Creative process 1001 Buddhas

We've been in Minneapolis for less than two weeks now working on our
second major production with Ragamala Dance called "1001 Buddhas".
This one is much bigger than our last collaboration, "Sva", in that
it's not just Tokara and Ragamala, but also Unnikrishnan (Chenda),
Rajna (Mrdangam), Anjna (Violin) and Lalit (Voice). It is much more
complicated this time around, but I have a feeling the finished work
is going to be a stunner. Hoping that we will be able to tour this
around the world, because it is certainly the first time (second
actually..."Sva" was the first) that a taiko drumming group is working
so intricately with Indian dance and music.
Whenever I see collaborations of this kind, usually the taiko group
does their simple 4/4 taiko rhythms and the other group will do their
thing. Those performances have always left me feeling that the
creative process wasn't taken to it's maximum potential. My feeling
is that each group should challenge themselves to study each others
art to be able to understand, and create a successful collaboration.

Hirugami no Hibiki one month concert

August 1 - 30

Tokara News Update

Wadaiko Tokara News Update

Art Lee documentary on NHK

"Begin Japanology" on NHK Broadcasting network will feature a documentary about Wadaiko Artist Art Lee on March 15 and 16. 
The documentary will air on March 16th at 2:00p.m. on NHK BS1 in Japan, and will air around the world on NHK World on March 15th at 9:30a.m.

Tokara fundraising to create DVD:
Wadaiko Tokara finally has a chance to create a DVD!! After eight years, in celebration of Tokara's eighth birthday on March 7th, we have recently been presented with an opportunity to create a performance DVD as well as an instructional DVD. We are working hard to raise funding for making this a reality, and we are asking for pledges to this project:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/269280907/our-first-dvd-ever
We only have 30 days to raise these funds, and if we don't make the goal, then we don't get even a cent. So, we are working really hard to make the goal. Thank you to those who have pledged and/or shared this information with anyone and everyone you possibly can.  If at least 400 people pledge only $25 each, we can reach our goal. There are some great rewards as well for anyone who pledges any amount. Please take a look at our project page at:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/269280907/our-first-dvd-ever

NEW TOKARA CD - "Toward the Undiscovered Country"
After nearly eight years since the formation of Wadaiko Tokara, we are excited to announce Wadaiko Tokara's very first CD "Toward the Undiscovered Country". This CD presents some of Tokara's most popular pieces which have been performed in 19 countries since 2004.
To Preview and Purchase our new CD, click on the following link:http://www.tokara.net/info/ttuccd.html

Intensive Taiko Courses in Japan:

All spaces are now full and registration for the 2012 INADANI Taiko Drumming Course has now closed.

If you still want to come to an intensive taiko course taught by Art Lee in Japan, there are still spaces available for the Tokara Wadaiko Bootcamp in August.

Otherwise, starting in December 2012, registration for the 2013 INADANI Taiko Drumming Course GRAND TOUR will begin.  Watch the Tokara Website for details.

Sincerely,
Kinoshita
Wadaiko TOKARA Japan
TEL: +81(0)265-59-8768
Email: info@tokara.net
Website: http://www.tokara.net

...........................................................
2012 Intensive Workshops in Japan:

INADANI Taiko Drumming Course (Beginners) -- June
   www.tokara.net/japantaikocourse.html

Tokara Wadaiko Bootcamp (Intermediate/Advanced) -- August
   www.tokara.net/taikocamp.html
...........................................................

Tokara ニュース

和太鼓アーティスト アート・リーは NHK放送番組 "Begin Japanology" （ビギン・ジャパノロジー）で出演します。
放送時間は：日本国内 NHKBS1: 3月16日（金）14:30〜

今年の日本国内公演：
6月3日 - 午後3:30時、名古屋市北文化小劇場
7月21日 - 幸い下伊那和太鼓フェスティバル、特別ゲスト出演：Mugenkyo (スコットランド）
詳細とポストは：http://www.tokara.net/saiwaishimoina/indexj.html

和太鼓TOKARA(トカラ)結成から8年目の今年、ついに待望の初CD「Toward the Undiscoverd
Country~未知の世界へ~」が完成致しました。
2004年以来、世界各地19カ国で演奏し好評を頂いたオリジナル曲などファンの皆様に人気の高い8曲が収録されています。このCDをご購入して頂いて得た収益は、現在拠点としているこの長野県飯田市の地に私達の道場を建てる為に使わせて頂きます。世界各地から訪れてくれる研修生や、地元の生徒さん、そして私達TOKARAが益々練習に励むことの出来る自身の道場を建てるには、3万枚の売り上げが必要ですが、目標に達せるよう、一歩一歩歩んでいく所存です。
収録曲数 8曲 オリジナル7曲 (アートリー作曲) 伝統曲1曲
収録時間 58分
リンクとプレビューは：http://www.tokara.net/info/ttuccd-jp.html

