The schools program is going strong - we had a busy first week, and the schools all were thrilled with our program Three more weeks to go. There is still room for you, even if you are a beginner, or even if you can only come for a few days. Let Simon know if you can help. This will give you a good grounding in helping to run a performance, as well as teaching you more about Taiko.

We had a fabulous day at the Christmas Pageant. We had our Odaiko, 4 Nagados on a trailer, 2 shimedaikos, and a whole stack of rope drums carried by our marchers. We won runner up prize for Best Band. Thanks team! You were fabulous.

In spite of the problem with our new venue (see page 2, Mercury, Thursday 2 Oct 2003), we are continuing on, but we are looking to move to another venue as soon as something can be arranged. If you can help us with ideas for a suitable venue, please let one of the committee know!

Our ideal venue would be:

Close to the city, for students without cars to be able to get to easily
Preferably no stairs
Easy to back a car up close to the door
Soundproof, or in a non-residential area
Lockable and secure (for drum storage when not in use)
Free or quite cheap to hire.

Message forwarded from Simon:

Weekend report

Thanks so much to all those who helped with Drum Making Sunday. We
- stretched a second skin onto a drum - first stage
- repaired the off-round shape, and splits and cracks in the short drum
- Prepared Aluminium rings and stretched Roo skins over them.
as well as
Make sticks, Improve stands, cut wedges, and generally prepared for the
construction of a lot more roped okedo-daiko which we will use in the
Christmas pageant.

With out the superb assistance and intuition of our enthusiastic helpers we
couldnt have achieved so much.

However, there were a couple of things we weren't able to do, so we have
dropped behind schedule with our double skin drum, and need to make a last
ditch effort to get it done by Saturday. If you would like to help one
weeknight this week, please talk to Keryn.

On Saturday Jen, James and Simon went to Sunny Bicheno to deliver Taiko
workshops to the Japanese language Teachers from around the state. There
were a few familiar faces there, and some who had never seen a taiko drum
before.
We conducted very brief intros to taiko and all seemed to have a great time
beating away outside in the sunshine.
We also took the opportunity to take a few photos in the scenic
surroundings, which might make it on to the website some time soon.
A great big Thankyou to James and Jen for rising so early on a Saturday to
help Simon make the day a great success.

We have a new practice venue - the Hobart Football Club rooms at the TCA ground on the Domain. There will be a new pricing structure: Students - $3.00 for 1 class or $20 for 8 classes payable in advance (2 per week for 4 weeks.
Workers - $5.00 for 1 class or $35 for 8 classes payable in advance (2 per week for 4 weeks.

We are working towards having a venue for our own exclusive use, which will enable more flexible classes in the future. We need the continuing support of as many members as possible so that we are able to fund this idea.

So please come and support Taiko in Tasmania!

FANTASTIC NEWS!! Today, Sunday the 21st September, our group (through the languages department of the University of Tasmania) has been given four brand new Shimedaikos to use, straight from Japan, and custom made by experts especially for our group. Professor Miyamoto from Mie University was instrumental in raising the money for the Shimedaiko. This morning, the new taiko were given to the group in a special ceremony at Stanley Burbury Theatre. The contingent of fifteen Japanese people who travelled to Australia for the ceremony were treated to some wonderful Japanese dancing as well as a performance by the Taiko group.

Come to practice soon and check out these beautiful new drums.

General Meeting ot the Society is scheduled for Monday June 30th, at 8 pm. We have a huge agenda. If you don't have a copy, ask me (Maria) for one. My phone numbef is 62349404.

Thanks to Reiko and Wayne, we now have some folding stands for the rope drums. More to come!

Okay, the next drum making day will be Sunday, the 18th. Email me on info@mariagrist.net or call 62349404 if you want to come. We are making an all-out effort to get some new drums up and working by June.

The latest drum making day on Saturday 10th May went OK, with 4 people there. We did a lot of sanding on the two new shells, and started glueing the reinforcing on the inside. Another step closer. Still plenty to do though, if you would like to join in and get some hands-on experience in this craft of drum-making. Email me on info@mariagrist.net or call 62349404 if you want to come to a workshop one day.

The must-see event of this or any other month takes place on Friday night this week - James is performing in "La Cage Aux Folles" at the Playhouse this Friday night. Group bookings are $22 per person if you have ten or more people (but he thinks he could get it for 8). that's down from $30 for adluts and $25 for concession.
Keryn and I + our 2 husbands are up for it, so that's 4 so far. please respond to me asap if you are interested, i will make a booking on Thursday after hopefully getting some more names at Wed. night practice.
A REMINDER:
DRUM MAKING WORKING-BEE SAT 10th May 10:00 AM - 4:00pm
at the Tasmanian Cask Company - John Murphy's telephone numbers are 0419 134 822 and 6239 6225
1401 Huon Highway Lower Longley - on the left, on the way to Huonville from Kingston
You will need clothes you don't mind getting dusty, dirty or smelly. we will be sanding a couple of drum shells and working on stands. Please email Keryn if you want to go that day.

