TaikOz Taiko Intensive, January 2013

Kaoru's first tour of the new year will be in Australia where he'll be a special guest teacher at TaikOz's Taiko Intensive. Riley Lee, one of TaikOz's co-founders, visited Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center in April 2012 and taught a challenging and fascinating workshop all about breathing! Riley is a highly skilled shakuhachi flute player and had many valuable insights and exercises to share with Kaoru and KWTC students. Now it's Kaoru's turn to share his knowledge and skills in Sydney... From the TaikOz website: TaikOz invites taiko players from all over the world - from beginner to professional - to join us and our special guest, Kaoru Watanabe, for three fun days of taiko, shinobue, dance, singing and more. Visitors to Sydney will enjoy TaikOz's home city with plenty of chances to explore the culture, cuisine and cosmopolitan lifestyle of the Harbour City.

2013 January Taiko Intensive Saturday 26 January - Monday 28 January 2013 Italian Forum Cultural Centre 23 Norton St Leichhart 2040 NSW http://taikoz.com/TaikOz/januarytaikointensive.aspx

Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble: October 3, 2009 @ Khan Bank Theatre

 

KHOOMEI-TAIKO ENSEMBLE Mongolian, Japanese and US artists come together for a fascinating collaboration, highlighting the popular Mongolian art of khoomei (throat singing) with the driving rhythms of Japanese taiko (drums). The Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble features Shinetsog Dorjnyam (khoomei), Shoji Kameda and Tetsuro Naito (taiko), the legendary folk musician Tserendorj Tseyen (magtaal-praise songs, morin khuur - horsehead fiddle, jaw harp), Kaoru Watanabe (fue and Noh Kan-flutes) and Miki Maruta (koto - zither). The program also includes the captivating voice of Mongolia's urtiin duu (long song) vocalist Khongorzul Ganbaatar, a featured artist in Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project.

The Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble 2009 programs are supported in part, by the Trust for Mutual Understanding, the Asian Cultural Council and the Japan Foundation through the Performing Arts JAPAN program.

Presented by World Music Institute in association with Asia Society.

  TOUR SCHEDULE:

MONGOLIA Saturday, October 3rd, 2009 Khan Bank Theatre 7:00 pm Seoul Street - 25 Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia

Information please call 96 779885 or 99 702593

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WASHINGTON D.C. Friday, October 9, 2009 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 6:00pm 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566

Tickets and Information: 800-444-1324 or 202-467-4600

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NEW YORK Friday, Oct 16 Symphony Space 8:00 pm 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, New York, NY 10025-6990 Tel: 212.864.5400 World Music Institute for Tickets 212 545-7536

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NEW YORK Saturday, October 17, 2009 Charles B. Wang Center Theatre 8:00pm - 10:00pm Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY

Reserved seating for all VIP ticket holders. Reservations highly recommended. Please reserve your tickets by e-mailing wangcenter@stonybrook.edu or call (631) 632-4400.

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NEW YORK Tuesday , October 20th The Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts at Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus. 10:15AM & 12:15PM 1 University Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201

Contact Community Works – performances@communityworksnyc.org or (212) 459-1854

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WASHINGTON Friday, October 23 Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee - Stanley Civic Center 7:30 pm 123 N. Wenatchee Avenue, Wenatchee, WA 98807

Phone: 509-663-ARTS(2787) Email: tickets@pacwen.org

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WASHINGTON Sunday, Oct 25 Town Hall Seattle 7:30pm 1119 Eighth Ave. Seattle, WA 98101

Tel:(206) 652-5858

NAKANAKA-Kaoru Watanabe and Tamango with friends!

NAKANAKAKaoru Watanabe and Tamango with friends! Sept 18th, 2009 (fri) 9 pm to 11pm $10 in advance $12 at the door DROM 85 Avenue A New York, NY 10009 http://www.dromnyc.com/

Kaoru Watanabe, NY-based Japanese taiko drum and Japanese flute player with long time collaborator Tamango, tap dancer/singer/percussionist.  Be prepared to witness two extraordinary improvisors capable of creating moments of intense energy and drama, drawing from Japanese drumming and flute traditions, jazz music, Brazilian and various African rhythms and Amazonian Creole culture.    There will also be a performance by some of Kaoru's taiko students in the physically demanding piece Miyake.

Live Schedule in August, 2009

Please click the title to see for more information; with Kenny Endo’s Ensemble@The Powell St Festival(Aug.1,2) @Woodland Park, Vancouver

Workshop@North American Taiko Conference(Aug.7,8)

Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble (KETE) in San Juan Capistrano(Aug.15)

Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble (KETE) in San Juan Capistrano(Aug.15)

August 15, 2009 6:30 pm and 8:30 pmKenny Endo Taiko Ensemble (KETE) in San Juan Capistrano San Juan Capistrano, CA - San Juan Capistrano Regional Public Library Tickets available at door only

Workshop@North American Taiko Conference(Aug.7,8)

August 7, 8Kaoru will be teaching a couple of workshops at the North American Taiko Conference, sitting in on a panel discussion as well as performing with On Ensemble at the Taiko Jam 09 concert. 

