Interview: Kaoru Watanabe talks Japanese etiquette, studying, teaching, and performing

photo by Max Whittaker

I recently had the pleasure of talking with Kaoru Watanabe, a friend and wonderful musician based in New York. We first met while I was living in Honolulu and playing with the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble. Kaoru and I have performed together in a variety of configurations over the years and I always have a fantastic time. I especially appreciate his musical openness and keen ear which constantly kindle spontaneity and real interaction on stage as we improvise. Kaoru, like myself, is all about the music, and I think this philosophical bond can be heard in our conversation.

For this interview, I asked Kaoru about etiquette in Japanese culture and more specifically within traditional arts. My interest in this topic has grown as I learn more about 礼儀作法 (reigi sahou, or etiquette system) through my Edo Bayashi studies with Kyosuke Suzuki sensei. At the beginning of the interview, I mention Suzuki sensei’s video interviews I produced for the Online Edo Bayashi Gathering in February 2021. Here is the link where you can find three videos dedicated to this topic:

https://vimeo.com/showcase/7974529

As I had anticipated, Kaoru shared valuable insights he gained through a wealth of experiences in the US and Japan. I can relate to his fluency in both cultures so it felt easy and natural to conduct the interview. The included music are excerpts from three of Kaoru’s pieces: Merge, Shinobu, and Bloodlines. I am grateful to Kaoru for his time and look forward to the next time we can record another interview on a different topic.

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Website
http://www.watanabekaoru.com

Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfBL_1I2mRPcVK2gvyRAeNA

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/kaorufue/

Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center
http://www.taikonyc.com

Kaoru Watanabe, a New York-based composer and musician specializing in Japanese flutes and percussion, works with such groundbreaking artists as Laurie Anderson, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Yo-Yo Ma, Wes Anderson, Bando Tamasaburo, Simone Leigh, and Jason Moran. Watanabe is known for the artful and innovative ways he merges traditional Japanese music and theater elements with the contemporary Western world.

Originally from St. Louis, MO, where his parents played in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Watanabe played classical music as a child before going to the Manhattan School of Music to study jazz flute and saxophone. He then spent a decade in Japan, re-discovering and diving deep into his cultural roots as a member of the iconic taiko drumming ensemble Kodo. Watanabe studied a wide variety of traditional Japanese folk dances, songs, drumming, Noh, Kyogen, tea ceremony, woodworking, and rice farming to deepen his understanding of Japanese culture and the function and place of the performing arts within it.

As a solo artist, Watanabe seeks to collaborate with artists who embrace both tradition and innovation, such as Eva Yerbabuena, Imani Uzuri, Tamangoh, Adam Rudolph, Alicia Hall Moran, Rhiannon Giddens, Jen Shyu, Susie Ibara, Hassan Hakmoun, Zakir Hussein, Gamin, Vernon Reid, Wu Man, Tseyen Tserendorj, and many others.

As a composer, Watanabe writes for various, often unconventional instrumentations and explores a wide variety of compositional techniques. He has written orchestral works for the Sydney Symphony, premiering them at the Sydney Opera House. Watanabe composed music for the Academy Award-nominated Isle of Dogs soundtrack and three separate commissions for Yo-Yo Ma's Silkroad ensemble. Watanabe's compositions often explore social justice, politics, history, and heritage. He has written a piece called Iki, meaning "breath," a mantra-like performance-art piece for Eric Garner. Watanabe has written for prepared koto about the Japanese fighter planes used in WWII, a symbol of both the beauty and genius of Japanese culture and the evil and destruction it perpetrated. During the pandemic, Watanabe developed a body of work that uses electronics to sample and playback his flutes, drums, and voice live, allowing him to create ensemble works solo that he titled INCENSE.

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Interview: Yuta Kato talks Suzuki sensei, Saburo sensei, Hachijo, and Yodan Uchi

I had a fun time talking with Yuta Kato about his experiences in Japan. There were a lot of different topics we could have covered in this interview but I primarily wanted to hear about Yuta’s studies with the two very important teachers we have in common: Kyosuke Suzuki sensei and Saburo Mochizuki sensei. This discussion brought up many ideas we find important such as artistic integrity, teaching skills, the value of studying in Japan, and the different points of view on Sukeroku Daiko’s iconic piece Yodan Uchi. I also asked Yuta to share his story about becoming a passionate advocate for Hachijo Island, its taiko style, and the culture of the people there. This topic prompted us to converse about concepts like the importance of ryuha and iemoto (school and its leader) in traditional arts, striving for honesty in our soloing, efforts to connect people by removing barriers, and the valuable lessons that kumidaiko players can acquire from traditional Japanese music.

