Interview: Barbara Merjan talks percussion, taiko, and working on Broadway shows

I have always enjoyed hanging out and talking with Barbara and this interview was another one of those occasions. We first met when I was visiting Kaoru Watanabe in Brooklyn, realizing we both work in a variety of genres a percussionist, drummer, and taiko player. Barbara is a highly accomplished and experienced musician who speaks with thoughtfulness and humility. I was always happy to see her participate in Edo Bayashi classes taught by Suzuki sensei or myself because I knew that she was appreciating the musical intricacies found all throughout that music. We might find ourselves working in incredibly eclectic musical situations, but in fact, it all seems to be connected by the somewhat bizarre reality that we just hit things for a living. I found Barbara’s stories about the Broadway scene very interesting, especially about the issues of gender discrimination as well as the trend toward high-tech production where the musicians are placed in separate rooms rather than in the conventional orchestra pit.

Barbara sent me some video links of some projects she has worked on. The links are below and I would encourage everyone to check them out. She also sent me some audio tracks for me to include in the interview. They are:

I Wonder As I Wander - Julia Simpson’s Christmas album
Mad Coyote Madly Sings - The Character of American Sunlight (Jerome Kitzke)
The Swan and the Vulture - Teetering on the Verge of Normalcy (Guy Klucevsek)

Thank you to Barbara for generously making time to record this conversation. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did interviewing.

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Barbara Merjan is a drummer and percussionist who has worked in a variety of musical contexts, including Jazz (Newport Jazz Festival, 1980, 2002), Broadway (Cabaret, Sunset Blvd., Cats, Miss Saigon, Fiddler on the Roof, Big, Elf, The Unsinkable Molly Brown….) Pop/Rock (Robert Palmer, Lesley Gore, Women of Woodstock) and Contemporary American Classical (Mad Coyote Ensemble, Linda Fisher).

In addition to these musical styles, she has been studying, performing and teaching Japanese taiko for the past 15 years - Wesleyan University (2016-2020), Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center.

Ms. Merjan has also recorded in all these genres.

For many years, Ms. Merjan brought music workshops into the NYC public schools via Music Outreach. The workshops were an introduction to music for younger grades with an added focus on reading skills.  Along with musical introductions we always told a children’s story with musical accompaniment.

Bachelor of Music:  Ithaca College 1981
Master of Music:  NYU 1991

Video Links
An excerpt from a piece I performed in with Fumi.  It is Blood Moon.  We did it in Jan. 2020.
https://www.garrettfisher.com/blood-moon

A video from a perfomance a in 2016, of Paha Sapa, by Jerome Kitzke:
https://youtu.be/WRSPPj12vcY

Mad Coyote Madly Sings, also by Jerome Kitzke:
https://youtu.be/Us-d3xv-wyQ

4th movement of Yukiwatari by Midori Larsen.  We performed at the end of 2019:
https://youtu.be/ciD7mTyTLUs

Interview: Fumi Tanakadate talks piano, taiko, fue, and writing music

Photo by Michael Holmes

It was fun talking with Fumi for this interview. We first met several years ago during one of my Brooklyn trips to visit Kaoru Watanabe. Even though we haven’t had many opportunities to play together, I have always appreciated her clear musicality. Fumi is one of the most solid taiko and fue players I know and her work spans a wide range of musical genres and artistic disciplines. And of course she is highly accomplished on her main instrument, the piano. I’m sure that if we were based in the same town, our musical paths would be much more interconnected. Hopefully there will be increased chances to work together in the near future.

In the interview, Fumi talks about her musical beginnings in Tokyo and how she ended up as a member of the taiko class at Wesleyan University. We also discussed her experiences as a student of Kaoru which eventually resulted in performing in his groups and helping to teach at his taiko school. I also enjoyed hearing about composing for fue and piano because we all seem to have different approaches to writing for this somewhat unusual instrument combination. Finally, it was enlightening to discuss Fumi’s current nohkan and Edo Bayashi studies, especially because of who her teachers are. Thank you to Fumi for taking time to record this conversation.

Included in the interview are excerpts of music recordings that Fumi sent me. They are:
Sketch 01 - Fumi Tanakadate
Kimigayo - Hiromori Hayashi, Yoshiisa Oku (arr. Fumi Tanakadate)
Momotaro - Teiichi Okano (for Crossing Jamaica Avenue)
Senkou Hanabi - Fumi Tanakadate
Uplifting - Fumi Tanakadate

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Fumi Tanakadate is a versatile music artist, specializing in piano, Japanese percussion and bamboo flute, who has a unique combination of an expertise in European Classical music and a background in traditional folk dance and music from Japan.  Fumi studied and worked extensively with Kaoru Watanabe, performing at such venues as Joe’s Pub, National Sawdust, Pioneer Works, the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, the Rubin Museum of Art, Super Deluxe in Tokyo and at PASIC, Percussive Arts Society International Convention.  Fumi has also collaborated with Shane Shanahan of the Silkroad Ensemble, Brooklyn Raga Massive, Chieko Kojima and Yuta Sumiyoshi of KODO, Alicia Hall Moran, Sonoko Kawahara (theatre director), Parijat Desai (dancer), Garrett Fisher (composer), Satoshi Takeishi, and Kiyohiko Semba. 

One of her recent projects was an unconventional trio with an erhu player Ying-Chieh Wang from Taiwan and a janggu player Woonjung Sim from South Korea, sharing and creating a new perspective on traditional music as part of Contemporary Music Platform, a residency at National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Taiwan.

Photo by Bedouin Hao

Fumi currently teaches at Wesleyan University and serves as the primary instructor at Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center, giving classes and educational workshops at local schools and colleges. She has also taught at North American Taiko Conference, East Coast Taiko Conference, and European Taiko Conference.

As a classical pianist, Fumi has performed throughout Japan, tri-state area, Austria, and Spain. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Wesleyan University and a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Manhattan School of Music.

Fumi’s webpage
http://www.taikonyc.com/fumi-tanakadate

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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