Workshop #12 Fue Fundamentals Kaoru Watanabe Friday, Aug. 7 @ 1:30 PM

Due to Kaoru’s range and wealth of knowledge accumulated after decades of intense study and performance, even seasoned players may gain insight about this incredibly versatile instrument through this fundamentals class. The workshop will begin with a brief overview of different types of fue, their construction and distinct playing styles. Kaoru will then go over basic hand position, breathing, tone production, fingering exercises and some simple melodies. Participants should bring a #8 or #6 fue if possible. Fue will also be available for sale

Workshop #47 Yoko Uchi Fundamentals Kaoru Watanabe Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 9:00 AM

Based on his experience in intensive study and performance with Kodo, including as a soloist in their signature piece Miyake, Kaoru will breakdown yoko uchi (sideways stance playing) in a way that allows the taiko player to better utilize the natural tensions and power inherent in the body through a better understanding of often cited but elusive concepts of relaxation, finding “the center,” and lower body strength, flexibility, and being more grounded. Reexamine the function and movement of each body part, the hand, the wrist, the elbow, the shoulder, and most importantly the back, hips and legs, in a clear and concise way.

Please check here for details: http://www.taikoconference.org/

with Kenny Endo's Ensemble@The Powell St Festival(Aug.1,2)

August 1(6 pm) and 2(3:30) 2009 with Kenny Endo's Ensemble The Powell St Festival (Vancouver), Main Stage 

Woodland Park 700 Woodland Drive

for more information, visit http://www.powellstreetfestival.com/

KATARU@Rubin Museum(Jul.17)

July 17, 2009 KATARU@Rubin Museum Kaoru Watanabe/ Tatsuya Nakatani / Adam Rudolph

KATARU meaning "to speak" in Japanese is a trio made up of Kaoru Watanabe on Japanese and Western flutes and taiko drums, Adam Rudolph on Handrumset and percussion and Tatsuya Nakatani on modified drumset , bowed gongs and percussion - three musicians of disparate musical backgrounds who, by seamlessly integrating abstracted Japanese Noh, Gagaku, festival and folk music components with traditional global percussion, free jazz and noise elements create ever shifting emotional soundscapes.  The spontaneity, delicacy and visceral intensity of the trio seeks to reflect, in a contemporary aesthetic, an ancient prototypical human expression.

Friday July 17, 2009 @ 7:00 PM $18.00 in advance / $20.00 day of Member Price: $16.20

Rubin Museum of Art 150 West 17th Street New York, NY 10011 212.620.5000 http://www.rmanyc.org/pages/load/32

Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center -The Village @ Gureje(Jul.19)

July 19, 2009 Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center -The Village @ Gureje

HAPPYOKAI - Come join us for a celebration of Japanese taiko drumming and flute (fue), music, food, drinks, and special guest performances. Meet the students and friends of the Taiko Center and find out what's mesmerizing about Taiko.

Performances by:  Kaoru Watanabe & students Guest Appearance by: Eric Person (MOON POOL) More Guest appearances and performances to be announced

Time: 4pm Place: The Village@Gureje 886 Pacific St., Bklyn 11238 New York, NY 718 857-2522 / 718 857-2105 Google Map Direction

Suggested Admission: $10 Raffles, Good food, and Drinks plus lots of Fun! More info: http://www.gureje.com/ or 718 857 2522

duo w/ Tomas Fujiwara (Jul.13)

July 13thEV Kaoru Watanabe / Tomas Fujiwara duo also: Saco Yasuma group

Evolving Music Series@The Local 269 269 EAST HOUSTON AT SUFFOLK F TRAIN TO 2ND AVE 7:30 pm $10

Natsuda!! NakaNaka Summer Opener@DROM(Jul.3)

July 3rd, 2009Natsuda!! NakaNaka Summer Opener@DROM

Come celebrate the arrival of summer@DROM: Naka Naka curator/ Japanese drum and flute performer Kaoru Watanabe will be joined by many of his finest artist friends for a cornucopia of music and dance - appearances by many special guests including Tamango, Adam Rudolph, Lale Sayoko, Nahoko Sugiyama, Trina Basu and his parents Haruka and Ayako Watanabe of the acclaimed St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

8 pm start $10 advanced tickets $12 at the door http://dromnyc.com/home/index.php?option=com_gigcal&task=details&gigcal_gigs_id=789&Itemid=37

DROM 85 Avenue A New York, NY 10009 http://dromnyc.com/

Sonic Lifestyle@ROSE(Jun.29)

June 29Sonic Lifestyle@ROSE

A collaborative sextet with Sarah Bernstein and Curtis Stewart on violins, Kaoru Watanabe on flutes, Alex Marcelo on Piano, Stuart Popejoy on bass guitar and Malik Washington on drums, presents original compositions that utilize the group's unique instrumentation as well as the improvisational virtuosity of the players. The sound is grounded in jazz but invokes rock and world rhythm with contemporary harmonic sonority and dissonance.

