Taiko show drums up local interest: Japanese percussion performance hits San Bruno this weekend

Ryuma Tanaka, the dojo’s general manager, said he believed the performance would be a fun and engaging cultural experience for local families.

“Taiko, unless you see it live, you can’t really appreciate the power,” he said. “You can see the intensity of the drummers when they are really getting into it and it is really different.”

Shows feature percussionists dancing, chanting and rhythmically pounding a variety of drums in synchronization while the pieces performed by the local group during the event will be directed by a globally recognized Taiko expert.

Selichi Tanaka, founder of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, has been credited for popularizing Taiko in the United States and his direction was featured in the film “Rising Sun,” featuring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes.

The keystone Taiko performance in the movie, based on the popular book by Michael Crichton, is a piece titled “Tsunami,” which will be the grand finale to the show this weekend.

Performers from the dojo work year-round in anticipation of the upcoming event, which Ryuma Tanaka said he expects will attract as many as 900 audience members.

“This is the main event,” he said. “You see all the hard work they have put into it and all the different music the grandmaster has composed. I hope everyone will enjoy seeing the new pieces they are going to play.”

Selichi Tanaka’s notoriety and long tenure of teaching across the Bay Area will attract another component to the show, as many of his former students who turned into accomplished Taiko performers will participate as well.

He founded the dojo in 1968, serving more than 15,000 students and leading to the foundation of more than 250 other dojos across the nation by those who have studied locally. Selichi Tanaka has also collaborated with famous musicians such as Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Art Blakey and Tito Puente.

Some of the notable guests at the show this weekend will include Yasuhide Tanaka from Wakodaiko, a notable performing group based in Japan. Groups from Sacramento and San Francisco will participate in the event as well.

There will be plenty to appreciate for Taiko connoisseurs, said Ryuma Tanaka, as well as youth performances for those who like seeing burgeoning talent hone their skills.

He said the pieces performed will feature a wide variety of tones and approaches as well, from the tightly structured to those allowing performers to apply their creativity in the moment.

“Taiko is a lot of improvisation,” he said. “It depends on the movement within a certain beat. Some parts have like a jazzy feel and you can see them jamming and improvising. Some is a set rhythm and pace. But there are places where people can use their imagination and own creativity to put on a show.”

In all, Ryuma Tanaka said he is hopeful local residents attend the show for a series of invigorating, culturally immersive and pulse-thumping performances.

“I think hopefully our Taiko fans will be thrilled,” he said.

Tickets for the International Taiko Festival cost $35 for general admission and $30 for seniors or children. The show begins 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at Capuchino High School’s Samuel Johnson Jr. Performing Arts Center, 1501 Magnolia Ave., San Bruno. Visit sftaiko.com/performances for more information, or call 583-4900.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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