What was it that appealed to you about taiko?
| the drama: the drums, the kata |
| The energy |
| The physical part and that it was the opposite of the Asian stereotype that affected me in school. Now, I find philosophy, purpose, physical approach, community, and musicality a bigger appeal |
| Everything… the energy, the power, the people |
| the positive energy |
| Being a short Asian woman, I can be loud and boisterous without feeling out of place. |
| getting energy and losing frustrations, playing music with out following classic music training |
| The physic ,the sound/rhythm |
| The physicality, the noise, the joy, the smiles on their faces. |
| I wanted to move more (strengthen shoulder muscles) dull sounds and drums have spoken to me since childhood, only as a child I did not want to learn notation, but suddenly play, but that was not yet in my youth. Now at the lessons for which thanks, otherwise I would have already given up. |
| It is something different. |
| The movements, the sound, the music and especially group spirit |
| hitting hard |
| Everything, the rhythm, the team spirit, the brain work, the physical work, … |
| Strength, musicality, it just looked and sounded so cool |
| this combination (sound because of moving) gave me energy and physical strength |
| The physical and “in the moment” aspects of drumming |
| Drums and making music of course, but also the physicality of playing, the rejuvenation of spirit, and the community that surrounds taiko. |
| Japanese culture, therapeutic rythm, beautiful dance like movements, group activity, connection with co-players, building parts of my body and personality that never done before, endorphins.. I could go on and on.. |
| The combination of rythm and choreography |
| Power and exercise |
| The combination between sport and music. |
| The musicality and movements. |
| I feel that it stretches, empowers and nourishes all parts that make up me. It feeds and deveps me intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually. It also opens up “stuff” that’s been buried (which I didn’t know) |
| When I was little, I saw some taiko drummers and asked Mum if I could learn. We were doing too many after-school activities and I couldn’t – but Mum told me I was only allowed to learn instruments I could carry by myself! Lol. Nice one Mum. When I was older and in the final year of my degree, I saw a ‘beginners class’ advertised online and I really, really wanted to do it, but also wanted to keep my A-Average at uni, so decided to put it off. The following year they offered the same beginner class, earlier in the year. I decided to JUST DO IT and never looked back. Iwas attracted to the opportunity to learn a new style of music and the thinking and conceptualisation behind how pieces were put together. I also find the heavy bass pulse really grounding and one of the only things that stops my monkey-brain from being too hyper. |
| The physicality |
| Being invited to get involved with my community and the actual playing of it. Sharing it with my family when they came to visit. I also really liked the kuchi showa aspect – how it translated to being able to play a musical instrument. I had tried recorder and piano as a kid, but when the music got more challenging, I lost interest. In hindsight, I think I *thought* I was reading music but in reality was probably just playing by ear and not good enough or motivated enough (or both) to keep that up when the music got more complex. |
| The energy it gave me |
| At first what appealed to me was the rhythms, the movement, the volume of the drums. Throughout the years, the indescribable joy of connection while playing taiko with others, the empowerment of it, and seeing the smiles and awe on people’s faces as they experience taiko for the first time as an audience member are all things that keep me all in. |
| I believe that music is essential to the human experience, and to me, taiko speaks to that deep history. There is a certain fundamentality to the movements, and the way the sound reverberates in your chest that draws you in. |
| The whole body involvement. |
| The vibes I felt while playing |
| The joy and passion evident in the performers I witnessed in a performance in a field. How that could reach in and touch my soul. |
| I don’t think I could verbalise it. I was completely drawn in, completely happy even watching taiko, it really grabbed me. |
| Community, physicality, intellectual challenge, music, rhythm. |
| It’s the heart beat that moves my soul to such joy and happiness!!! |
| Loud, powerful, fun, together, Music, Rhythm |
| It’s fun |
| Something different |
| The energy |
| Happy people |
| Musical development within japanese (clean and well regulated) culture of education, training dynamic movement and interaction (as compared to Kyudo or cha no yu). |
| working together to learn a song. Teamwork. |
| It looked like fun. I was very sedentary at t hat point in my life and it seemed like a fun way to start moving. Once I started playing, I had a very emotional response. I still do. |
| Feeling while playing, musical challenge (I am not a musician) |
| Everything |
| I got inmediately attracted beyond words |
| I was initially motivated just by difference, but I came to appreciate how different the aesthetics were from more conventional American drumming. These days I’m really inspired by the folkloric forms (Miyake, Chichibu, etc). |
| The artistry, the freedom, the power, the precision, the cultural beauty! |
| The challenges and learning opportunities it has on so many different levels. Making a taiko group function on a social as well as musical and artistic level is not easy and still one of my biggest challenges. |
| At first I didn’t even know what I’m up to with this 4 weeks taiko course; I’ve never thought I would ever became a taiko drummer myself but I tried it out anyway and it was fun! 🙂 After that though I started to feel the taiko, feel the power of it so I decided to leave behind everything (I used to be a fencer) and play and play and play to get the best out of me as a student and later as a performer 🙂 |
| They’re big and loud! |
| The intricacies of the music and songs. |
| The combination of drums and the fact it was Japanese, the movement combined with music (as opposed to just sitting at a drumkit), the deep and powerful sound of the odaiko. |
| It’s freedom. It allows and encourages an expression of joy that is rarely found in other Japanese arts. I have always struggled with allowing myself to act freely and with feeling, so taiko has been freeing for me. |
| See previous answer please |
| The drumming |
| The link to Japanese culture, the musicality and physicality of the artform. |
| At first loudness and power. Now I know is much more than that what I sense: how would say holistic sense of self in connection with others, capability of taiko to build inner and outer awareness. Those are the things that push me to go on |
| I enjoy playing music, and the group aspect of taiko definitely appealed to me. It’s just such a joyful experience, and everyone is so supportive. When I was in band, it was very competitive, and that’s just not for me. |