The goal of the camp is to introduce beginners to North American taiko, a dynamic and relatively new Asian American art form with roots in Japan. The philosophy of the camp is to provide an environment for participants which creates a sense of community and a positive attitude towards diversity and creativity.

Instructors for the camp are selected from performing members of San Jose Taiko and Stanford Taiko. San Jose Taiko members bring with them professional performing experience and a 25-year history of training South Bay youth through their Junior Taiko program. Members of Stanford Taiko bring considerable dedication to the art form and boundless energy and ideas for sharing taiko with others.

For information email summertaiko@taiko.org

A Week in the Life of Summer Taiko

Summer Taiko at Stanford starts on Monday (8:30 a.m.) with registration and a short orientation meeting for parents and students.

Regular camp activities start at 9 a.m. sharp every day with warm-ups and exercises. After the opening session, students and faculty break into smaller groups (10-12 students, 2 instructors), and meet to work on basic skills of kata (form), musicality, attitude, and ki (energy) - the four main parts of San Jose Taiko philosophy.

In the smaller groups students learn basic performing skills, such as kiai (vocal interaction), awareness and use of the hara (center of the body and source of energy), rhythmic skills, how to learn songs through kuchishoka (song syllabary), how to play related instruments, and basic stage instruction. Throughout the day the instructors weave lessons that encourage group cooperation, self-expression, and responsibility into camp activities.

At midday, students and faculty share lunch. In keeping with the academic setting of the camp, the lunch break is also a time for presentations on perspectives on North American taiko. Topics may include: the roots of North American taiko, taiko and the Japanese American community, drum-building, and aspects of performance practice.

At the end of the day, students and faculty gather to close with a group activity. Camp is dismissed at the end of the closing activity, and students are released at 2:30 p.m. sharp.

The camp concludes on Friday with an afternoon recital and celebration where students share their skills and energy - and family and friends can share in the sounds of a new generation of taiko!