” it from them. The new energy is caught in the same manner in which it is thrown, then the new receiving student re-shapes the energy, and so forth until everyone has made, thrown and caught energy.

Step 3 Reflection: What were all the ways you gave and read cues about the kind of energy being created? (How did people use their bodies to convey the kind of energy they were creating? Holding themselves lightly, planting their feet firmly, winding up, going on tip-toe, etc?)

How did you know it was your turn? How did you signal to someone else that you were going to send them energy?

Why do you think this kind of focus and sending/receiving energy is important for taiko drummers and musicians?

Optional: Connect with science projects on energy.

Assign a writing topic about why focus is especially important to performers working in an ensemble. What difference does one person make in a big group of performers?

Coach for focus: Laughter is fine, just keep your focus within the group. Don’t lose your commitment to the group. The group needs everyone in it to succeed.

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Session # 4: Class visit – Led by Taiko Teaching Artists

LISTENING & COMMUNICATING AS MUSICIANS

Guiding Questions

How can we focus on playing our part, while at the same time listening closely to what the ensemble is playing? How can we build on sounds to create music? How do the instruments work together to create a mood or evoke emotions?

Artistic Literacy Tool Box

Identifying different instruments. Harmonizing. Improvising. Leading and Following. Solo & Ensemble. Keeping the beat. Call & Response. Rhythmic Patterns.

Overview Students will practice deep listening, as well as soft focus as they improvise rhythms, explore Kata movement and learn the elements of a taiko song.

Time needed: 40-60 minutes (can be extended with layers of exploration).

Supplies and Prep ● Open space for moving and performing. ● Whiteboard or easel sheet and markers. ● Taiko instruments (Teaching artists will bring these.) ● Computer to play Chichibu Yatai Bayashi: https://tinyurl.com/y8aysg4o

Instructions

Step 1 Oroshi

We’re now a taiko ensemble! Most performing groups practice a ritual to bring them together to start on their work, as well as a ritual to close and celebrate their time together until they meet again. Our taiko ensemble will always start with oroshi, and close with sanbon-jime.

a) In a circle, facing me, take a wide stance and hold your arms out so they are parallel with the floor. b) Follow my movement, and the tempo of my claps. c) Add vocalization.

Step 2 Listening for the Instruments

a) We’ve brought some taiko instruments in today to start to listen for the different instruments you’ll hear in a taiko performance. What do you think each instrument will sound like? b) Now, we’ll demonstration of what each of these instruments sounds like. c) Reflect: ● What did you hear? pg. 22

● What stood out for you? ● Surprised you? d) Now that you’ve heard the sounds each of the instruments make, we’re going to listen to a song that Kodo often performs, called Chichibu Yatai Bayashi: https://tinyurl.com/y8aysg4o e) Point to the instrument, when you think you hear it in the recording. f) Reflect: ● What did you hear this time? ● What did you notice about the sounds and tones of the different instruments? The way the musicians played together? ● What did you think, feel as you heard the song? g) Now we’re going to play some more on the drums, listen this time for the different layers in the music. Where do you hear, for example: ● Groups of the same instruments playing the same thing at the same time? ● Groups of the same instruments playing the same thing at DIFFERENT times? ● Groups of the same instruments playing DIFFERENT things at DIFFERENT times? ● Groups of DIFFERENT instruments playing DIFFERENT things at DIFFERENT times? ● Groups of DIFFERENT instruments playing DIFFERENT things at the same time? ● Groups of DIFFERENT instruments playing the same thing at the same time? h) Teaching artists perform, then lead discussion.

Step 3 Rhythm Circle

As we just heard, taiko players often play different instruments, different melodies and different rhythms within one piece of music. How do they play their instrument and their part, while still listening to the ensemble play as a whole?

The following activity can be done with the entire class, with the class divided into two groups, taking turns doing the activity and observing, or with an inner and outer circle.) a) Sit in a circle. b) I’ll start by making a sound. I can make the sound with my voice or with my body (like a clap, snap, stomp, or slapping my leg) but I need to keep it pretty simple, and something I can easily repeat over and over. c) After a few moments, I’m going to ask the person sitting next to me to make a different sound they can repeat. d) Go around the circle until everyone joins in with a sound. e) Listen to the sounds others are making in the circle. Is there a way you can adjust the timing of when you make your sound, or your tempo, volume or pitch (high or low quality) so it connects more naturally with the whole piece? f) Keep making your sound and I’ll be the conductor. Using gestures, I’ll cue you to make your sound louder or softer, faster or slower. I may ask half of you to be silent for a moment, then ask you to start up again. g) Option: A volunteer conducts the circle. h) After our rhythm circle has performed for several minutes, I’ll slowly go around and ask each person to stop making their sound, starting with those who started first. i) Reflect together: What was that like? What did you notice? What’s the difference between listening to one or two rhythms, or taking in the whole group? Could you hear the different layers as the rhythm circle expanded to include more sounds? What cues did you get to help you decide what sound to add? pg. 23

Step 3 Kata Movement

In our first session together, we worked on our Kata shape or the stance we need to take in order to be ready to play taiko. Now, we’re going to explore Kata movement, or our readiness to move as part of a taiko ensemble.