このメッセージは news@tokara.net から送りました。

******************
和太鼓 遥TOKARA遥 ニュース
〒395-0813 長野県飯田市毛賀831-1
TEL/FAX: 0265-59-8768
メール: info@tokara.net
HP: http://www.tokara.net

ツアー中の公演:
"未知の世界へ"
http://www.tokara.net/touring/michinosekai.html

"天地神明"
http://www.tokara.net/tenchishinmei/index-en.html

Stardate 21230.9

Well, just found out that I will be going to Canada by myself at the
end of next month. Mostly a few workshops and performances in
Kelowna, then there might be something in Vancouver, but not sure yet.
Looking forward to go, but a little disappointed because it was
supposed to be with all of Tokara and that just didn't go though.

Really looking forward to start recording on the DVD's. That's
something that I've been hoping to do for years upon years, and it's
been frustrating because being a Japan-based arts group, but not being
Japanese, I can't get mainstream grants or funding in either country,
even though there have been countless possible sponsors who say they
love our music.

I remember once, maybe six years ago, Kaburagi-san, president of
Kabuchan Nouen, an extremely wealthy distributor of farm goods, and I
went on a radio set, being described as two of the "exciting
innovators in Nagano Prefecture". Kabuchan Nouen as successfully
exporting persimmons and apple from this region which are quite
famous, and Tokara for creating and making famous a new and exciting
style of taiko.
The other big differences between us is that Kabuchan is extremely
wealthy, and Tokara is extremely...not. Kaburagi-san also said on the
radio that he was a huge fan of Tokara and anyone who can should do
their best to support us. Wow, that was really nice to say, I
thought.
Anyway, after the interview, Kaburagi-san and I went to have a cup of
tea and talk, and I had a proposal for him to help sponsor a festival
which we produce. It was a proposal which we had started before the
interview. Finishing out the proposal, he laughed in a way that says
"you must be joking". Suffice it to say, it didn't work out.

Well, this kickstarter crowd funding project for recording our DVD is
the first time we have ever found a way to try to raise funds like
this. Hope it works out!!! Working like mad to try to make it.

Wadaiko Tokara Video Podcast

Japanese:
皆様こんにちは、
現在ヨーロッパツアーの半分が終わりました。これからイギリス、アイルランドの公演やワークショップとドイツのジャパンウィーク公演を準備をしています。
今までのツアーの写真やビデオ、このリンクへ行くと和太鼓トカラのポッドキャストが itunes から見れます。
http://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/wadaiko-tokara-europe-tour/id464561887

English:
Hello Everyone,
Currently, our Europe Tour is now half finished. From now, we are
preparing go to the U.K., Ireland for performances and workshops, as
well as to Germany for Japan Week Performances.
Now you can see pictures and video from the first half of our tour via
our new video podcast on itunes. To see these and to subscribe to
this podcast, please click on the following link.
http://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/wadaiko-tokara-europe-tour/id464561887

Sincerely,

和太鼓トカラ
Wadaiko TOKARA Japan
〒395-0813 長野県飯田市毛賀831-1
TEL/FAX: 0265-59-8768
Email: info@tokara.net
HP: http://www.tokara.net
*******************************
"TENCHI SHINMEI" World Tour:
http://www.tokara.net/tenchishinmei/index-en.html

In Edinburgh

Third day of our Edinburgh Fringe Festival performances is finished. It's great to be back here again, yet for the whole festival this time. I'm looking forward to the coming weeks, though don't want them to pass too quickly...

New Tokara Office Opened

The new office has opened and it's exciting!!! I've actually been working there since the 4th, and have been enjoying it. I guess that's because the real busy work hasn't begun yet.


We had the opening celebrations on the 15th. We didn't make it an open invitation because the office is quite small, but those we invited showed up to join us in celebrating. Eighteen people filled up both sides of the office, and we had a great time.
Internet starts working from tomorrow, so then we will be fully up and running...

Stardate 21121.5 - thinking

Seems like a lot of things are happening, and yet not so much.
I find that most of the office work at the moment is designing and creating for voluteer projects, which is really great. Just finished the Tokara calendar and have sent it off to print. This is a calendar that I make every year and we give them to everyone who comes to our New Year performances, as well as friends and contacts.
As I think ahead to the coming year, I worry a bit about a lot of things, but am happy that I have the chance to do all of these great things that I'm able to do...and to be surrounded by so many good people.

