top of page

Japanese Spring Concert

Please give a warm welcome to our performers!

PART 1: Performances

Drum Performances

NY Taiko Aikokai / Japanese Drum Lovers Group

Please join us outdoors on the lawn for the performance

Hakoh / by Oto-gatari
Excitement and high enthusiasm in Japanese


Tanbane Daiko/Isamigoma by Daihachi Oguchi
Traditional Osuwa piece, galloping of the horses through drumming

 

Dokokara/ by Yuta Kato
This name comes from Taiko syllabary. “doko” means two strikes in the
center of the drum, and “kara” is two on the rim. 

The phrase “doko kara”also means “Where from?” in Japanese.

New York Taiko Aiko Kai is one of the Taiko groups in residence as part of the TC Taiko Society at Teachers College, Columbia University. It began in 2002 when a few families at an Upper West Side public school began practicing Taiko with a hope to pass Japanese culture to their children. The group has always been family oriented, but many adults have also joined the group over the years. Hiro Kurashima, Osuwa Daiko Shihan, who was certified by the late Grandmaster Daihachi Oguchi, was the founding teacher of the group, and continues to teach and perform with the group regularly. NYTAK has performed at various schools and institutions, including the Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Japan Heritage Day at the Staten Island Yankees, and public and private schools in New York.

Performers: 

  • Mayur Baruah

  • Genta Burns

  • Sean Inouye

  • Daichi Irie

  • Chris Leone

  • Kyoko Toyama-Baruah

  • Sophia Wang

(please stay to the end of the performance;

there will be opportunity to learn more about drums at the workshop)

​​

Performances continue inside

Shakuhachi Flute Solo

“Shika no tohne” / Distant Sound of Deers


A Honkyoku meditation piece for Shakuhachi that depicts the calling of deers in
the deep forests

 

Performer: Shoji Mizumoto

Japanese Traditional Solo Dance
Sachiyo_Ito_Memori.jpg

For over 50 years, Sachiyo Ito has brought East and West together through her delicate and powerful performance of classical, traditional, and contemporary Japanese dance.

Performer: Sachiyo Ito

More info:

https://www.dancejapan.com/

New York de Nagauta Sanyukai

NY de Nagauta Sanyukai / Shamisen Nagauta songs


Excerpted from Kabuki Dance Drama
”Kyōganoko Musume Dōjōji (京鹿子娘道成寺)”

 

Commonly called Musume Dōjōji (娘道成寺, "The Maiden at Dojoji Temple"), is a kabuki dance drama. It is the oldest surviving Noh-based Kabuki dance
drama, which tells the story of a maiden who dances before a bell in the Dōjōjitemple and then reveals herself to be a serpent-demon.

 

Performers:Kumiko Martin, Megumi Imai, Kimiko Shimizu

Japanese Spring Songs
Tomoko_Masur_white_hair.jpg

”Sakura Sakura” (桜桜) / by Kohsaku Yamada 

“Hana” (花) by Rentaro  Taki

 

Tomoko Masur/Solo voice,  Noriko Suzuki-Frank/ piano accompaniment

Hanamizuki Chorus group

 

Koinobori (鯉のぼり)/ composer not known

Oborozukiyo(朧月夜)/ by Tatsuyuki Takano

Tanabata (七夕)/ by Kanichi Shimoosa

 

ハナミズキ Japanese women chorus group:

Aya Shimada(Conductor), Yumi Murayama, Naoko Fujii, Kumiko Kubota, Kiyomi Soejima, Harumi Sasada, Saori Bruce, Akiko Jacobsson

Noriko Suzuki (Piano accompaniment)

http://www.norikosuzuki.com/

CHORUS-Hanamizuki.jpg

Based in Westchester, we are a women's chorus group founded in '83 by music-loving locals from Japan. Led by Aya Shimada, our music director, we groove through various song genres every week at Greenville Community Church in Scarsdale. 

 

Our name, Hanamizuki, Japanese for the elegant dogwood tree, is a nod to New York’s natural beauty. But we're more than melodies—we're cultural ambassadors! For over 30 years, we've been performing voluntary concerts at local schools, churches, and retirement homes in Westchester and Fairfield counties. 

 

Our goal is to foster a beautiful bond between the U.S. and Japan.

Hanamizuki Women Chorus

The students of the Keio Academy of New York will be participating in the chorus

Students of Keio Academy of NY

https://www.keio.edu/

Keio Academy of New York promotes trans-Pacific, trans-cultural and trans-disciplinary learning. The mission of Keio Academy of New York is to develop, foster and utilize “tri-cultural’ education by combining the best of Japanese, American and Keio cultures, to produce graduates who have a strong sense of “moral-independence” and “self-reliance” which has been a Keio tradition since Keio Gijuku’s establishment by Fukuzawa Yukichi in 1858.

Many thanks to: Kenichi Satate / Tutor for Volunteer group of Keio Academy NY for his generous support for creating flyers of this concert.

PART 2: Events - please visit both!

Tea Ceremony and Workshop

Taiko workshop by Tea Master Michiko Tomioka

Spring ritual with Chado and Yakuzen sweets in happy longevity (Tea Ceremonial demonstration and trial)

Michiko Tomioka, MBA, RDN, CDN, IFNCP, is a Japanese native integrative nutritionist and Japanese cooking instructor. Her experiences include at a recovery center, long-term care, WIC, NYC public school, Foodbank for NYC. while promoting plant-based cooking and mindfulness in a diverse community. She has been practicing a chado (茶道)“way of tea” in Kyoto and New York City, and promoting chanoyu. 

 

She is a frequent contributor of major media including CNBC, NPR, New York Seikatsu, and frequent public presenter in NJ, NY, Japan, as well as virtually. Michiko enjoy yoga and lives with a shibainu, Genki (元気), happy cat, and family in Demarest, NJ.

More info:

https://michinutrition.com/
 

Drum Workshop

Let's go back outside for the Drum Workshop

https://nytak.blogspot.com/

Many thanks to:

Members of  Metropolitan Japanese Ministry (MJM)

METROPOLITAN JAPANESE MINISTRIES MJM is a ministry of the Episcopal Church of the United States and Japan (Nippon Sei Ko Kai) to the Japanese people which seeks to be an open, inclusive body providing spiritual care and support to all people reflecting the spirit of Christ as it builds bridges between cultures.


MJM はニューヨーク周辺の日本人コミュニティーにおいて積極的な牧会とその霊的奉仕を目的とする聖公会のミニストリーである。 その働きは以下の項目に要約される。 地域の聖公会の教会のリソース・日本人に対するより効果的な宣教奉仕・日本人、アメリカ人のコミュニティーにおける教派を越えた働き・アメリカ人と日本人の対話を活性化・具体的な方法で日本人コミュニティーに奉仕。

  • facebook-square
bottom of page