ROSE 345 Grand Street (btwn Havemeyer/Marcy) in Williamsburg Venue: 718.599.0069 Restaurant: 718 388 8451 (L to Bedford, G to Metropolitan, JM to Marcy, Metropolitan exit off the BQE) http://nymag.com/listings/bar/Rose/

Kaoru Watanabe’s Resonance II: “Echology”(Jun.6,13,14)

In 2007, while still serving as the artistic director for the world-renowned Japanese performing arts group KODO, fue/flute player Kaoru Watanabe called together a group of friends to form Resonance, a one-night multimedia celebration of sight and sound that astounded the audience. Now based in New York, Kaoru has reassembled much of the old cast and called upon some new friends to realize Resonance II: 'Echology' for a three-show tour of Japan. With the unparalleled mastery of tap dancer Tamango, the angelic voice of Matsuda Mio, cutting-edge percussion by Tatsuya Nakatani, contemporary taiko beats by Yuu Ishizuka and a multimedia stage set by D.H. Rosen, 'Echology' promises to be an unrivaled music/dance/art experience. Tokyo - Superdeluxe June 6, 2009 19:00 OPEN  20:00 Start Advance: 3,500 yen At the door: 4,000 yen (+1 drink)

Kyoto - Urban Guild June 13, 2009 19:00 OPEN  20:00 Start Advance: 3,000 yen At the door: 3,500 yen (+1 drink)

Osaka - Full Bloom June 14, 2009 18:00 OPEN  19:00 Start Advance: 3,000 yen At the door: 3,500 yen (+1 drink)

for more info, click the link below; http://web.mac.com/yakimonos/iWeb/Site/Resonance2.html http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/793/agenda.asp

Tokyo Review on the Japan Times Online; http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fq20090612a2.html

Live with the Jacob Varmus group@J'z(May 23)

May 23rdLive with the Jacob Varmus group

9 and 11 pm J'z in Koreatown 23rd W 32nd st. 4th floor of the Wonjo Restaurant bldg

THE SHASHIN-KA SLIDE SHOW(May,22)

MAY 22, 2009 fri7:30 PM THE SHASHIN-KA SLIDE SHOW:  Photography with Live Musical Accompaniment FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kunie Sugiura  |  Mayumi Terada  |  Masayuki Yoshinaga Asako Narahashi  |  Satomi Shirai  |  James Whitlow Delano Q Sakamaki  |  Takahiro Kaneyama  |  Mayumi Lake Pamela Matsuda-Dunn  |  Akiko Nishimura  |  George Hirose MUSIC PERFORMED BY: KAORU WATANABE, DEEP SINGH, TBA After performance: Q&A and Photographers' Reception THE ART GALLERY AT DROM: 85 Avenue A, between 5th & 6th Streets www.dromnyc.com  /  212-777-1157

The Shashin-ka Exhibition  |  May 22nd - June 17th George Hirose: Kyoto Meets the Lower East Side  |  On view until May 19th Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Sunday  6:00 - closing $10 Slide Show and Exhibition curated by GEORGE HIROSE and AKIKO NISHIMURA

ticket & more information, click here

Live at Flushing Library(May,19)

May 19thLive with the Jacob Varmus group

6 pm @Flushing Library Queens Library Gallery, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica

for more information, please visit Queens Library site.

Matt Moran Quintet(May,17)

May 17th, 7:30pmMatt Moran Quintet Tom Chess, Matt Welsh, Kaoru Watanabe @Douglass Street Music Collective Festival DSMC 295 Douglass St btw 3rd and 4th Aves in Brooklyn closest train is Union St. M/R, but Atlantic/Pacific isn't that far.

Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Ensemble@MET(May,16)

May 16, 2009 Sat  *DATE CHANGE*Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Ensemble

2-4 PM @The Metropolitan Museum Asian Heritage Performance  Grace Rainey Auditorium free with admission to the museum

for　more information, click here (to MET event calender) MET newsletter http://ebm.cheetahmail.com/c/tag/hBJ-xgsARJhWhB7tu5tDXxNFF.AIGK1Iss/doc.html

live with Belinda Becker & Sheila Anozier @Drom(May 12)

May 12th  live with Belinda Becker & Sheila Anozier @Drom

8pm to 10:30pm 

Belinda Becker -- afro-caribbean freestyle dance

Sheila Anozier -- afro-haitian freestyle dance, vocals

Kaoru Watanabe -- western flute

Fabio Morgera -- jazz trumpet

Swiss Chris -- drums

Junior "Gabu" Wedderburn -- nyabinghi "akete" & kumina drums, vocals

Drom

85 Ave. A

between 5th & 6th aves  http://www.dromnyc.com/

Go: Organic Orchestra (May 11,18,25)

May 11th, 18th, 25th - 8:30 pmWith Adam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra

@Roulette 20 Greene St. (btwn Canal and Grand) www.roulette.org $15 at the door