One really great thing about the next year, Tokara finally has an office...I mean a space specifically dedicated to the office work that creates the gateway for artistic work that Tokara is doing. For me, this means a huge deal. A space where members can work and plan even when I'm not there, where people can get together and brainstorm about new ideas, oh the possibilities.
We're going to start moving all of the work related materials to the new space soon. Next, hopefully, a practice space, which is what we need most of all.

Thank you

To everyone who so kindly wrote to me, thank you so much.
Actually, I didn't know that so many people read my blog until I found out that it is also forwarded to Facebook. That is why I wasn't so clear in what I wrote.
Some of you already know about my condition, but most don't.
Several years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called PSC (primary sclerosing cholangitis). It is a slowly progressive disease due to the regenerative properties of the liver, however there is no cure except for liver transplantation. Also, the disease causes other complications along the way. In my case, an unprecedented number of liver stones.
I was in he hospital to prepare for liver resection to remove to stones, however the doctors have recently told me that if I have liver resection, a liver transplant will not be possible when it becomes necessary according to Japanese law. Also, in most cases here, only live donor transplant between family members is possible. My wife, being the amazing person that she is, has offered. But she is considerably smaller than me physically.
Moreover, I can't see a possibility of liver transplant in the U.S. (of which I am a citizen) because I don't have health insurance there. And getting it is costly and sometimes impossible with a pre-existing condition.
Well, that's the worrisome part of my life. But I'm still happy with my life because I've got a great wife, two amazing kids (cute enough to be models, we think), great students in both my group and classes, and those taiko drums which forever challenge me to improve myself.
The chance to be cured would be a blessing for myself and my family.

Out again

Well, things changed again, so I'm out today after what seemed like another barrage of tests.
I just have to remain positive and try as much as possible to keep myself as healthy and strong for when the time comes for the part of my life that my family fears.
One nice thing to see, though is that there are a lot of empty beds here, which means more people are out enjoying their lives rather than being in hospital. It is good to know.

So, today I go to Tokara practice which will do a lot of good. We have two new apprentices, Takafumi Onozawa, who started in July and is really showing a lot of promise; and Kelly Reid from Sweden. Today will be her first official session as an apprentice. I am glad I can be there for it. It's an exciting time for Tokara. Good, dependable members, two apprentices, and everyone sharing the goal of working together to make Tokara the strongest performing group it can be.

Starship Tokara

Tokara in Edinburgh - First Day

Tokara had it's first performances of Tenchi Shinmei on August 9th at
St. John's Church in Edinburgh as part of the Edinburgh Fringe
Festival and the Edinburgh Festival of Spirituality and Peace. The
concert was a complete success with the theatre being nearly full at
240 audience member who applauded twice for no less than one full
minute (one after 'Hatou no Hibiki' and once after the encore of
'Buchiawase'). Hopefully we will be able to post pictures soon at
Tokara's official facebook site...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tokara/37594483598?ref=ts

Tokara Europe Tour Press Release

Press Release

Internationally renowned Taiko Drumming group, Wadaiko Ensemble
Tokara from Japan is once again exploding onto the european arts scene
with a full concert called "Tenchi Shinmei" at St. John's Church on
Princes Street from August 9 - 20, 2010 - each day, except thursdays,
at 7:30p.m.
Also, at Exeter Barnfield Theatre in Exeter, Devon at 7:30 (with
workshop at 12p.m. to 2p.m.)

The group tours internationally four to five times each
year...enchanting audiences in their native Japan, as well as
highlighted tours Off Broadway in New York and throughout the United
States, Canada, Taiwan, and India. The group has also performed in
many festivals throughout Europe, including the 5th U.K. Taiko
Festival in Exeter which sold out for the first time. This year,
however, will be their first full concert here on the European
continent.

The groups list of accolades is daunting given how young the group
is. Art Lee and Wadaiko Ensemble Tokara has performed at: special
performance at the Japan Expo, two-week run Off Broadway in New York
and Carnegie Hall, the Taiko All-Star Concert in Tokyo Aoyama,
headlined at the Taipei City 120th Anniversary and Kelowna City 100th
Anniversary, and many others. Of particular note is Tokara's
invitation to perform at the single most influential taiko event of
this century: The Asano Taiko 400th Anniversary Concert in June 2009.
The leader of Wadaiko Ensemble Tokara, Art Lee, is renowned as one of
the leading taiko artist of our generation. Art Lee is the first and
still the only person in the world to be awarded an unsponsored artist
visa by the Japanese government to live in Japan as a professional
taiko performer, teacher and composer. He is also the only
non-Japanese person in history to ever win First Place at the Tokyo
International Taiko Competition.

