What will your students learn through the art of Taikoza?
Students will:
- learn about a new culture and learning about its history and the context in which the music is used.
-learn Japanese, opening their minds to a new music that they are not familiar with, new scales and melodies.
- learn about the importance of teamwork to create harmony. Also that each member of a group is important to create the harmony of the group.
-learn about the importance of practice to achieve a skill
- learn about taiko, the background , how to play the drums, when they are used and how they are made.
-learn about bamboo flutes
-learn about Japanese festivals
Helpful activities to prepare your students for a performance by Taikoza:
- Look at the map of Japan, find its capital and other large cities, count how many large island forms Japan
- Read stories such as:
- The Peach Boy
- The drums of Noto Hanto (a great book to introduce children to taiko, its meaning and use and legends about some of the songs used in festivals- the book is out of print but can be found in libraries)
- Look at Taikoza.com web site and get familiar with different instruments
- Watch cartoon Spirited Away
- Learn to sing a folk song; Sakura (cherry blossom)
Word to learn before seeing a performance by Taikoza:
Taiko – Japanese barrel shaped drums
Matsuri – Japanese word for festival, can happen in any season, but is usually a dedication to gods to thank them for a good year
Bachi – Japanese word for Taiko drum sticks
Shakuhachi – name of the long 5-hole vertical end-blown bamboo flute
Fue – horizontal bamboo flute
Tokyo – capital of Japan
Ongaku – music in Japanese, each character that forms the word, meaning sound and enjoyment/fun
Kimono – Japanese costume worn by men and women, Happi is a shorter coat worn nowadays for festivals (Taikoza members wear them).
Bon Odori; summer festival involving dances- Odori mean dance
Ohayo Gozaimasu - Good morning- simply Ohayo ( pronounced like OHIO)works too!
Konnichiwa – Hello (daytime greeting)
Sayonara – Good-bye
Arigato – Thank you
Helpful activities to prepare your students for a performance by Taikoza:
- Look at the map of Japan, find its capital and other large cities, count how many large island forms Japan
- Read stories such as:
- The Peach Boy
- The drums of Noto Hanto (a great book to introduce children to taiko, its meaning and use and legends about some of the songs used in festivals- the book is out of print but can be found in libraries)
- Look at Taikoza.com web site and get familiar with different instruments
- Watch cartoon Spirited Away
- Learn to sing a folk song; Sakura (cherry blossom)