SVDSN Summer Taiko: Palo Alto Obon
1 Practice from 10:00-10:50 am, Saturday, July 26
Palo Alto Obon Performance- 1:00pm PT, Saturday, August 2
This summer, SVDSN Taiko will be performing at the Palo Alto Obon. This opportunity is available to self-advocates with Down syndrome and their siblings, ages 12 and up. We are pleased to continue with our experienced taiko instruction team: Sydney Shiroyama, pediatric OT; Mallory Shiroyama; and self-advocate, Sensei Gabe.
Participants engage in ensemble Japanese drumming. While taiko, the drum, has long existed in Japanese traditions, the ensemble style of taiko, a.k.a. kumidaiko, we play in North America only developed in Japan in the 1950's! This relatively new style of taiko evokes excitement and a celebratory atmosphere and is found in many festivals in Japan. In America, taiko was nurtured by the Japanese American communities during the Asian American civil rights movement in the 1960's and 1970's, and had particularly strong roots in Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Churches (Buddhist Churches of America). As a result, taiko gained visibility and popularity as a vibrant performing art, inspiring groups to form across the U.S. in diverse communities, schools, and colleges, and even in Europe and South America. Taiko is an art form that lends itself to inclusivity and unity-- it gives everyone a voice and the opportunity to be heard. SVDSN is excited to be partnering with TaikoPeace, the Mountain View Buddhist Temple, and Sydney Shiroyama to bring taiko to our families.
Sydney and her instruction team will be working with participants, teaching them the foundations and fundamentals of taiko playing and performance. We will use the standard "kuchi-shoga" method that taiko players use to teach pieces to one another, chanting the drumming patterns out loud as they are learning to physically drum the movements, using words or sounds that are assigned to certain movements and rhythms. In this class, students will have opportunities to work on performance skills and showmanship through exercises around improvisation and solo work.
The class on Saturday, July 26, will review the performance repertoire and the original SVDSN Taiko piece. It will be a combined class from 10:00-10:50am PT.
The performance will be at 1:00pm PT on Saturday, August 2, with a call time of 12:00pm PT. We expect the performance to last for 15-20 minutes.
SVDSN will follow the protocols developed during the 2021 summer inclusive workshops and used during classes in 2022-25 to keep our community safe. Please note that our classes may be indoors or outdoors, depending on space availability. If Covid prevalence changes, we may ask participants to wear face coverings. Anyone who wishes to wear a face covering is welcome to do so. At this time, it is not required.
Please note that we follow the health-and-safety guidelines of our host locations, Mountain View and Palo Alto Buddhist Temples. We will monitor state, county, and local host venue guidelines throughout the class series and adjust as needed. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to keep our community safe!
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Dates: Saturday, July 26 - practice at Palo Alto Buddhist Temple
Palo Alto Obon Performance: 12:00pm PT call time; 1:00pm PT performance
Time: 10:00-10:50am PT for practice; 12:00pm PT for performance call time
Location: Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, 2751 Louis Road, Palo Alto, CA
Cost: $20 for SVDSN members* ($20 for session); $40 for non-SVDSN members ($40 for session)
*Scholarships are available to SVDSN families. Joining SVDSN is free! Please email svdsnprograms@gmail.com with your request for assistance.
Silicon Valley Down Syndrome Network