Taiko performers use their whole bodies and incorporate choreography (how movements are arranged together). Just as they cue each other to communicate the end of their drumming solo, they also cue each other about movement; this helps them move in unison (altogether at the same time). And just as it’s important for them to focus on listening when they play together, it’s equally important for them to watch closely so they can follow cues instantly.

a) Remember our Kata stance? On the count of three, let’s get into it. 1... 2... 3! b) Find a spot for yourself where you have plenty of room to move around without touching anyone else. c) Let’s have one person in the front take two steps forward, one person in the back take two steps back; one person on the right side take two steps to the right, and someone on the left side take two steps to the left. The four people should make a kind of diamond shape. d) The person in the front will start to move slowly. You can do whatever movement you want, but try to move slowly enough so we can follow your movement. Everyone copy the movement this person makes. e) After we’ve followed the movement of the person in front for a minute or so, ask them to turn to their right or left. We’re now facing toward the person on the right or left end of the diamond. They should now begin moving, slow enough that all of us can copy their movements, and we’ll all copy the movements they now make. f) Rotate through all the people standing at the points of the diamond. When they turn in the direction of someone at another point, they should begin the movement to be followed. g) Option: Ask a person at one of the diamond points to move, but have everyone else just watch their “solo.” A solo is when only one person performs. h) Reflect together: What was easy? What was hard? What did you do so you could follow? What was it like to lead when you couldn’t see the people following you?

Step 4 Elements of a Taiko Song We’ll now teach you the elements of a taiko song. Teaching artists go over: a) Keeping the beats (time-keeping) b) Creating a beginning and ending oroshi. c) Call & Response d) Creating rhythm patterns (review Kuchishoga patterns) e) Questions, reflect together.

Step 5 Sanbon-jime Close

a) Follow the rhythm I clap out. b) I’ll repeat it until we all are clapping in unison, and we will all finish together.

pg. 24

Session # 5: Class Activity – Teacher-led Session

REVIEW ELEMENTS OF A LEARNING A TAIKO SONG

Overview In preparation of the performance, review the elements of taiko performance by repeating the Teaching Artist-led activity of making a taiko song.

Time needed: 30-60 minutes (can be extended with layers of exploration).

Supplies and Prep ● Write the four elements introduced by the Teaching Artists on a blackboard. ● Clear space in the classroom where possible. ● CD player or link to SoundCloud to play Chichibu Yatai Bayashi: https://tinyurl.com/y8aysg4o

Instructions

Step 1 Oroshi

Ask: “Who remembers what OROSHI is?” Remember when our teaching artists start our class together to build up our clapping patterns slowly? Let’s do that now.

“An oroshi is a drum pattern of increasingly rapid beats, often leading to a drum roll.”

a) In a circle, facing me, take a wide stance and hold your arms out so they are parallel with the floor. b) Follow my movement, and the tempo (the rate or pace) of my claps. c) If you can add vocalization (following my example), include this as well. d) Reflect together: • What did you notice about the movements and the sounds we made? • What did you notice about the tempo, or the dynamics (or range of volume) in our rhythm?

Optional: o Assign or ask for a student volunteer to lead the oroshi. o Reflection questions to discuss or journal: Why do you think a group of taiko musicians would want to start their rehearsals this way? How does it help them make a group or ensemble? What are they practicing (through watching and listening together?)

Optional: Review the elements of speaking Taiko Rhythm through Kuchishoga

“Kuchishoga” is a system where different syllables translate to different sounds on the drum. The rhythm of the syllables mirrors the rhythm played on the drum, and the timbre (distinctive quality of a sound) of the words, seem similar to the sounds the drum makes.

pg. 25

Remember that DON is a deep low sound like a drum

KA is a lighter sound, like when the drummer hits the stick (bachi) against the wooden edge of the drum

KARAKA is faster and lighter. Combining these sounds together in different orders makes a pattern

Practice Call-and-response

Let’s do some call and response: I'll say a 4-beat pattern, then you say it back to me. Add arms for movement to replicate the energy the musicians will be using to make the same sounds on their drums. #1 don don don rest #2 don don don ka #3 don don don ka ka #4 don don don kara ka #5 don don don kara ka ka #6 don don - don don rest #7 don don - don don ka #8 don don - don don ka ka #9 don don - don don kara ka 10 don don - don don kara ka ka

Required: Step 2 Before the performance show your students a video of “Chichibu Yatai Bayashi” from Kodo: Evolution.

