FLYNN CENTER PRESENTS

YAMATO

Drummers of Japan

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Welcome to the 2015-2016 Student Matinee Season!

Today’s scholars and researchers say creativity is the top skill our kids will need when they

enter the work force of the future, so we salute YOU for valuing the educational and

inspirational power of live performance. By using this study guide you are taking an even

greater step toward implementing the arts as a vital and inspiring educational tool.

We hope you find this guide useful. If you have any suggestions for content or format of

this guide, please contact sms@flynncenter.org.

Enjoy the show!

This guide was written & compiled by the Education Department at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts with inspiration from

The American Place Theatre Literature to Life Program. Activities in this guide are sourced from the Literature to Life Resource

Guide. Permission is granted for teachers, parents, and students who are coming to Flynn shows to copy & distribute this guide

for educational purposes only.

The Flynn Center recognizes that field trip resources for schools are extremely limited, thus matinee prices for

schools are significantly lower than prices for public performances. As a non-profit organization, the Flynn is

deeply grateful to the foundations, corporations, and individuals whose generous financial support keeps

matinees affordable for schools.

A special thank you to Nancy McClellan and Elliott Douglas for sponsoring this matinee performance.

Thank you to the Flynn Matinee 2015-2016 underwriters: Andrea’s Legacy Fund, Champlain Investment

Partners, LLC, Bari and Peter Dreissigacker, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Forrest and Frances Lattner

Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Tracy and Richard Tarrant, TD Charitable Foundation, Vermont Concert Artists

Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, Vermont Community Foundation, New England Foundation for

the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Flynn Jazz Endowment.

Additional support from the Bruce J. Anderson Foundation, Green Mountain Fund, Walter Cerf Community

Fund, the Vermont Arts Council, the Susan Quinn Memorial Fund, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The Background of Yamato

About the Production

Did you know...

The Evolution of Taiko

Introduction

Shinto Mythology

Early History

Secular Uses

Theatrical Taiko

Modern Performances

Taiko in America

Your Visit

The Flynn Center

Etiquette for Live Performance

Why is Etiquette Important?

Common Core Standards

The Common Core broadens the definition of a “text,” viewing performance as a form of text, so your students are experiencing and interacting with a text when they attend a Flynn show.

Seeing live performance provides rich opportunities to write reflections, narratives, arguments, and more. By writing responses and/or using the Flynn Study Guides, all performances

can be linked to Common Core:

CC ELA: W 1-10

You can use this performance and study guide to address the following Common Core Standards (additional

standards listed by specific activities):

CC ELA: RL 1-10, , SL 1-4, L 3-5, RH1-10, WHST 7-9 C3 Hist: D2.His.2&4

Activities to Deepen Understanding

Sounds of the Natural World

Movement Memories

Making a Hatchimaki

Bare Bones Response

Instruments of Taiko

Drums, Atarigane, Chappa, Koto, Shakuhachi, Shinobue

Clothing of Taiko

Hatchimaki, Happi, Dunuri, Momohiki, Tabi, Teki, Bachii

Further Exploration

Japanese Folktales

Typical Taiko Daily Schedule

Exuberantly loud,

boisterously active

and frenetically

energetic, Yamato is

an exciting group of

eleven young

performers from

Japan. Much more

than simply a

“drumming group,"

Yamato blends

theater and musical

arts into a

performance of

tightly synchronized

percussion and

expressive solos. Yamato has drawn broad critical

acclaim on previous tours, with performances that

"have the power to put an audience on its feet,

laughing, clapping and taking part" (London Times)

During the past twelve years, the troupe has performed

more than one thousand concerts around the world,

including Europe, Brazil, China, Korea, Indonesia,

Austria, England, Belgium, and Germany.

Yamato was founded by Masaki Ogawa in 1993 in Nara,

the ancient capital of Japan and "the land of the

Yamato.” The name "Yamato" has special significance

for this group: in the eighth century, Japan was then

known as Yamato and Nara was the city where

Japanese culture is believed to have started. Yamato

combines traditional

Japanese musical formats with modern rhythms and

themes. The inclusion of women in the group is a clear

break with Japanese tradition.