The impetus for this interview came in part from my recent discussion with Yuta and Masa Miyano about the upcoming event DONference at Asano Taiko US. In addition to covering the details and logistics, I felt like we touched upon some important concepts which could be covered in greater depth. If you haven’t checked that out, I would recommend it as a good supplement to this interview. I would like to thank Yuta for taking valuable time out of his schedule to talk with me. I think we were able to go beyond the surface and talk genuinely about some very meaningful things in music and life.

Yuta and Masa interview
https://www.eienhunterishikawa.com/blog/interview-yuta-and-masa-talk-about-donference

DONference website
https://www.solatidon.com

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Yuta Kato was born and raised in California to a Japanese-only speaking family. Introduced to taiko by Kagami-Kai, a local rice-pounding group, he decided to further his studies with San Francisco Taiko Dojo at the age of 10. Since then he has been a part of UCLA Kyodo Taiko, Nihon Taiko Dojo, Getsuyoukai, and professional groups: TAIKOPROJECT, ON Ensemble, and Portland Taiko. From Fall 2007 until Winter 2011, he resided in Japan to study under masters of various traditional Japanese music. Upon returning to the US in 2011, he served successfully as Coordinator for the 2011 North American Taiko Conference, one of the largest gatherings of taiko players from around the globe.

Kato is also a sought after taiko instructor and has been invited to teach throughout the world. He currently resides in California serving as the principal and instructor for LATI (Los Angeles Taiko Institute) housed at Asano Taiko US, which opened in 2013. He performs as a member of UnitOne (Torrance, CA).

Los Angeles Taiko Institute
https://taiko.la

Asano Taiko US
http://asano.us

Interview: Yuta Kato and Masa Miyano talk about DONference

I had a fun and informative conversation with Yuta Kato and Masa Miyano about the upcoming taiko conference at Asano Taiko US called DONference. We touched on topics such as:

- how to pronounce DONference
- why this conference is happening
- the details such as schedule, registration, and concept
- workshops, student recital, and concert lineup
- Eien’s workshop & 30 Days of Taiko Skills video project
- other fun activities
- how to learn more about this event

Registration is open starting today and you can find more information at:
https://www.solatidon.com

I am teaching workshops at DONference and am currently running a fundraiser called 30 Days of Taiko Skills to help support this event. You can see my videos and make a donation here:
https://www.eienhunterishikawa.com/30-days-of-taiko-skills

Thank you to Yuta and Masa for making time to talk about this conference. I am also grateful to Asano Taiko US and Los Angeles Taiko Institute for hosting this event and asking me to be part of it.

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Yuta Kato was born and raised in California to a Japanese-only speaking family.  Introduced to taiko by Kagami-Kai, a local rice-pounding group, he decided to further his studies with San Francisco Taiko Dojo at the age of 10. Since then he has been a part of UCLA Kyodo Taiko, Nihon Taiko Dojo, Getsuyoukai, and professional groups: TAIKOPROJECT, ON Ensemble, and Portland Taiko. From Fall 2007 until Winter 2011, he resided in Japan to study under masters of various traditional Japanese music. Upon returning to the US in 2011, he served successfully as Coordinator for the 2011 North American Taiko Conference, one of the largest gatherings of taiko players from around the globe.

Kato is also a sought after taiko instructor and has been invited to teach throughout the world.  He currently resides in California serving as the principal and instructor for LATI (Los Angeles Taiko Institute) housed at  Asano Taiko US, which opened in 2013.  He performs as a member of UnitOne (Torrance, CA).

Masa Miyano began his taiko career with UC Irvine's Jodaiko in 2008. After graduating in 2012, he became a member of the performing ensemble, Prota. He is also currently a member of UnitOne, the ensemble in residence at Asano Taiko US, and is an instructor/coach at LATI (Los Angeles Taiko Institute).

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Top 9 Apps I Use and Recommend

There are many great apps available these days. Of the dozens I have tried out over the years, a handful of apps have proved to be essential in my practicing, teaching, and music creation. It’s not surprising that almost all of these are paid apps, as higher quality is more likely when we pay for a product. Below is a list of nine apps that I find most valuable and highly recommend to all musicians. Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have about this topic or would like to schedule a lesson where I can help you get the most out of these kinds of practice methods.