Watch it twice and look for how the musician use gestures and movement to communicate with one another, cue changes in the music, and convey emotions a) Watch one minute of the video with the volume down. b) Reflect: What did you observe? c) Watch the whole video now with the music on. d) Discuss how your observations, perspective, feelings changed from viewing to viewing. What does the music add or do?

Remind your students to look and listen for:

● Gestural movement and how it communicates with the other musicians. ● The many layers of sounds. ______See you at Cal Performances’ Zellerbach Hall on Monday, February 4 at 11am for the SchoolTime performance of Kodo’s One Earth Tour: Evolution!

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Session # 6: Teacher-led Session (post-performance day of or day after show)

Time needed: 30-60 minutes Students will reflect on what they saw and heard, thought and felt during the performance, and will make connections between what they did in their first class visit with the teaching artists and what they experienced at the performance.

Supplies and Prep - Writing materials for students (paper, writing implements, journal) - Space for students to stand and move in a circle together.

Reflection

Step 1 Embodying images from the show a) In a circle, go around and each person show with your whole body a movement you saw in the performance; you can add your voice to share what sounds you remember too. b) After each person demonstrates with their body, our whole group will repeat the movement or sound.

Step 2 Journaling and/or drawing reflection

a) Think about what you saw during the performance. Right now, just remember things you actually saw with your eyes, not what you might have seen in your imagination. Write down and/or draw or doodle some things you saw. b) Remember what you heard during the performance. Again, focus on what your ears actually heard, not what you might have imagined among the sounds. Write down and/or draw or doodle some things you heard. c) Now, let’s bring in what we thought and imagined. Write down, draw or doodle some things you thought about or imagined during the performance. d) How did you feel during the performance? What emotions or feelings came up as you watched the musicians and heard the music? Write about and/or draw or doodle these. e) On a white board or easel sheet make four quadrants, and title them See/Hear/Think/Feel. As a class, let’s share some things you saw first. (Write these in the See quadrant. If students share something they interpreted or imagined, remind them to share something they actually saw with their eyes.) Now, let’s share some things you heard… some things you thought … some things you felt during the performance. (Capture these

in each of the quadrants.)

pg. 27

Step 3 Class Discussion Questions ● What did you expect the performance to be like? How did you connect this with what you actually experienced at the performance? ● What in the show make you think of things you did during the teaching artists visits? ● What surprised you? What seemed a little familiar? What seemed really strange? ● What questions would you ask the artists if you could? What artistic advice might you share with someone who was going to see the performance?

Session # 7: Class visit – Led by Taiko Teaching Artists

CREATING THE PIECES OF A TAIKO SONG

Guiding Questions How do the elements of oroshi, keeping the beat, call & response and rhythm patterns come together in a taiko song? How can the mood or quality of a musical piece change when you try different (speed) or dynamics (volume)? Why is listening and communicating important for ensemble work?

Artistic Literacy Tool Box Observing and listening. Imitation. Layering musical elements. Counterpoint. Interlocking rhythms. Group collaboration. Energy. Unison. Timing. Revising.

Overview Students will review the elements of a taiko song, as well as other musical elements. Then, they will work in small groups to create a different element of a taiko song, and combine these elements together.

Time needed: 40-60 minutes (can be extended with layers of exploration)

Supplies and Prep ● Open space for students to stand and move around. ● Whiteboard or easel sheet and markers.

Instructions

Step 1 Oroshi

a) In a circle, facing me, take a wide stance and hold your arms out so they are parallel with the floor. b) Follow my movement, and the tempo of my claps. c) Add vocalization. pg. 28

[NOTE: If the teacher completed Session #6 See/Hear/Think/Feel, the Teaching Artists will ask the class to share what the said during their reflection and ask if they’ve remembered anything else since the teacher reflected with them. If possible, Teachers will share the See/Hear/Think/Feel chart and review with the class to “teach” the Teaching Artists about their experience.]

Step 2 Embodying images from the show

a) In a circle, go around and each person show with your whole body a movement or body shape you saw in the performance. b) After each person demonstrates with their body, our whole group will repeat the movement or pose. c) Reflect together: ● What did you see and hear in the performance? ● What did you think and feel when you experienced the performance?

Optional, if the teacher did not conduct lesson #6: Use the See/Hear/Think/Feel matrix to capture audience experience. Remind students to share what they OBSERVED and NOTICED, not whether or not they like something. What did it make them think of? What did it make them feel?

Step 3 Taiko Song Elements Review

a) Get in groups of 4. b) Review Kata stance, being ready to play and communicating readiness to play (eye contact, etc.) c) Groups create a beginning pose together. d) Review elements of a taiko song: ● Keeping the beats (time-keeping) ● Creating a beginning and ending oroshi. ● Call & Response ● Creating rhythm patterns e) In your group, come up with a taiko rhythm. f) Share the rhythm and lead the larger group in playing the rhythm together. g) Review musical elements: ● Unison ● Dynamics ● Tempo ● Counterpoint (including call-and-response) ● Interlocking rhythms ● Soft focus (playing a rhythm, yet connecting with others playing different ones.)

