8 Thursday, May 25, 2017 Island Beat Hawaii Tribune-Herald repertoire, this is a good way to keep them growing,” he says. “You learn from different instructors and give back to the group … like an unofficial rite of passage.” The highest level of understanding, Sakamoto says, is to create your own piece. “However, I’ve only had a few students reach this level,” he says. “Not every student is inclined to put themselves out here in this way. It’s a very personal, soul-baring experience to create something and share it with the group and get others to share your vision.” This will be the third original piece Visaya has composed. “He digs really deep By Appointment or Walk-Ins Welcome! Palm & Psychic Readings LOVE, ROMANCE & CAREER Kamehameha Market 144 Kamehameha Ave. Hilo M-S • 9am - 5pm 808-854-9169 Call Christine for more information and comes up with material that can be very challenging,” Sakamoto says. “This is a whole new bag of tricks he’s opening up for the rest of the group. I’m really enthused about what he’s doing. The feeling among the group is that it will become one of our staple performance pieces.” One of the challenges Puna Honwanji Taiko Club faced this year is coordinating members of the group who are off-island for the summer. But technology is proving to be helpful in this regard. “We’ve been doing videos so they can practice on their own and be ready when they fly back for the concert,” Sakamoto says. Taishoji Taiko artistic director Chad Nakagawa has been using technology as well, to help the different taiko groups across the island prepare for their collaborative opening and finale numbers. “The finale song is ‘Tonde Tonde Tonde,’ which means ‘Jump Jump Jump,’” Nakagawa says. “It’s a song that most of the groups know as we’ve played it together on the mainland at other festivals. I knew it would look good with a lot of people.” Then there’s the song “Yatai Bayashi,” which mimics the drums being played in confined spaces and is popular because of its unique style, he says. “The whole song, the drummers are sitting on the ground and leaning back at a 45-degree angle.” Taishoji Taiko also will play four songs during their group’s set, including “Yagi Bushi” played by their ladies group; a melodic piece We’re in the Neighborhood... Groceries, Hardware, Prescriptions, More! keaau shopping center called “Haru No Uma,” about horses in the spring; “Seishunjidai,” a lively number; and a song they play at the end of every performance called “Issho” (meaning “together”). Nakagawa says the Big Island Taiko Festival is an event that shows just how different the styles of the island’s taiko groups are, but that they are all a close-knit community who work together often. “Some styles are like martial arts, the Puna group is very lively and jazzy, the Kona group has younger kids who play their own style of lively taiko, and our group is a mix … we try to put silly things in our choreography and be entertaining,” Nakagawa says. “I think people think taiko is just about banging a drum but it’s a lot more than that. It incorporates a wide range of things including theater and dance.” Sakamoto agrees. “I think we’re very fortunate that taiko on the Big Island is very collaborative and cooperative,” he says. “It’s common for groups (in the same area) to not get along but here everyone is very giving and generous with their time and expertise.” Also performing are Hui Okinawa Kobudo Taiko, under the guidance of adviser Milton Yafuso and Troy Sakihara. This group practices and performs a drumming style based on Okinawan martial arts. Then, there is Kona Daifukuji Taiko, which was founded in 1988 by the Rev. Ryuji Tamiya and his wife, and is comprised of youth from elementary through high school. The group’s artistic director, Akemi Iwamoto, says they have eight students who range in age from freshman to seniors in high school, and seven beginner students who are age 10 and older. Kona Daifukuji Taiko plans to play three pieces for this concert, including “Hachidan,” which is adapted from an iconic piece called “Yodan Uchi” and involves eight people moving in unison. They also will tackle one of the most technically challenging pieces they have ever played, “Jack Bazaar,” written by Kris Bergstrom of the Los Angeles Taiko Institute. “‘Jack Bazaar’ incorporates different melodies and motions that really got our minds so twisted while we were learning it,” Iwamoto says. “It’s so much fun.” Iwamoto says she is always reminding her students that taiko is not just about playing. “It’s about supporting and sharing — sharing what you know, sharing what you love,” she says. “Though we all live on the same island, we don’t see the other groups often. The Big Island Taiko (Festival) gives us the opportunity to come together to share what we love and support each other. It’s great to see the growth and progress from each group with each gathering. For us, it helps to encourage creativity.” Rounding out the performances is Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko from Kohala showcasing a style that blends traditional and contemporary influences with tremendous energy. The group boasts more than 100 active members throughout Hawaii. “I think people enjoy every part of this event,” Dombroski says. “It’s an opportunity to play with each other and share ideas and methods. I also think the theatrical setting allows them to be super creative the way they love to be.” She advises that festivalgoers purchase their tickets early because the shows are always sellout events. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 discount and $7 UH-Hilo/ HCC students with valid ID and children 17 and younger. Box office hours, through June 2, are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. You can also order online at artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu or call 932-7490. Email Katie Young Yamanaka at BIVHawaii@ gmail.com. TAIKO From page 6 “Though we all live on the same island, we don’t see the other groups often. The Big Island Taiko (Festival) gives us the opportunity to come together to share what we love and support each other.” Akemi Iwamoto Artistic director, Kona Daifukuji Taiko
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