Wadaiko (Japanese Drum) is an old instrument, believed

to have existed in many parts of the world. The sound

of this instrument touches the hearts of peoples of all

ages. Yamato has been able to touch people with these

very simple drums by putting their hearts into them.

The sound of the heartbeat goes all the way to the

audience. The rhythms which they use are sometimes

intense, sometimes funny, or warm.

Their wish is to express different moods, times, and

places, as they face the world with courage and beat

taiko. With this feeling in their souls, they train their

bodies everyday towards Taikodo, sometimes in a

dynamic, sometimes in a soft manner. The moment the

heartbeat coincides with the rhythm of the soul it is

Yamato. The moment every member of the audience

feels refreshed by something new within them, the

power of life is being communicated.

DID YOU KNOW…

-there are about 200 volcanoes in Japan?

-there is usually no insulation in the walls of Japanese houses?

-the Japanese have the highest life expectancy in the world at about 81-82 years?

-over 90% of the Japanese population buy a comic magazine daily?

-anime account for about 80% of Japan's book economy?

-the most populated city in the world is Tokyo, with 30,000,000 residents?

-the two Japanese car brands, Toyota and Honda, were both named after rice?

-the two most common last names in Japan are Sato and Suzuki?

-tsunami is a Japanese word that means "harbor wave"?

-Japan is made up of more than 6000 islands?

-Japan is the world leader in climate research?

-frogs are the symbols of good luck in Japan?

-in Tokyo, a bicycle is faster than a car for most trips that take up to 50 minutes?

-green Tea is the national drink of Japan?

-it is quite common in Japan to eat rice, soup, or steamed vegetables in the morning?

-in Japan, it is common to have special slippers to wear to the toilet?

-in Japan, the teachers move from class to class and the students stay in one room?

-the predominant religions are Shinto, Buddhism, and Christianity?

-Japan fits 127 million people into a space about the size of California?

-Japan has few mineral resources and must import fuel and nearly all the raw materials it

needs for industry?

-less than 1/5 of the land is suitable for cultivation?

-Japanese farmers grow about 3/4 of the country's food?

INTRODUCTION

Taiko, which is Japanese for "big drum", is a relatively modern revival of

ancient Japanese drumming traditions. The word "taiko" refers not only to the

art of Japanese drumming but also to the drums themselves. Taiko

incorporates drums up to eight foot in diameter, struck with wooden sticks

using full-body enthusiasm and almost ritualistic choreography influenced by

Shinto and Buddhist ritual, the martial arts, and the delicate, stylized

movement of Japanese theater.

SHINTO MYTHOLOGY

The origins of taiko are linked to the earliest history of Japan - mythology of Shinto, the indigenous or folk

religion of Japan. Much like the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Japanese had a pantheon of gods and

goddesses. The Japanese deities, or Kam~ were descended from the primal pair of Izanagi and his wife

Izanami. According to Shinto legends, the people of Japan are descended from their daughter, Amerterasu -

the Sun Goddess.

... One day Amaterasu discovered that her brother the storm god Susanowo, had been exceedingly

unruly. He had broken down the boundaries of her rice paddies and killed the piebald colt of heaven -

her favorite. The sun goddess, mortally offended, shut herself in a cave with a boulder. As the stone

went into place, the world was plunged into darkness. The eight hundred residents of heaven

despaired. To give them hope Uzume, the goddess of mirth and dance, gathered everyone around the

mouth of the cave. She overturned a wooden tub and began to dance a ludicrous dance on it and all

the observers laughed uproariously. Amaterasu became curious. She opened the stone door a crack to

peek outside, whereupon the people rolled away the boulder, and

sunshine lit the world once more....