Step 4 Group Creation of Taiko Song Elements

a) Each of your groups will create one element of a taiko song: ● One group will be the time-keepers, keeping the beat ● One will create the beginning oroshi and ending oroshi for the piece. ● One will create a rhythm pattern

pg. 29

● And one will create a rhythmic call and response. b) Your piece should fill two counts of eight (16 counts total) c) Once you’ve created your part, practice it a few times. Is there anything you can change or tighten up in the piece to improve it? d) Rehearse your group’s piece several more times.

Step 5 Perform Together

a) Let’s hear each of the pieces your groups have created. b) What did you hear? Observations? What did you wonder about? c) Now let’s put them together. (Teaching artists layer in groups one at a time until they are performing together. Groups may repeat layering in again.) d) Reflect together: ● What was it like to create your piece? ● What was challenging about creating your piece and how did you solve that challenge? ● What was it like to add all the pieces together? ● What might you change in your piece now that you’ve heard all the pieces together?

Step 6 Sanbon-jime Close

c) Follow the rhythm I clap out. d) I’ll repeat it until we all are clapping in unison, and we will all finish together.

Optional Lesson #8 - Teacher Led: Begin with reflection on the unit of study. Give your students an opportunity to refine their compositions and perform or present them to others.

Further Exploration You might consider seeking curricular connections in literature or history/social studies. If you design a lesson that you’d like to share, please let us know! We’d like to include it on our blog or in future workshops for teachers…

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10. Resources

Web Sites

Kodo: www.kodo.or.jp

Taiko Glossary: https://tinyurl.com/ydgms75w

Video Clips

One Earth Tour: Evolution trailer: https://tinyurl.com/yacwp98r One Earth Tour: Evolution performance: https://tinyurl.com/y9wjnu64 Japanese Culture and History:

https://tinyurl.com/yd7rqe

https://tinyurl.com/2usr6

Books • The Bee and the Dream: A Japanese Tale. Retold by Jan Freeman Long, illustrated by Kaoru Ono. 1996.

• Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories. Edited by Florence Sakade, illustrated by Yoshisuke Kurosaki. 1958

• Modern Japan: An Idea Book for K-12. Publication Manager. Edited by Mary Hammond Bernson and Betsy Goolian. 1992.

• Taiko. By Eiji Yoshikawa, translated by William Scott Wilson. 1992.

• The Way of Taiko. By Heidi Varian. 2005

DVDs Kodo - One Earth Tour Special, 2005.

Kodo: Live at Acropolis, 2002.

Local venues featuring Japanese Culture:

Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco http://japaneseteagardensf.com/

Asian Art Museum http://www.asianart.org/ 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco Japan Society http://www.usajapan.org

Japanese Cultural & Community Center http://www.jcccnc.org 1840 Sutter Street, San Francisco

You can find more information and activities in Cal Performances’ 2015 SchoolTime Guide for Kodo:

https://tinyurl.com/y9t6r54b

pg. 31

Your STARRING Role in the Theater

As an audience member, you are a STAR, too! You play an important role in the performance community. The artists need YOU in order to give you their best work.

S.T.A.R. Audiences S = Support the artists by being attentive and focusing on the performers. T = Tune in: listen and watch for understanding (and for Kodo, watch for how the musicians communicate with each other as they perform, and how they communicate ideas and emotions with us through their playing.) A = Appreciate the performers by clapping at the right time. For example, when a scene or dance ends, or when the stage lights fade to dark. R = Respect the performers and other audience members. At a performance, you, the others in the audience and the artists are sharing this experience together and are part of a performance community. Think about ways you can best support the community’s performance experience.

We know you will be a STAR today and will help you classmates shine too!

pg. 32

Major support for Cal Performances Classroom is provided by the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, the Koret Foundation, and the generous donors who gave at our Annual Gala.

This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov

And thanks to our many individual donors for their generous and continued support!

For information on supporting our Artistic Literacy (Education & Community) Programs, contact Sarah Sobey. Phone: 510.643.7053 / Email: [email protected].

pg. 33

About Cal Performances and the Cal Performances Classroom

The mission of Cal Performances is to produce and present performances of the highest artistic quality, enhanced by programs that explore compelling intersections of education and the performing arts. Cal Performances celebrates over 100 years on the UC Berkeley Campus.

What is a Cal Performances Classroom? Your classroom, of course!

