Welcome to the 2020 Virtual Taiko Weekend Intensive

This page contains a lot of information that will be helpful for this weekend. Please read through this entire page and make sure you’ve done all the necessary pre-TWI prep.

ZOOM
The entirety of TWI will be taking place via Zoom. If you don’t already have the Zoom app downloaded on your computer/tablet, be sure to do so. For the majority of the playing portions of the weekend, we’ll ask that all the participants be muted, but there will be times we’ll ask you unmute to join in on discussion topics as well as possibly to play something so that everyone can hear. If we ask you to unmute and play, you will need to change some audio settings (otherwise Zoom will think that you playing is background noise and try to mute you). To do this, you will need to go into the Zoom Preferences -> Audio -> Advanced -> Disable Suppress Persistent Background Noise and Disable Suppress Intermittent Background Noise. We’ll also be using the chat both for you to ask questions during the instructional sessions as well as possibly to solicit for questions about different topics during the weekend.

DRUM SETUP
We will be playing naname, shime and kane meaning you will need those instruments (or at-home versions) ready to go. Below you can see examples of what our performing members have done to create at-home versions of those three set-ups.

Naname setup using a pillow, chair and cardboard box. The box allows you to have a different sound for playing “ka’s”

Naname setup using a pillow, chair and cardboard box. The box allows you to have a different sound for playing “ka’s”

Shime setup using a stool and a cushion. The belt is attached to keep the cushion in place while playing.

Shime setup using a stool and a cushion. The belt is attached to keep the cushion in place while playing.

Kane and shumoku using a disposable chopsticks and a small plastic container. The wrapper of the chopsticks is attached to the chopsticks with a rubberband.

Kane and shumoku using a disposable chopsticks and a small plastic container. The wrapper of the chopsticks is attached to the chopsticks with a rubberband.

If you need more ideas of at-home drum set-ups, you can visit www.taikoconservatory.org/drumsetup or contact Artistic Staff Member, Geoff Noone at geoff@taiko.org.

PLAYING AREA
You’ll want to make sure the space you’re in has plenty of space so that your entire body can be in frame when playing during the TWI sessions. Due to the nature of the virtual environment, all the participants will be muted while playing so the main feedback the San Jose Taiko instructional staff will be giving will be related to your kata. The more of your body we’re able to see while you’re playing (San Jose Taiko focuses a lot on our lower body and foot activation), the more feedback we’ll be able to give you. You’ll also obviously want to make sure you have plenty of space around you when playing naname so that you don’t hit anything.

METRONOME
There may be times we ask you to play to a metronome. If you don’t have a metronome (or metronome app), you can find a simple metronome by Googling “metronome” or you can download an SJT performer favorite, Pro Metronome, for iOS or Android.

ABOUT THE SONG YOU’LL LEARN
We will be teaching you all the piece, Balance, written by Geoff Noone in 2019. While we don’t expect you to learn the piece before the weekend, if you would like to familiarize yourself with the piece, you can check out the Balance resource page. There you can find videos of the song being performed as well as each instrument being played individually. There is also downloadable kuchishoka notation for all three parts.

Emailed information from 8/18/20:

Contents:
Payment Link
Reference Materials
Zoom link
Schedule
Attire
What You’ll Need
Contact Information
TWI Class Roster


PAYMENT LINK:
You can submit payment using this link:
https://sanjosetaiko.vbotickets.com/event/2020_Virtual_Taiko_Weekend_Intensive/46361


REFERENCE MATERIALS:
Virtual TWI Resource Page
https://www.taikoconservatory.org/2020twi

Makeshift drum setup
https://www.taikoconservatory.org/drumsetup

Song reference
https://taiko.org/balance


ZOOM LINK
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88992460127
Meeting ID: 889 9246 0127
Passcode: 895472


SCHEDULE:
Saturday, August 22 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Sunday, August 23 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Please do not be late. Due to the flow of the material covered we require that all participants stay for the entire duration of the two day schedule. Also, we request that you keep your video on. (Of course, it will be fine to turn your video off during breaks, etc and we'll cover general expectations and Zoom logistics during orientation). If you have any questions about this let us know.

ATTIRE:
Dress appropriate for taiko-playing activities. Please avoid baggy pants so that it's easier to observe and give feedback on kata.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (see TWI Resource Page for details)
Bachi for naname and shime
Instrument setup for Naname, Shime, Atarigane
Metronome
Camera setup
Water
Note-taking tools
Ki (not optional!)

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Franco cell: 408-807-9089
Yurika cell: 707-483-8858
Geoff cell: 310-528-1695

TWI Class Roster
Paula Nieckar - Yama no Oto, Rocky Mountain Taiko Ensemble
Gary Ronne - Humboldt Taiko
Rome Hamner - Taiko SOBA, Jun Daiko, Queer Taiko
Yao Yang
Patsy Matsushita - LATI student
Kiana Shibata - UCLA Kyodo Taiko (Alumni)