EARLY HISTORY

The specific types of drums used by taiko were present in ancient India and are

thought to have migrated with Buddhism across China to Japan. Archeological

findings in Japan indicate that taiko style drums were present in 500 AD. The drums

used in Buddhist temples were originally intended to represent the voice of Buddha,

and to help worshipers become more in touch with a sense of inner awe. They were

played infrequently and only at certain times of the year in specific rituals. Around

1175 AD, Honen Shonin introduced a new form or sect of Buddhism (Jodo) which

provoked salvation by the constant recitation of the Amida Buddha's name, called

nembutsu. Over time nembutsu evolved to include dancing, drumming and ringing

of chimes.

SECULAR USES

In addition to festivals, drums became integrated into everyday village life in many

other ways. In olden times, priests used taiko to dispel evil spirits and insects from the

rice fields. Samurai used taiko to instill fear in their enemies and courage in themselves.

Village property limits were often determined by how far away one could hear the

beating of the town's taiko. Many argue that this was the inspiration for building larger

and larger drums eventually resulting in the monstrous O-Daiko, or great drum.

The dancing on the tub became the beating of the taiko, which for centuries has been used to appease the gods and provide joy and relief for the people.

THEATRICAL TAIKO

Japanese performing arts have also had a tremendous influence on taiko. In

ancient Japan, wandering priests with lion (shishi) masks would dance to the

music of the

taiko for the purpose of exorcism and for the prevention of sickness. Gagaku,

classic court music imported from China during the eighth century, featured the

Dadaiko, large elaborate drums of striking visual effect. With brightly painted,

flame-like carvings surrounding the drum itself, the dadaiko often stood twenty

feet tall and served as decorative wings for the open stage.

In classical Japanese Nohtheater, musicians still use the shime-daiko, ataiko

instrument, and several rope-tensioned drums thought to have been imported

from Korea. The replication of natural sounds which is prevalent in Noh music has

also had a strong influence ontaiko composition.

MODERN PERFORMANCE TAIKO- "KUMIDAIKO"

Creating a performance exclusively from taiko pieces is a recent development. Because Japan is comprised of

mountainous islands and travel is difficult, it was unusual for a village to know more than one style or piece,

and thus many different styles of taiko developed. Following the second world war, Japan's national self-

esteem was badly damaged by the US occupation. American influences were permeating the culture at a

tremendous pace and many Japanese were searching for sources of national identity.

Taiko, with its visceral excitement and roots in the rituals and traditional national festivals of Japan, became

very popular, resulting in "kumdaiko" or performance taiko. With travel and communication improved,

professional musicians began to collect sufficient material to develop professional performances.

TAIKO IN AMERICA

Kumidaiko did not reach America until the late 1960's when Grandmaster Seichii Tanaka founded San Francisco Taiko

Dojo. Tanaka Sensei brought with him the intense discipline of kendo (Japanese sword form), chigong, and other

martial arts. His teaching style has had tremendous influence on American Taiko and his dojo has been the training

ground for most of the top American taiko performers. At the first North American Taiko Conference held in Los

Angeles in 1997, over 500 players from 60 of the 100 North American groups attended; including Burlington Taiko

Group, founded in 1987, which is the only representative of taiko in Vermont. It is interesting to note that while in

Japan the art form was traditional male, in America over 60% of taiko players are women. The majority of taiko groups

are associated with Buddhist churches, but many have formed as community organizations, with a small few retaining

the Japanese-style Sensei model.