The arts are an endlessly replenishable resource for a lifelong love affair with thinking, learning and feeling across disciplines and cultures. They connect fluidly with curriculum throughout the school years, and – perhaps with more endurance – they connect us to ideas and reflection on human experience that can’t be easily expressed any other way.

Each season at Cal Performance, you will find a menu of compelling performances and classroom opportunities for any age. You can create your Cal Performances classroom through any or all of our artistic literacy programs for grades K-12.

Cal Performances holds artistic literacy on a par with language and numerical literacy. Those who are artistically literate hold the keys to a lifelong engagement with the arts, able to unlock and make personal connections to any work of art, regardless or level of familiarity with the work and the artists.

Artistic literacy skills are developed in the Cal Performances classroom as students and teachers are engaged in the artist’s process. These skills are embedded in everything we do, from pre- performance talks to community conversations to teacher workshops and artist visits to the classroom.

pg. 34

Appendix A: Additional Information

pg. 35

Kabuki Theater

Kabuki is a traditional type of Japanese theater dating from the 1600s that includes drama and dance. Kabuki performances are highly stylized and often feature fantastical storylines and lavish costumes. Meant to be enjoyed as an all-day event, a Kabuki play can happen over the course of a day, or multiple plays are combined to form a full-day repertoire. Performances usually have five acts: a slow opening, followed by three acts that speed up the action and a short concluding fifth act.

The three main types of Kabuki performances include:

Jidaimono: historical pieces often depicting stories of ,

Sewamono: more modern works that focus on commoners, and

Shosagoto: primarily dance pieces.

More information on Kabuki theater at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki

pg. 36

Sado Island Origin of Kodo

Where Kodo lives and Why that Matters

Kodo’s Home: Sado Island

Sado Island slide show:

http://en.japantravel.com/photos/sado-island

Kodo describes Sado Island as, “the extraordinary place where Japan nature’s changing seasons, traditional ways of life and the island’s performing arts still thrive today. This island has been our home since 1971 and is the fountain of our inspiration and the guiding

force behind our creative lifestyle. Our goal is to find a harmonious balance between people and the natural world.”

“Each time we venture off the island we encounter new people, customs, and traditional performing arts that are ingrained in the

lifestyles of each locale. Both similarities and differences prompt us to take pause and reflect upon the importance of the varied and rich cultures that color our world. These life lessons permeate our very skin and become an invisible source of our expression.

It is through this process of Living, Learning, and Creating that

we cultivate a unique aesthetic and sensitivity, reaching out toward a new world culture rooted in the rich possibilities of a peaceful coexistence between humanity and nature.”

For more information on Sado Island go to: http://www.kodo.or.jp/general/village_en.html

Top: Map of Japan showing location of Sado Island

Center: Japanese painting, “View of Aikawa cho on Sado Island by Hasui Kawase

Bottom: “Fishing Village in Kita-Katabe Sado Island” Photo by Todd Stratford pg. 37

Japanese Masks

Shishi-mai (Lion Dance) Mask

Since the Stone Age, masks have been worn in nearly all cultures: as a form of disguise, in theater performances (often to illustrate a character’s qualities), in religious ceremonies, as part of membership in a secret society, as punishment for a criminal or in celebration of a holiday.

In Japanese culture, masks representing heroes, deities, devils, ghosts or animals have been used since ancient times in magic rituals, religious dances, shamanistic ceremonies, medicinal treatments, funerals and as talismans. Archaeological evidence indicates masks made of clay or cloth were used in Japan early as 10,000 B.C.

Gigaku

The oldest extant masks of Japan are those used in gigaku, an ancient dance in the form of a drama set to music. According to legend, gigaku arrived in Japan from Korea in the 7th Century. The gigaku mask covered the entire head and was most often made from wood carved into dramatic representations of lions, birds, demons and other superhuman creatures.

pg. 38

Bugaku

Bugaku masks were worn as part of performances in traditional court music that reached the height of their popularity in the 9th Century. Traditionally made of cypress wood, the first Bagaku masks covered just the face of the performer. Unlike the exaggerated gigaku style, they were quite natural, but became more elaborate over time.

Gyodo

From around 792 to 1185, the gyodo mask was used in Buddhist processions at various events, such as the dedication of a new temple. Designed to represent various Buddhist figures including deities, gods and demons, gyodo masks were oversized and covered the entire face.

Noh

Part of Japan’s highly stylized noh theater (popularized in the 14th Century), noh masks are designed to change expressions based upon light and shadows. Carved of wood, they are smaller than the actor’s face and have little holes through which the actor can see. Eighty or more different masks were necessary for a performance. (Photos of Noh masks below.)

Kyogen

Kyogen masks are similar to noh masks but most wear happy expressions or are extremely distorted. Kyogen is a type of comedy, and all the masks are designed to elicit audience laughter. While noh masks for a single performance may number in the hundreds, there are only 20 different types of masks in a Kyogen performance.

