River Ridge Taiko Ensemble
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River Ridge High School's Taiko Drum Ensemble is a premier student performing group that plays traditional Japanese drums (some made by the students themselves) around the region and community. It is the only active Japanese drumming group in public schools in Washington State. This group is open to all River Ridge students.
Want Taiko to perform at your event? Email director John Theine at jtheine@nthurston.k12.wa.us! This is a student ensemble, so it all depends on the students' schedules. Please book early!
FAQ
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What is Taiko?
"Taiko" is a Japanese word that essentially translates into "drum". A taiko ensemble is simply a Japanese drumming ensemble. In the early history of Taiko in Japan, the drums were used for military purposes and in court music. It wasn't until the 1950's that the word "Taiko" took on its modern notions of movement with music.
For more information, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/taiko -
Why a taiko ensemble?
River Ridge High School is a perfect place for a taiko ensemble. We have a very strong Japanese language program within the school and a very diverse student population. Before starting this ensemble, interest was very high in the existing taiko drum that was built for a piece of concert music that the band performed in the 2007-2008 school year. One thing led to another, and we found ourselves very interested in forming a taiko ensemble at RRHS.
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How are the drums made?
Construction method depends on the type of drum. The "tacked" taiko (Odaiko, Hira, and Chu) are all built similarly:
Start with a wine barrel of the appropriate size and clean it out after removing the ends.
- De-hoop and glue the barrel together.
- Trim the barrel to the appropriate size.
- Create and install the rim inserts.
- Shape the rim inserts.
- Sand the body down and fine-shape the rims.
- Stain the body.
- Clear-coat the body.
- Make and install the handles.
- Prepare the heads.
- Skin the drum
This process can take anywhere from 2 to 4 months.
The "roped" taiko (Okedo and Shime) are both built similarly:- Start with flat wood (cedar for the Okedo, ash or other hardwood for the Shime).
- Cut the wood down to an appropriate length and angles.
- Glue the wood together to form the body.
- Create and install the rim inserts.
- Shape the rim inserts.
- Sand the body down and fine-shape the rims.
- Stain the body.
- Clear-coat the body.
- Prepare the heads, sewing them onto the steel rings.
- Attach the heads using rope to tension them onto the body of the drum.
Because the skinning time is a lot less than the tacked drums, the roped drums can be built much more quickly...in as little as a month.
Music & Downloads
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Aiko (Taishoji Taiko, Chad Nakagawa)
- Kuchishoga
- Large Format Kuchishoga
- Taishoji Taiko Performance
- Part A: 0:02
- Part B: 0:07
- Part C: 0:25
- Part D: 0:42
- Part E: 0:50
- Part F: 0:59
- Part G: 1:07
Audio Files
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Asayake
Lacey Parks & Rec Taiko
- Kuchishoga
- Recordings
- Full song - mp3
- Slow Section A-E - mp3
- Fast Section (full) - mp3
- Fast Section A-E - mp3
- Fast Section F - mp3
- Fast Section F (slow) - mp3
- Fast Section G - mp3
- Fast Section G (slow) - mp3
- Fast Section H (ending) - mp3
- Fast Section H (ending...slow) - mp3
- Ji -- Full Song - mp3
- Ji -- Slow Section - mp3
- Ji -- Fast Section - mp3
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Celebration
- Celebration Score -- MP3 Format<
- Celebration Part 1 -- PDF Format
- Celebration Part 2 -- PDF Format
- Celebration Part 3 -- PDF Format
- Celebration Part 5 -- PDF Format
- Celebration Part 6 -- PDF Format
- Celebration Part 7 -- PDF Format
- Celebration Solo 1 -- MP3 Format
- Celebration Solo 2 -- MP3 Format
- Celebration Solo 3 -- MP3 Format
- Celebration Solo 5 -- MP3 Format
- Celebration Solo 6 -- MP3 Format
- Celebration Solo 7 -- MP3 Format
- Celebration Solo Background 80 BPM -- WAV Format
- Celebration Solo Background 100 BPM -- WAV Format
- Celebration Solo Background 120 BPM -- WAV Format
- Celebration Solo Background 152 BPM -- MP3 Format
Thank you to all our gracious supporters!
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The following people and companies have made the creation of the River Ridge Taiko Ensemble possible through their donations. We greatly appreciate their support and honor their contributions!
If you would like to donate to River Ridge Taiko, please fill out the donation form (PDF) and mail it to:
River Ridge Taiko Project
River Ridge Band Boosters
PO Box 3035
Lacey, WA 98509-3035All checks should be made out to River Ridge Band Boosters
Odaiko ($435+)
- Dr. Mark Sundberg, Orthodontics & Family Dentistry
- Anonymous
- Olympia-Kato Sister City Association
- River Ridge Band Boosters
- North Thurston Public Schools Multicultural Advisory Council
Chu Daiko ($415-$434)
Okedo Daiko ($300-$414)
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Skyhawks Park (Bucknell Park)
Shime Daiko ($250-$299)
- Squaxin Island Nation
Sponsor ($100-$249)
- Kaitlyn Carpenter
Patron ($50-$99)
Donor ($25-$49)
- Andrea Shaw, D.C. (Tumwater Chiropractic Center)
Contributor ($1-$24)
In-Kind
- Smith-Western Company, publications
- Stina's Cellars, 2 wine barrels (Perry Preston)
- Covington Cellars, 3 wine barrels (David and Cindy Lawson)
History
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We actually built our first Taiko drum a year before starting this project. Odaiko #1 was built in the Spring-Summer of 2007 to be used in performance by the school's Wind Ensemble for the piece, Rising Dragons, by Robert W. Smith. We performed the piece at the December concert in 2007 and then on tour to Southern California later that school year in early April.
Having the "big drum" up in the classroom for 2/3 of a year generated interest in it as well as sparked the idea that a taiko group would be really fun (so far, only one student had really been allowed to play the big drum). By March 2008, the idea was floating around that we could form a taiko group...we just needed funding.
In late March 2008, a grant request was submitted to the Charlotte Martin Foundation for a grand total of $6,840.43 to fund the creation of a taiko ensemble consisting of 19 drums (18 to be created from the grant funds). In the end, the foundation denied the grant in late May...no negative reason...just that they fund 1 in 4 grants and this one wasn't one of the lucky ones.
So, we decided to try a different route and started the River Ridge Taiko Project in late May 2008 with a direct appeal campaign to local businesses, service clubs, organizations, and individuals in the greater Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater area of Thurston County. Within two days of starting the project (and before we really got going with it), we had funded two full drums and are excited about the potential of the project to
reach its goals.Eventually, with generous donations and hours of students' and staff working, we have completed construction on 14 drums.
Drum Sticks Stand Shime #1 Completed Done Done Shime #2 Completed Done Done Shime #3 Completed Done Done Okedo #1 Completed Done Done (Strap) Okedo #2 Completed Done Done (Strap) Okedo #3 Completed Done Done (Strap) Chu #1 Completed Done Done Chu #2 Completed Done Done Chu #3 Completed Done Done Hira #1 Completed Done Done Hira #2 Completed Done Done Odaiko #1 Completed Done Done Odaiko #2 Completed Done Done Odaiko #3 Completed Done Done