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1. Time Guru Metronome - this is an incredibly valuable tool to help strengthen our inner sense of tempo control. The main feature is the option to randomly mute the metronome clicks based on the percentage we choose. By starting out at a manageably low percentage (10 - 20% mute) and working your way up to a more challenging percentage (60 - 80% mute), you can boost your ability to keep a steady inner pulse by gradually reducing your dependence on a constantly audible click. I also appreciate the capability for complex odd time and mixed meter programming. It’s only a couple of dollars to practice with this guru and I would pay ten or twenty times that amount without hesitation.

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2. Anytune - this is another indispensable tool for my daily practice and teaching. It allows you to independently change the tempo and pitch, which is extremely useful for transcribing music and playing along with any recording - two very important practices for consistent musical growth. I also heavily rely on the ability to add markers to the audio waveform, allowing me to quickly move the playhead to any marker with one key stroke. I can’t say it any better than the 5-star reviewer on the app store screenshot where it says, “Perfect - I use it everyday in my music practice.”

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3. Cleartune - this is a very simple and user-friendly tuner app that I have been using for years. Just like a metronome gives us an accurate reference for steady tempo, a good tuner is essential for providing us the truth about our pitch. If the music is sounding out of tune, a tuner can quickly clear up questions such as “am I out of tune?” or “is my instrument out of tune?” or “is the other player or instrument out of tune?”

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4. SuperMetronome - starting in my high school years, I practiced constantly with my Yamaha drum machine, which allowed me to choose beats from dozens of music styles as well as to program my own patterns. As helpful as that tool was, this app is ten times more powerful in the features available to us. There are many pre-programmed beats, sounds, and genres, and everything can be edited to accommodate your exact needs. I can’t believe how many great tools are found in this very intuitive user interface. It’s super amazing and I use it all the time in my practicing and teaching.

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5. Gap Click - this is a brand new metronome app by the fantastic drummer and educator Benny Greb. It’s a very simple app that allows you to quickly program an A B click pattern. For example, bar 1 plays quarter notes and bar 2 plays eighth note upbeats. In the past, I would manually program such patterns into existing apps like the ones listed above, but now I can start practicing within seconds of opening this app. Like his teaching, Benny Greb’s app is clear, focused, and includes zero extraneous material. I wish this tool existed a long time ago but I’m glad this gap is now filled.

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6. Logic Pro - yes, this is a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for music recording, editing, and production. Logically, I use it for that purpose too, but it is equally important to my practice routine for a few reasons. First, it allows me to record myself along with any other audio and listen back for things which need to be worked on. Second, it has been invaluable for creating my own play-along tracks. Many times, I will have a piece of music that needs to be worked on and I will quickly create a backing track which can be looped. For example, I did this when I needed to practice playing a drum solo over some unusual hits in my piece Vents. Third, it helps you put together ideas for composing or arranging music and later allowing you to export demos for people you are working with. Fourth, I use it for producing music such as the audio recording and mixing for my recent video collaborations on Haseru (Masa Ishikawa) and TaTom (Patrick Graham).

The first three uses are very easily accomplished on the free app Garageband, which I used for years before upgrading to Logic Pro. I would only recommend getting into Logic Pro’s more powerful and complex features if you are looking to use it for more involved audio recording, mixing, and mastering.

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7. Ecamm Call Recorder - five years ago, I started my blog’s interview series where I post audio of my conversations with colleagues and past collaborators. I purchased this software which seemed a bit pricey at the time, but it ended up being very reliable and consistent through the many interviews I have conducted. When the person I’m interviewing is taking valuable time out of their schedule to answer my questions about their work, the last thing I want on my mind is the worry of whether the audio is recording properly. Only once, I made the mistake of using Skype’s built in recording feature, which resulted in the poorest audio of my interview series (most ironically, the Part 1 discussion with Isaku Kageyama about home audio recording gear). These days, I spend more time on Zoom so I have other options for recording those calls. It seems common for people to use the recording feature within Zoom, and I don’t know how well it works since I haven’t used that option. The recurring moral of this story is to spend a few dollars for quality and consistency, which I’m sure will demonstrate its value as you use it.

