Artist accommodations generously
provided by:

World-renowned Japanese taiko drummer Eitetsu Hayashi’s residency came to a dramatic, emotional, and awe-inspiring conclusion at the Drumbeats of Taiko concert on Saturday, April 30. The concert included performances by a 20-student ensemble from Davis Middle School, a 15-student ensemble from the Conservatory of Music at Capital University, and a group of music educators from around Ohio. The evening concluded with a performance by Eitetsu and his professional ensemble Fuun-no-Kai, and the world premier of Dublin Coffman High School senior Jacob Yandura’s original composition for taiko, piano and chorus, entitled “Synthesis.”

Eitetsu Hayashi visited Dublin and Columbus six times over the course of the last year, beginning in May 2004. He worked primarily at Davis Middle School in Dublin, teaching the art of taiko to a 20-student ensemble. Eitetsu also began holding larger lecture/demonstration assemblies at Davis, ensuring that, by the end of the residency, he would have a direct and personal impact on every student at the school.

Teachers at Davis incorporated the residency into their daily curriculum, and introduced projects incorporating everything from a study of Japanese exports and trade in social studies class, to creating maps of Japan in math classes, and reading the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes in language arts classes.

Eitetsu also worked with students at Capital University’s Conservatory of Music, teaching the course Music 493. Learning taiko added a whole new dimension to the students’ study of music—although each was extremely accomplished in his or her instrument, be it woodwind, string, or otherwise—the sheer physicality of playing taiko was an important challenge. Incorporating the elements of choreography and the precise physical postures needed to play taiko broadened their understanding of music and performance. As a result of the project, several students have expressed a desire to study abroad in Japan and continue their study of taiko.

Eitetsu held an intensive three-day workshop for music educators from around the state of Ohio. Dubbed “Train the Trainer,” the workshop was conceived to provide taiko instruction to individuals who could, in turn, teach taiko to students in their classrooms. One outgrowth of the Train the Trainers workshop is the “Taiko Honors Group,” formed by Susann Hubbell of Davis Middle School, Adam Lynskey of Watkins Middle School, and Rachael Ungericht of Kirkersville Elementary School.

Finally, Eitetsu invited Dublin Coffman High School senior Jacob Yandura to create an original piece for taiko, making Jacob the first U.S. composer invited to create original music for the world-renowned artist. Yandura wrote “Synthesis” for taiko, piano and chorus, and the piece was premiered on April 30, 2005.

This artist-in-residence project was sponsored by Dublin Arts Council, the Ohio Arts Council, the Ohio Arts Foundation, the U.S./Japan Cultural Trade Network, and Arts Midwest, with major support from the National Endowment for the Arts and private contributors.

Additional support provided by:
HAL, Inc., Dublin City Schools, Capital University, Ohio State University, Asano Taiko Co., the City of Dublin, Clarion Hotels, Hidaka USA, the Institute for Japanese Studies at OSU, Ippon Supplies, the Japan-American Society of Central Ohio, Nissin Travel Service, the Ohio Arts Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education.