“Three pictures of the same female [Noh] mask showing how the expression changes with a tilting of the head. In these pictures, the mask was affixed to a wall with constant lighting, and only the camera moved.”

Read more about Japanese masks at: http://www.ehow.com/about_5376042_japanese-masks-history-meaning.html pg. 39

The Folk Tales

Amatarsu and the Cave: In graphic art and on stage. The goddess Uzume dances at the entrance to the cave. To lure out of the cave, she invents the first drum, and by stomping out rhythms with her feet, becomes the first drummer.

Amaterasu and the Cave/ Mythological Origins of the Taiko

One day long ago, the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu was visited by her brother Susano, the Storm God. He carelessly let loose his horses in her rice fields to feed them. Her crops were destroyed and Amaterasu was very angry. So angry, that she hid away inside a cave vowing never to come out.

The people on earth began to worry. If Amaterasu remained in the cave, there would be no more sunshine upon the earth. Without sunshine, the earth would be dark and cold. Surely they would die. So the people prayed to the gods and goddesses to help them. Finally, Uzume, the Goddess of Mirth came forward.

Uzume went to the cave entrance, and began a joyous dance upon a hollow log (barrel). She stomped her feet, beating out wild and inviting rhythms. Inside the cave Amaterasu’s curiosity grew. She had to find out what made the wonderful sounds. When she came out of the cave, she was given a mirror to look into (the first mirror made by the gods). Amaterasu was so delighted to see her reflection in the mirror that she forgot her anger, and sunshine was restored to the earth.

pg. 40

Story of the Serpents (Myth of the serpent/snake)

After he was banished from heaven for outrageous behavior, the storm god Susano-o descended into the land of Izumo in western Japan and killed an eight-headed dragon that had been terrorizing the countryside.

From the tail of the serpent, Susano-o recovered the marvelous sword Kusanagi that he presented to his sister and that later came to form part of the Imperial Treasures of Japan. Susanoo married the girl Kushiinada-Hime (Princess Marvellous Rice Field), who he had rescued from the dragon, and together they produced many generations of gods.

To read more Japanese folk tales go to: http://pitt.edu/~dash/japan.html

pg. 41

JAPAN

Geography

Japan is an archipelago, or string of islands, on the eastern edge of Asia. There are four main islands: Hokkaido, , Shikoku, and Kyushu. There are also nearly 4,000 smaller islands. Japan’s nearest mainland neighbors are the Siberian region of Russia in the north and Korea and China farther south.

Much of Japan is covered with mountains. The Japanese Alps run down the center of the largest island, Honshu. The highest peak is Mount Fuji, a cone- shaped volcano considered sacred by many Japanese.

Japan has about 200 volcanoes, 60 of which are active. Three of the tectonic plates that form the earth’s crust meet near Japan. They often move against each other causing dangerous earthquakes. More than a thousand earthquakes hit Japan every year. More than 126 million people live in Japan, which is comprised of large, metropolitan cities like the capital, , and small rural villages. Most of Japan’s population is located in the coastal cities. More than 126 million people live in Japan, which is comprised of large, metropolitan cities like the capital, Tokyo, and small rural villages. Most of Japan’s population is located in the coastal cities. History

Japan is known as the “Land of the Rising Sun,” an association symbolized by its flag. Its known history dates back thousands of years. From 1100-1800, feudal lords (shoguns) held political control. They forced out all foreigners in the 1600s and Japanese culture developed in isolation for generations. In 1854, Matthew Perry of the U.S. Navy, sailed to Japan, opening the country to Western influences.

The shoguns lost political control of Japan in the 1860s, and the Emperor regained power. In the following years Japan’s world influence and military power grew and on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked U.S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor. In 1945, the United States counter-attacked Japan, dropping two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing the collapse of the Japanese empire and the surrender of Japan. In 1947, Japan, under the direction of the United States, adopted a new constitution, renounced war, granted basic human rights, and declared itself a democracy.

Today, the United States has a good relationship with Japan and its government, which consists of a Prime Minister and legislative bodies. Japan is also the only country in the world with a reigning emperor, although he serves mostly as a figurehead. The present , Akihito, took the throne in 1989.

pg. 42

Culture

Written , or kanji, is closely related to written Chinese, utilizing pictorial symbols to depict the meaning of words. The Japanese also use two phonetic alphabets, hiragana and katakana, which incorporate the characters, and a third Japanese Flag alphabet, called romaji, which uses Roman letters. Japan is often called the Land of the Rising Sun Festivals or matsuri mark all aspects of Japanese life, due to its geographic location in the far east. from observing the seasons, to celebrating children The Japanese flag, illustrates this phrase, with to remembering ancestors. Hundreds of matsuri the red circle, symbolizing the sun, in the take place all over Japan every year, and taiko are center of a white field. drums and drummers are usually central to these events.

