Maui and Oahu recap with photos

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Eien at the ZD camp location

Spending 17 days in Hawaii was a great way to start my 2017. The trip began on Maui with the main event: a weekend taiko camp with the incomparable youth group Zenshin Daiko. The beautiful and remote location was idyllic, and I was equally impressed with how smoothly it all went - moving equipment, meals prepared by parents, workshops and presentations scheduled, along with fun activities like sham battle, basketball tournament, marshmallow roasting, and a talent show.

table display at Mouna Farm Arts & Cultural Village

Following the camp I spent a week on Oahu conducting workshops for Taiko Center of the Pacific and Nakama Taiko. My most memorable day of the week was having the opportunity to work with the TCP Youth Group for six hours, delving into their repertoire pieces to offer ideas for playing tighter and boosting musicianship. There was a break between the morning and afternoon sessions so we all walked to Jimbo's (delicious house-made udon) for lunch and then played pool nearby before heading back for more rehearsing. Having so much workshop time with one group is a rare treat because it allows me to introduce exercises and concepts more thoroughly, as well as to spend extra time working with individual players.

Maui

I also taught several private lessons on shinobue during this trip. I'm always excited to see people interested in playing fue, as learning a melodic instrument helps us become better drummers and accompanists. The fue is a natural partner to taiko and this is well demonstrated by the countless festival and other traditional music forms found all over Japan. See my shinobue article and Ranjo blog entry for more detailed information.

Honolulu

I had one day off on Oahu and was fortunate to attend an outdoor Balinese dance performance in the leeward town of Waianae at Mouna Farm Arts & Cultural Village. The setting was fantastic and the entire staff at the farm couldn't have shown better hospitality. The dancers performed to recorded music and it was a very nice show, although having live gamelan would have truly completed the entire experience. A delicious meal was served afterward and then a bonfire was started as the sun disappeared into the red horizon.

Balinese dance performance

Balinese dance performance

Balinese dance performance

Diamond Head on Oahu

My trip concluded with three more days of workshops with Zenshin Daiko where we explored different ways to approach composition. There was even time between workshops to get some incredible shave ice (Haleakala with haupia ice cream) at the famous Ululani's.

Many friends helped to make this trip possible by offering places to stay and cars to borrow, providing so many meals as well as gifts to take home, booking my workshops and lessons, and supporting me in multiple other ways. A giant thank you to Tony & Val, Kenny & Chizuko, Dee & Keith, Brock, Terri, Kirstin, and everyone else involved in planning my trip. I look forward to going back soon!

windmills on Maui

Waianae sunset

Interview: Manman (Yeeman Mui) talks teaching kids, Orff, and taiko

I first met Manman (Yeeman Mui) during Kyosuke Suzuki sensei's Summer Taiko Intensive in 2011. She is now teaching and performing at the Taiko Center of the Pacific in Honolulu, where we performed together during my recent Hawaii trip. A certified Orff instructor, Manman is becoming known as a taiko teacher specializing in young children. In addition to offering classes at Asano Taiko US in Torrance, she is an active performer involved in multiple projects such as Spall Fragments, the upcoming production by Joe Small. Manman kindly spent time with me to talk about her background, Orff training, working with kids, incorporating dance and body percussion, and her current projects. I would encourage everyone to check out the links below for examples of what we talked about in the interview.

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Website
www.yeemanmui.com

TaikOrff
http://taiko.la/event/introduction-taikorff-workshop-taiko-teachers

San Francisco International Orff Course
https://sforff.org

Taiko Trek
http://taikotrek.wix.com/2016#!workshops/ds2sj

Body Bayashi
https://yeemanmui.com/body-bayashi/

Spall Fragments
https://youtu.be/9sftrNNFlEg (2015 video clip)
www.facebook.com/spallfragments/

Yeeman Mui (aka Manman) Originally from Hong Kong, Manman graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 2010 with an MPhil in Musicology. She is a dedicated taiko practitioner, performer and teacher. Since becoming a certified Orff instructor, her vision is to continually find new ways to celebrate the essence of teaching of taiko through the mind, body and spirit. In 2012 and 2013, she was awarded a fellowship to study with Kenny Endo at the Taiko Center of the Pacific (TCP). Since then she has been working as a performing member and teacher at TCP. Outside of TCP and Hong Kong, She has also taught at the Los Angeles Taiko Institute (LATI), curated the Youth Program at the North American Taiko Conference in Las Vegas 2015, and conducted a series of music teacher workshops in Macau 2015. 