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8. ProMovie Recorder - for most of my videos, I use my Canon DSLR in full manual mode where I lock in all exposure, frame rate, color, focus, audio input, and other settings when I record in the controlled environment of my studio. I hesitated to use my iphone for video recording due to the lack of controls until I discovered ProMovie Recorder. This app provides the same controls I get on my camera so that my iphone can capture footage that I can rely on using. I have used this setup on the overhead shot for my 4-part knife sharpening videos as well as the instrument views on my kadon live Edo Bayashi workshop promo video. Recording your practice sessions or rehearsals is important to your musical growth, and an app like this can help to make sure your phone is capturing footage like a pro.

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9. Loopback - like many other musicians, I was struggling with the complex and somewhat uncharted territory of routing various audio input and outputs through my computer over the past year. There are various free ‘workaround solutions’ to this problem, but I found them to be hard to understand and unreliable as I tried to get the best audio quality out to my online students or livestream audience. From the beginning, I should have just purchased Loopback from Rogue Amoeba, which would have prevented many hours of headache and confusion. This app is now essential for my online teaching and presentations because it provides full control of the audio inputs and outputs in my computer. It helped me immensely during the recent Online Edo Bayashi Gathering when I routed multiple mics, my audio interface, play-along tracks in Logic, and pre-session music in itunes as one input source going directly into Zoom. I wasn’t in the loop about this company previously, but now I’m a fan and have gone back to purchase their other very useful apps.

Audio Recording Part 2: A More In-Depth Talk with Isaku Kageyama

This is Part 2 of my conversation series with Isaku Kageyama about audio recording gear and how to use it effectively in your home studio. In Part 1 we covered some basic information to get started, and you can find it here:

https://www.eienhunterishikawa.com/blog/isaku-home-studio-recording-gear

This time, we go further in depth and address some topics which had been requested over the past few weeks. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback and engaged with us through email and social media. I’m also very appreciative of Isaku’s willingness to sit down with me and spend so much time sharing his knowledge and experiences. Largely due to his help, I have been able to substantially improve my own audio recordings and gain a deeper understanding of important concepts and terminology over the past two months.

Isaku and I talked for quite a long time and I have split the audio into four downloadable parts. We readily admit that the sound quality of Part 1 was subpar, especially considering our conversation topic (the unfortunate result of a built-in recorder of a video call software with a name that does not start with z and rhymes with gripe). The Part 2 audio is much, much better.

If you would like to see a Part 3 in the future, please let us know. Feel free to send in topic requests or any questions you would like answered.

Links for the topics we discuss:

Isaku’s taiko mic comparison video
http://isakukageyama.com/best-mic-for-taiko-drums/

UnitOne virtual concert
https://youtu.be/uL2Fdsx_nO0

Isaku’s youtube channel - Garageband Basics, Fue EQ, Parallel Compression, Mixing, and More
https://www.youtube.com/c/IsakuKageyama/videos

Isaku’s directed study program
http://isakukageyama.com/directed-study-program-learn-taiko-music-production-and-more/

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1. Taiko microphone test, audio samples, UnitOne concert audio

2. Tempo changes, mixing, midi keyboard and drum pads, recording fue, reverb, room importance

3. Potential income from recording, livestream concerts, click tracks, simplifying our playing

4. Isaku’s directed study online lessons, importance of feedback for effective learning

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Isaku Kageyama is a taiko artist, well versed both in live performance and in the studio. His resume includes performances at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, networks such as NBC, VH1 and BET, tours with the Japan Foundation, and residencies with The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. He’s also an overall nice guy. :D:D:D

On stage and in the classroom, Isaku brings a breadth of experience performing and teaching both traditional and contemporary styles. A versatile collaborator in the studio, Isaku contributes to projects by bringing his extensive knowledge of composing, recording, and mixing to the table. When none of that is needed, his job is to make sure there is cold water in the fridge for everyone.

Isaku currently works as an instructor at Los Angeles Taiko Institute, performs with Asano Taiko US UnitOne, and records for virtual reality creators Rhythm of the Universe, and video game composers Materia Collective.

Formerly a principal drummer of Amanojaku, he holds a Bachelor of Music from the Berklee College of Music and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Longy School of Music of Bard College.

He is also a two-time National Odaiko Champion, becoming the youngest person to win highest honors at the Mt. Fuji Odaiko Contest in 2000, and Hokkaido in 2003.

From 2011-2014, Isaku was the resident instructor at Wellesley University and the University of Connecticut, and has held clinics at Berklee College of Music, Brown University, Rochester Institute of Technology, North American Taiko Conference, East Coast Taiko Conference, and Intercollegiate Taiko Invitationals.