On the day after the concert, Wednesday, October 14, the members of Eitetsu Fu-un no kai held a workshop at the Christian Heritage School in Lilongwe. The workshop targeted 70 students from Form 6 and 7. The students first learned the history and characteristics of the taiko drums, as well as the different sounds created by the taiko drums. They also listened to the dynamic performance of the taiko drummers. At first, the students were surprised by the powerful sound of the taiko drums, but gradually they started to feel the beat of the taiko drums. The students also experienced beating the drums and tried various rhythms. A the end of the workshop, Eitetsu Fu-un no kai members donated new taiko sticks the school so that the students can continue to practice.
Taiko performance by Eitetsu Fu-un no kai
Hase explaining about the different types of Taiko drums
Applauding the student who correctly guessed the sounds expressed by
the taiko drums (waves, thunder, snow)
Students tried to jump 300 times as warm up before experiencing taiko drums
Tsuji and Tashiro teach the students how to pose when drumming the taiko
Hase and Tsuji teach the students how to beat the drums
The students tried beating different rhythms
Of the 70 students who participated in the workshop,
20 students experienced playing the taiko drums
Eitetsu Fu-un no kai members performing the finale "Utage" (Festival)
Students attentively listening to the powerful taiko performance
[About the Artist]
Eitetsu Fu-un no kai
Eitetsu Fu-un no kai is a unit made up of ten top young taiko drummers who resonate with the music of the internationally acclaimed taiko soloist and pioneer Eitetsu Hayashi. The unit was founded in 1995 and performs in Hayashi’s original compositions in addition to helping out with new ensembles. The phrase “Fu-un no kai” refers to a favorable opportunity for a highly aspiring figure to achieve his goals and was selected as the name of the unit, as it reflects the drummers’ spirit. The group enjoys great response in Japan and abroad. Since 2005 the group embarked on full-fledged activities as an independent unit.
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Mikita Hase
Mikita Hase has a taiko unit, YO-SORO, which was formed in 2000 and has performed in many concerts both in Japan and abroad. He also joined the Eitetsu Hayashi Fu-un no kai in 2000. As an independent artist, he has also held solo performances and collaborated with various artists creating new forms of the performing arts. In 2015, Hase made his debut as the soloist for Hitenyu, a concerto for taiko composed by Isao Matsushita, performing with the orchestra conducted by Tomomi Nishimoto in South America.
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Makoto Tashiro
Makoto Tashiro joined Eitetsu Fu-un no kai in 2004. As a key member, he has supported Eitetsu Hayashi’s concerts in Japan and abroad. In 2012, Tashiro made his debut as a soloist for Isao Matsushita’s three-part work of Hiten with the Singapore Wind Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Bostock. Inspired by Japanese traditional and classical performing arts, Tashiro gives performances which are also appreciated by today’s society. He has also worked on collaborative projects with other genres of arts, such as theater and performing arts.
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Tasuku Tsuji
At the age of twelve, Tasuku Tsuji was inspired by a concert by Eitetsu Hayashi, and aspired to become a taiko drummer. Tsuji is in search of new ways of performing taiko by learning from other genres of the performing arts, such as sword dance, modern ballet, and drums. Upon graduation from university in 2010, he became the youngest member of the Eitetsu Fu-un no kai. In recent years, Tsuji has participated in sessions with free jazz, ballroom dance, Japanese traditional dance, as well as presented solo performances, based on his artistic concepts of “the embodiment of music” and “expression as stage performance.”
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