Watsonville Taiko invites anyone who is interested to come and enjoy our regular classes. Class sessions are ten weeks in length with a fee of $55 per month. Class sessions for 2008 will be:
January 4th to March 7th
March 14th to May 16th
May 23 to July 25th

To register for the next beginning class, contact Taeko D'Andrea.

Classes are held at:
Kizuka Hall
150 Blackburn Street
Watsonville, California 95076

Friday nights:
   • 5 - 6 pm - Children: Beginning
   • 6 - 7 pm - Children: Intermediate
   • 7 - 8 pm - Adults: Beginning
   • 8 - 10 pm - Adults: Introduction to Performance

Saturday:
   • 10 - 12 Noon - Community Performers only
   • 9-10 am Introduction to Taiko

First and third Mondays every month:
   • 7 - 9 pm - Studio Class open to members at all levels

Power Taiko Workshops for Teens & Adults
Scotts Valley, March - May 2008

Classes for children can be arranged at your school. The instructor will bring all
drums and materials needed. Below is a description of the curriculum for different
age groups. Please contact or Taeko D'Andrea to discuss scheduling and cost for the classes.

Taiko Drumming Programs
For Elementary School Children

Curriculum

The basic training of Taiko drumming starts with repetitious physical movements. Introduction classes for children in different age groups are 4 - 8 weeks (1hr per week). In each class a short segment of a piece of music developed by the instructor will be introduced so that students have a sense of accomplishment.

A) Introduction to Taiko Drumming (4 weeks: Grade 1st – 6th)

The classes focus on the discipline toward learning Taiko drumming. Etiquette is introduced along with some Japanese language used in the classroom. Simple repetitious patterns of rhythms are used to develop eye hand coordination with drumming sticks and for body movements.
Text: Okina Taiko Migite Hidarite Enyara Momo no Ki
Yabusame Yama Kawa I Yama Kawa II

B) Introduction to Performance (8 weeks)

The class introduces a performance music piece. Music pieces introduced in this class are incorporated with movements to give each child an awareness of his /her own body.
Text: Oasobi I Oasobi II Kodoma Bayashi
Fuma

Rhythm B-1 (grade 1st- 2nd )
Classroom routines as follows: Emphasis on listening, following directions, waiting and taking turns,
Walking, galloping, skipping, changing directions to music
Recognition of simple rhythm patterns, counting with voice to hand matching

Rhythm B-2 (grade 3rd - 4th)
Classroom routines
Simple dance movements
Recognition of simple rhythm patterns, counting with voice to hand matching
Voicing Taiko Music

Rhythm B- 3 (grade5th – 6th)
Classroom routines
Recognition of simple rhythm patterns, counting with voice to hand matching
Voicing Taiko music with focused sound (Kiai)
Some martial art movements for drumming
Power drumming exercises to give stronger awareness of body-mind connection

Note: Each class is a custom made class which means the lessons are dependent upon skills of each child – the nature of instruction and teaching speed for the class as a whole changes. If the majority of the children of the class have good music skills, additional lessons could be introduced in the 8-week program.

C) Introduction to Performance (10 weeks)

The class is introduced to a performance piece “Kodomo Bayashi,” “Fuma” or “Hiraita Hiraita.” This class focuses on Taiko movements as well as drumming music skills. Students are introduced to learn one of three different styles of drumming, flat stand drumming, side stand drumming and Odaiko drumming.

Form C-1 (age 8-10: Rhythm and Movements)
Introduction to Japanese style learning of Taiko - Flat Stand Drumming
Singing along with drumming – Kuchishoga style
Basic movements for Taiko drumming – Flat Stand Forms

Form C-2 (age 11-12: Drumming with Movements)
Introduction to Japanese style learning of Taiko - Side Stand Drumming
Singing along with drumming – Kuchishoga style
Basic movements for Taiko drumming –Side Stand Forms

Form C-3 (age 11 – 12: Power Drumming)
Introduction to Japanese style learning of Taiko - Odaiko Drumming
Power drumming exercises to focus energy

D) Taiko Classes with Special Interest (4 weeks)
Special interest classes are 4 weeks long. Students can take the class repeatedly.

Taiko for Preschoolers (age 4 & 5)
This class focuses on the general preschool developmental curriculum using Taiko drumming.

D-1: Number Counting Development
Rote counting with rhythm and counting with 1 to 1 matching with drums
Recognition of simple patterns with rhythm

D-2: Physical Development
Walking, hopping, jumping, galloping, skipping and changing direction to rhythm and music
Walking to marching rhythm
Clapping to rhythm with others

D-3: Hand-Eye coordination
Clapping to rhythm with others
Musical development- 3/4 and 4/4 counting
Development of hand-eye coordination
Follow directions and wait for one’s turn

E) Taiko for physical and attention Span Development (age 6-8)

The focus of this class is body movements with rhythm using various kinds of equipment that foster children’s natural movement and balance. Equipment used for the activities are balls, hoops, jump ropes and scarves and many other things we can find around the house. Simple Taiko Rhythms are used for the accompaniment of various movements. Through play curriculum children will challenge their physical skills and development of their attention skills.

F) Taiko and movements (age 9-10)
This is a movement class for children. The students will learn simple drumming music with Taiko as well as basic dancing movements.

G) Power drumming for Kids (age 10-12)
Children learn to play Taiko music with power. Unlike other classes, students are expected to do more physical work to build stamina. The rhythms used in this class are rather simple, but the workouts are quite strenuous.

Each class should have at least 8 students to keep the class open. Maximum number of children in a class is 20. Taiko for Preschoolers is the exception; the maximum enrollment for this class is 12.

Photos of past children’s school programs