For more information about Japan, go to: Kanji http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan Kanji are symbols of words borrowed from the Chinese written language, and often look similar to the words they represent. Here are the kanji for tree (left), woods (middle), and forest (right). Notice how the kanji for tree looks like a tree, and as you add more trees, you create the woods, and finally, the forest.

Mon: Japanese Family Crest Mon started in the 11th century when ruling dynasties of the Imperial Court designed family symbols to adorn their formal clothing. The designs of flowers and birds represent elegant images of court life. The samurai class used similar emblems on their banners, flags, and weapons after they came to power in the 12th century. Samurai chose designs to represent warriors, such as arrows, dragons, and bats. Later, common people came to use family crests too, with symbols depicting familiar objects like rabbits, mountains and tools.

Mon designs are created to fit inside a small circular space. This composition shows something about the Japanese economic use of space. pg. 43

TAIKO TERMINOLOGY

Entering the Dojo

Respect Bow, 30 degrees: Thirty degrees is actually quite a lot and feels like quite a lot, if you go ahead and do it. This bow is for entering the dojo (place of learning)

Kneeling Bow, Touch your head to the floor: Very traditional and very beautiful.

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu: be kind to each other” Count to ten in Japanese

Count to ten in Japanese

1 ichi 6 roku

2 ni 7 shichi 3 san 8 hachi 4 she 9 ku 5 go 10 ju pg. 44

Seiza is a formal way to sit. If you respect your teacher then, you sit seiza in front of him/her. If you respect your fellow students, you sit seiza with them. If your teacher continues to sit seiza then you continue to sit with them as a demonstration of mutual respect and of shared values. In seiza we can sit upright, with our spine erect, our rib cage open giving our internal organs space to function. We can balance our head and see clearly about us without constriction to the neck – we are alert. So, we demonstrate what we feel – we are awake and receptive. We demonstrate to our teachers and our fellow students that we are in a state of balanced readiness.

Kiai Ki is energy ai is from verb awasu “to unite”. Martial artists from the east believed that a Kiai is a method of focusing their Ki. Kiai comes from you hara. In taiko used to offer support and energy to other players. Also used as a musical cue or signal.

Kata Kata is the “form or shape” of your body when playing taiko.

Ma Ma is the space between things.

Oroshi Right and left hand pattern of even beats. The space between the beats starts out big and becomes smaller and smaller into a drum roll.

Kl (kee) ACTIVITY Your hara is located at the center of your body, the belly. Ki “energy” comes from the hara. Taiko players work at becoming stronger, cultivating their ki by sitting in seiza and practicing hara breathing.

Hara breathing 1) Sit on the floor in a position that is comfortable (cross-legged or on the knees is good). 2) Let your hands rest in a still position. 3) Stretch your head and shoulders to the sky. 4) Take one deep breath in. Sink into the floor as you exhale. 5) Close your eyes, and keep them closed through the entire meditation. 6) Breathe using the following pattern. 1. INHALE through the nose filling the hara with air, to a slow count of six 2. EXHALE through the nose7) Repeat this pattern at least ten times.

Try hara breathing lying down. Place a book on your abdomen, then place one hand on the book and the other on your chest. Try to breath by only moving the book and not your chest. This sort of breathing is very calming. Try breathing only from your chest and watch your mood change!

pg. 45

Matsuri Taiko (Festival Drumming)

Taiko rhythms are taught using the oral tradition called “kuchi-shoga” meaning “mouth singing.” Each sound played is represented by a phonetic syllable creating a taiko vocabulary.

This is the vocabulary needed to play Matsuri Taiko. Don - is loud sound played on the center of the drum. Su - is the rest where there is no sound at all. Kara - two sounds on the rim

Matsuri Melody (5 patterns)

#1 Don Don Don Kara Kara

#2 Don Don Don Don Kara Kara

#3 Su Don Su Don Don Kara Kara

#4 Doro Kara Don Don Kara Kara

#5 Doro Kara Don Don Don Kara Kara

pg. 46

TAIKO HISTORY

The Japanese word “taiko” (tye-koh) means drum. The directness and immediacy of the drum has made it an important musical instrument in many cultures. The Japanese have used the drum for many reasons. An early practical use of the taiko was to determine the boundaries of the village.

A village was as large as the booming sound of the drum would carry. In feudal times the drum was used in battle as military music, to give courage to the samurai warriors, and to intimidate the enemy. Taiko is also found in other areas of Japanese culture. It is used in various types of theater, and is one of the fundamental instruments in the music of the Imperial Court.