Next Tuesday night May 5, Yosuke is going to try Taketina with Keryn and me, so the 'Zoku' practice won't be on. If you would like to try Taketina too, it's very good value and useful for Taiko, plus being good fun. Starts at 6 at the room at the top of the stairs in the little courtyard off Kelly's Lane and winds up around 7.30. or contact Keryn or myself for more details. it will cost about $7 if you are a student/unemployed, but she will also accept a gold coin donation if you are REALLY skint.
see you at one practice or another,
Rasa

Hi all, for a little while Yosuke is going to be teaching us "Zoku" on a Tuesday night, same time same place (6.30 - 8 or so, at the practice venue) and he is also helping us improve our form. All welcome and it's very good fun. Of course, it clashes with 'Taketina' so Keryn and I will be alternating between that and Zoku. Taketina is also very good value, it's a process of doing polyrhythms, very good fun and hard work. contact me if you would like to know more about it,
Rasa

Hi there,

We're going to try something a little different at practice, starting next week on Wednesday night. At the moment we have such a mix of absolute beginners, people who have been coming between 2 weeks and 2 months, and people who have been coming for 6 - 9 months, and people who used to come 9 months ago but haven't been for a few months, and so on!! that trying to structure a practice that suits everyone has become just about impossible.

So from 6.30 - 7.30 on Wednesday evenings, is going to be specifically for newer members, learning basics of rhythm and style, and learning 'songs'to be ready to perform. If you have been playing for a long time, you are welcome to come to this part too, to learn songs you haven't perfected yet, or parts of songs that you haven't yet done. If you choose not to come to this first hour, we will expect that your style is good and you know all the songs pretty well !

At 7.30, we will "go for it" - do serious practice for performing, covering not just knowing the songs but "stagecraft" and anything else we need to practice to look and sound sharp. The newer members are welcome to stay for this and just do what they feel comfortable doing, or if they prefer/need to go, that's OK too.

It is more important than ever, at the moment, to give new people the same loving care we received at the beginning, and to refine both style and knowledge of the songs, for longer-term members. So let's give it a go and see how we prosper - we will be looking for your feedback.

Rasa & Keryn

A REMINDER:

DRUM MAKING WORKING-BEE
SAT 12th APRIL 11:00 AM - 4:00pm
at the Tasmanian Cask Company
1401 Houn Rd Lower Longley -
on the left, on the way to Huonville from Kingston

You will need clothes you don't mind getting dusty, dirty or smelly.
we will be glueing a couple of drum shells together and working with wet skin for putting a second end on one of our drums. Please email Keryn if you want to go that day.

The following dates will probably be the 3rd of May, the 10th or 11th of May.

ALSO:

Simon will be holding workshops on Saturday April 26 & Sunday April 27. Saturday morning will be for beginners, with the option of staying for the afternoon session for the more advanced workshop. Sunday will be for the more advanced members of the UTTS, but others are free to continue on if they wish. Workshops will be $10.00 for each day, or $5.00 for a half day. Probably at the university Studio Theatre, TBC.

Please express your interest in the workshop to me at class. We hope to see a lot of old and new members!!

Some people have a very busy weekend. Thanks for your time.

Rasa & Keryn

Attendance at practice on both Monday and Wednesday this week was fantastic - and good fun. thanks to all who turned up. thanks also to Dane and Yosuke (Nabe) who started teaching us some great new beats. For all performing on Sunday - please try to make it to the practice on Saturday night at the practice venue, 5.30pm - 7.15 or thereabouts.
Rasa

D R U M M A K I N G W O R K I N G - B E E
SAT 12th APRIL 11:00 AM - 4:00pm
1401 Huon Rd Lower Longley -
on the way to Huonville from Kingston

You will need clothes you don't mind getting dusty, dirty or smelly.
we will be glueing a couple of drum shells together and working with wet skin for putting a second end on one of our drums.
Please email Simon if you want to go that day.

The following will probably be the 26th of April, the 3rd of May, the 10th or 11th of May

Updates from Keryn, posted below by Maria.

NEXT PERFORMANCES: ALL 3 IN ONE DAY!!!!!!!

Performance Sunday 13th April 9.00 Australian Karate Federation. Casino - the Plenary Hall
Performance Sunday 13th April. Derwent Valley Fest. 2 x performances 11.30-12.00 & 1.00-1.30
Performance Sunday 13th April Japan Club BBQ Tolosa Street Park about 2.30

For those of you who feel up to it here is the schedule for the day if you want to do all 3. Otherwise meet at the appropriate place:

8.00am: Meet at Casino. Be in touch to know exactly where to meet.
9.00 - 9.30am: Performance in Plenary Hall
10.00am: latest time to be packed up and leave casino. 3/4 hour drive to New Norfolk.
10.45: arrive New Norfolk. last right hand turn before the bridge. Van will be allowed into the performance area. Others will have to park in the carpark.
1.45: Quick exit. Fast pack-up. Should be about 30 mins from N.N. to Tolosa Street.
2.30: Can we be set up by this time? The day's biggest challenge. We will try.

PLEASE INDICATE TO ME AT PRACTICE WHICH PERFORMANCES YOU WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR. WE NEED TO KNOW BY WEDNESDAY. OTHERWISE RING ME: work - 6235 3504
home - 6248 5192
mobile - 0439 485 192

Keep coming to practice so that you can learn the rhythms and songs to join in performances!!


Simon will be holding workshops on Saturday April 26 & Sunday April 27. Saturday morning will be for beginners, with the option of staying for the afternoon session for the more advanced workshop. Sunday will be for the more advanced members of the UTTS, but others are free to continue on if they wish. Workshops will be $10.00 for each day, or $5.00 for a half day.

Keryn

Taiko 'Drum' web log is now open for news to be posted.