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Hawaii trip: finally back for a visit to teach and perform

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Flying in over Diamond Head

West Oahu

So many gifts - only in Hawaii

I had a fantastic week during my visit to Hawaii. It was hard to believe that I hadn't been back in over seven years, but it quickly felt like I had never left. The average tourist could easily focus on the great weather and spectacular scenery of the islands, but the things I really missed had to do with the daily-life culture there - the generosity and openness of people, along with an easygoing feeling that cultivates time to get together and talk story. Although this was mainly a work trip, these were the things that made my visit possible and so memorable.

The first workshop I taught was for Taiko Center of the Pacific. I started as a student of this taiko school when I moved to Honolulu in 2001, and then eventually became an instructor. This workshop was titled "Pulse, Ji, and Ensemble Playing" and I asked the participants to try my exercises dealing with tempo control, dynamics, following the leader, and producing a consistent sound. I was very pleased with how well everyone played together despite having a wide mix of experience levels. The second TCP workshop I taught was for the youth group. The requested topics included soloing and ensemble playing. When I asked each member what they were interested in covering, the top two answers were to be able to play tighter with the ji (accompaniment) and to create more unique and memorable solos. Everyone could already play well so it was fun working with the students and seeing them adapt to the new concepts I introduced. A huge thank you to Kenny, Chizuko, Brock, Terri, and everyone at TCP for inviting me and putting together the workshops.

Taiko Center of the Pacific workshop

TCP Youth Group workshop

Ryugen Taiko workshop

I was happy to work for the first time with Ryugen Taiko. They requested a composition workshop and it was great to have three hours to spend discussing topics such as inspiration, form, notation, dynamics, and analysis. I enjoyed the energy of this group and look forward to seeing their original compositions in the near future. Thank you to Nolan, Greg, and everyone at Ryugen Taiko for the wonderful hospitality and interest in my workshop.

My final workshop of the week was for my good friends at Nakama, a very special group who I usually catch up with during taiko conferences. Saying they have fun is probably still an understatement, and the laughter is absolutely infectious. There was no preplanned workshop topic but we ended up working on Keith's original piece. I liked having the opportunity to learn the patterns and then find ways to make the music speak more clearly, especially for the sections where there are multiple parts happening at the same time. After the workshop, our party continued over dinner at a nearby Okinawan restaurant. Thank you so much to Dee, Keith, John, and the Nakama family for an unforgettable time.

Post-workshop dinner with Nakama folks

Amazing view from my homestay

On the morning after my arrival, I was trying to sleep in to counteract my jet lag when a text message arrived asking if I was available for a performance starting in one hour. I said yes and rushed down to the chapel at Kapiolani Community College for a lecture demonstration with Kenny Endo and the TCP ensemble, pulling in 5 minutes before downbeat, just enough time to change and hear the setlist. Everything came back to me, including how to wear the costume and the repertoire which I hadn't played in almost 8 years. While this one was a surprise, I actually knew about another performance happening on the weekend. It was a wedding gig at one of the big Waikiki hotels, something I had done many times while living in Honolulu. This one felt like a luxury, as there was a rehearsal and extra time to hang out with the ensemble members. Thank you to Kenny and Chizuko for including me in these performances.

Arriving at KCC chapel for a last-minute performance request

Pre-performance hangout at Waikiki hotel

This trip was a success because of the generosity of my friends, who provided me a place to stay, lent me their car, didn't let me pay for any meals, booked workshops, and provided an unlimited supply of helpfulness. Thank you so much to Kirstin, Dee & Keith, Kenny & Chizuko, Terri & Glenn, Brock, Nolan, Miles, Eric, Ai, and all of my friends in Hawaii. I will be back very soon!

A must visit for fresh udon

Tropical shapes and colors

Nico's and Uncle's on Pier 38 for great seafood

Another Hawaii institution