Drums play an important part in Japanese religions. In the Shinto belief system, all natural phenomena, the mountains, fire, water, and animals contain a spirit of a deity. The taiko is used as a voice to call these gods to give thanks or pray to them. The Japanese folk believed that their music was an offering to the deities, which would bring them good luck. For this reason the taiko was often at the center of folk festivals. Farmers played the taiko believing that its thunder like sound would bring rain for their crops. Fishermen played the taiko to ask for a good harvest of fish. At other festivals the drum is played to dispel evil spirits, ward of sickness, or give thanks for prosperity. In the Buddhist religion, rather than calling the gods, taiko is the voice of the Buddha. It is the voice of wisdom and compassion, truth, and beauty, calling to instruct the people

The drum is believed to have a kami, a spirit of its own. It is associated with the changing of the seasons, the cycles of nature, and the celebration of life. Taiko is deeply imbedded in the traditions of the Japanese people and can perhaps be considered the essence. The heartbeat of the Japanese spirit.

The thunder god hammering on his drums

Samurai warrior

New Year’s Festival drummer

pg. 47

THE DRUMS

Odaiko/Chudaiko/Josuke (oh-dye-ko h/choo-dye-ko h/joh-zoo-keh) large bass drum/ middle size drum/ lead or melody drum

The traditional taiko in Japan are made out of a hollowed tree trunk. Taiko makers in America often use oak wine barrels for the body of the drum. Cow hide is stretched across the top and tacked down to create the head or playing surface. The larger the drum the deeper the sound. Originally goat and mule skins were used for the drum heads.

Okedo (oh-keh-doh) A cylindrical shaped drum. The heads are attached by lashed rope. This drum also comes in various sizes from very large, to a size that can be carried and played.

Shime(shee-meh)

In Japanese the verb, to tie, is shimeru (shee-meh-roo). The heads of this smaller drum are tied tightly to create a high pitched sound. Tying requires a two person pulling system. These drums must be tied each time they are played.

Uchiwa (oo-chee-wah) The Japanese word uchiwa means fan. This drum is shaped like a fan, and held in the hand when played. Its original use was by the temple monks who would beat the uchiwa to keep time while they chanted. Bachi (bah-chee)

Sticks of varying sizes, used to play the drum. Large bachi are used for large drums, small bachi for smaller drums. They are made of dense wood, usually Japanese oak. pg. 48

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

Mokugyo (moh-kuo-gheeyoh) shaped slit gong, known in the West as a Chinese temple block Originally used in temple ceremonies. It creates a ‘clip-pidy clop’ sound.

Atarigane (ah-tah-ree-gah-neh) A small brass gong held in the hand and played with mallet. The mallet head is made of antler of bone, set on a bamboo stick. By hitting different parts of the gong a variety of tones can be produced. It is normally struck on the inside.

Chappa (chahppah) Small hand cymbals made of metal. The size and nature of this instrument, allows the player freedom of movement.

Shinobue (shee-noh-booeh) Although it is not a , this flute is heard at most folk festivals. It’s melody combines well with the sound of the taiko. It is made of a simple narrow length of female shine bamboo, bound and finished lightly with lacquer. This versatile flute is also used in the music of Kabuki theater and other traditional narrative songs.

Hyoshigi (heeyoh-shee-ghee) These hard wooden clappers are played in Noh theater during fight scenes. Their clatter adds greatly to the power of the fighting. Outside of the theater, the sound of the was once used by the fire watcher, to signal their night patrol. During the day the same hyoshigi were a signal of the kamishibai (kah-mee-shee-bah-eh) man, the candy vendor, calling the children of the neighborhood.

Bin-sasara (bean-sah-sah-rah) A serpent like wooden rattle made out of small slats of wood that are strung together to produce a snapping sound. The bin-sasara is played at the “snow festival”. The men dance with them, always playing the “jat-jat” sound three times and always left-right-left

pg. 49

The art of taiko is believed to have its origins from regions along the trade route of the Silk Road: from North Africa, through Mesopotamia, across the Asian continent. Along with goods, people traded stories, music and art and traditions developed over generations. Along with the taiko, traveled the story of a powerful, magical creature believed to bring good luck and good fortune. The Shi Shi Mai, the Japanese lion dance, is the representation of this tale, accompanied by taiko and other instruments. In Japan, a single dancer wears the hand-carved, wooden mask of the golden female or the red male with a mane of flowing horsehair. Japan being an island, the description of the “creature” grew and evolved, sometimes fantastically, so the lion’s visage can evoke a dragon or dog. Today, there are lion dance competitions in many countries, sometimes with two dancers, sometimes several. The Japanese lion is the solitary benefactor and the dance is performed particularly at New Year, to bestow good luck and fortune. If the lion bites you, that is especially auspicious.

To create a lion, materials required are cardboard boxes, rulers or paint stir sticks, glue, packaging tape. Optional: paint, raffia, fabric, other decorations. Most of all, imagination. To make it to wear, choose a box that is 12” across, but you can always choose to create smaller, decorative lions.

pg. 50