Concert Details:

SCOTLAND:
Title: Tenchi Shinmei
Date: August 9 - 20, 2010 (except thursdays)
Place: St. John's Church Venue 127 - Edinburgh, Scotland
Time: 7:30p.m.
Tickets: £12.00
Ticket Details on the Festival website:
http://www.festivalofspirituality.org.uk/
Tokara Website: http://www.tokara.net/

ENGLAND
Title: Tenchi Shinmei (concert and workshop)
Date: August 27, 2010
Place: Exeter Barnfield Theatre (Devon County)
Time: 7:30p.m. (Workshop 12p.m. - 2p.m.
Tickets: £15.00 (concessions £10.00)
Ticket Details on the Theatre website:
http://barnfieldtheatre.org.uk/Shows/2010/August/Wadaiko%20Tokarae.html
Tokara Website: http://www.tokara.net/

Quotes from previous performances:

They communicated such joy...that I was absolutely enchanted...I felt
pure primal joy as the beat reverberated through my body... -
NipponDaze

"Catch them while you can. If you don't, you'll probably either live
to regret it or probably never know what you missed" - Edinburgh
Fringe Review

For more information, please contact Sakura Kinoshita at:
info@tokara.net or Tel:81-265-59-8768.

Workshop spaces still open

There are still spaces available in only two more Tenchi Shinmei
Europe Tour workshops.

1. The four day Intensive workshop in Dublin from July 26 - 29; five
more spaces.

2. August 27th at the Barnfield Theatre workshop; ten more spaces.

Contact Wadaiko TOKARA Japan at: info@tokara.net
to book a place in these workshops.

Tenchi Shinmei Europe Tour Site:
http://www.tokara.net/tenchishinmei/index-en.html

In Frankfurt

I have arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, an event which marks the
beginning of Tokara's Europe Tour.
For the first two weeks, I am here in Germany for six non-consecutive
days of workshops here in Frankfurt and next weekend in Essen. I'm
already dreading that I forgot to bring my camera...there were some
great pictures that I could have taken. Like a dish that I had just
after getting off the flight called 'Handkäse'. It actually looks
like simmered Daikon, but the taste is quite strong for a first bite.
Mixed with diced onions, though, it is very nice.
While I'm on the topic of food, I just had breakfast at the hotel at
which I'm staying. Simple, yet divine. As I remember from my travels
to Germany in 1994, the bread here is second to none. In all the
countries I have been to, none comes close to producing bread like
this.
Well, I won't spend too much time writing when I can use this time for
exploring. First workshop tonight just down the road...looking
forward to it.

Here is a picture that I took with my computer. The view from my hotel.

Upcoming Tokara Tour News!!!`

Art Lee and Tokara are going to Europe soon! We are on course for 32
performances and workshops in Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Scotland and
England.

Concerts - Tickets for the concerts in Dublin and Exeter are going
fast, so get your tickets soon before they are sold out. Tickets for
Tokara performances at the Edinburgh Festival of Spirituality and
Peace are on sale now. We will be performing at St. John's Church
Theatre everyday except thursdays from August 9th - 20th. All concert
details are available at the Tenchi Shinmei Official Website:
www.tokara.net/tenchishinmei/index-en.html

Workshops -
Almost all of the 12 workshops in Europe are filled. However, there
are still five spaces left in the weeklong intensive workshop in
Dublin, Ireland for July 26 - 29. Once these five spaces are filled,
there will be no more spaces for workshops during the 2010 tour, so
sign up now to secure a place.
Dublin Taiko Intensive Workshop - July 26 - 29.
Details: http://www.tokara.net/tenchishinmei/Irelandtaikoworkshopinfo.pdf

To sign up for this workshop, contact Wadaiko TOKARA Japan
(tenchi@tokara.net), or Taiseiyoo Taiko Ireland
(http://taikoireland.com/ArtCourse.htm)

Detroit Music Hall - April 24th, 2010

The backstage door to the theater. The sign above says "Fallout Shelter"

Practice

Today was a very beautiful day, and was the first time that I have
been able to have my own practice in quite a long time.
The spring air was still cool and crisp. The view was amazing.
Nobody came to complain about the noise. Good practice.
The Tenchi Shinmei concert in matsumoto is tomorrow. Looking forward
to it.

Hmmm

Ipad. Do I plan on buying one? Probably not yet. Though I'm sure my
one year old daughter would be ecstatic if one mysteriously arrived in
the mail. Then she might guve me my ipod back.

Tokara Starship Weblog - March 31 2010

This past weekend was the second concert and workshop of the "Tenchi Shinmei World Tour"and one about which I had been a bit...well...I suppose anxious would be the closest word. You see, it was in Hakusan City, in Ishikawa. This is not only the area in Japan with one of the highest concentration of pro and semi-pro taiko players, but it is also home to Asano Taiko; the most respected taiko company in the world and Tokara's taiko sponsor...
(to be continued when my computer battery is recharged)