Burlington Taiko Performing

DRUMS

There are many types of taiko drums in Japan but they can be broadly divided into two

categories: taiko with a nailed head (Nagado-daiko, pictured right) and taiko with the

skins stretched over a hoop and tensioned with ropes (Shime-daiko, pictured right). The

term Shime-daiko (pronounced "she may") from the Japanese verb "shimeru" which

means to bind or tighten up, is often used to refer to a particular small drum. The

various Shime-daiko and Nagado-daiko are by far the most popular drums for

performing taiko groups. People are sometimes confused by the occasional usage of the

word daiko for taiko. Ko means drum or drumbeat. In olden days taiko was written with

the kanji (Chinese characters) symbols of both dai (big) and tai (fat, thick, or broad). So

both daiko and taiko imply a big, thick drum. Today the latter is more common unless

used in a compound word such as O-daiko. In Japan the bodies of the taiko are usually

carved from a single log, which means that the making of a large taiko takes a large

tree. The scarcity of old growth forests makes it difficult to obtain large enough logs. To

compensate, some taiko makers now use used oak wine or whiskey barrels for the

drum body. The drum heads of the taiko are made of leather, typically the rawhide of a

cow. For some extremely large taiko, the skins of water buffalo may be used.

ATARIGANE – A hand gong often used to keep time. It is played held in the hand

or suspended by a cord. It is struck with a deer horn mallet called the shumoku.

CHAPPA - Also called tebyoshi. Small hand cymbals.

KOTO - Japanese zither, usually with 13 strings, although bass and custom versions with

more strings are also found.

SHAKUHACHI - Bamboo end-blown flute, with four holes in front and one in the back. Takes

its name from the standard instrument size of one shaku, eight (haci) sun, although a wide

variety of sizes are available. Known for its delicate tonal shadings and evocative, breathy

sounds.

SHINOBUE - Also known as fue, hayashi-bue, takebue or yokobue. Bamboo transverse flute.

Taiko is at its roots a folk music. It grew from the need for music at festivals and celebrations in ancient Japanese village life. All of the people in the village were included; farmers, carpenters, fishermen, everyone. When they played, they often wore the clothes they worked in. Over time these work clothes developed into the clothing worn today. The Hatchimaki (headband) was originally used by farmers and fishermen as a towel to wipe away sweat.

Today it is worn by anyone that intends to work hard. The Japanese also believe that putting pressure on the forehead helps concentration. Japanese children wear the Hatchimaki with the rising sun symbol to help them study.

Happi - The coat worn by taiko players is called the Happi coat. It is believed that this style developed from a

coat designed by the fire brigades of Tokyo in the Edo period. It is meant to be simple, colorful and provide for freedom of movement, perfect for taiko. Happi comes from the Chinese word for chair covering that it in some way resembles.

The Donburi or vest was originally a carpenter's tool belt. It has many pockets for tools, nails, and rulers. After

a Taiko piece is played, the drummer will often use the pockets of his Donburi to hold the bachii or drumsticks while moving equipment.

Pants- The pants are referred to as Momohiki. The shoes of a Taiko drummer are called Tabi like mittens for the feet, they are shaped to keep the big toe

separate from the others. Most Japanese find this more comfortable, probably because they are used to wearing thongs which also have something between the big toe and the other toes. The socks underneath are shaped the same way in order to fit comfortably. Many carpenters also wear Tabi. The gap between the toes allows the carpenters to use their feet to climb bamboo scaffolding much more quickly.

Teki or wristbands are worn to keep the wrists warm and limber during cold Japanese winters. They also

prevent sweat from running onto the hands and making the bachii slippery. The sticks used to play the taiko are called Bachii. Drummers use different stick sizes, shapes and weights

depending on the drum being played. In Japan, Japanese oak is most often used because it has a long straight grain. This helps prevent small pieces chipping off when the drum is played very hard. ln America, drummers use oak or ironwood.

We have found that it's most effective to

experience some of these exercises prior to

attending the performance. Once students have

had a chance to make some of these creative

choices themselves, they become more attentive

audience members as they are able to appreciate

the performance with acritical eye, watching for

specific choices being made and often comparing

them to their own. Doing the exercises after the

show can help the students analyze the

performance choices further. It is often after the

show that the real learning begins. You and your

class have had a shared experience - and it's in

reflecting on the experience together that you will

learn the different kinds of responses the show

elicited. Sharing these responses gives students

opportunities to learn about things that they didn't

see or hear. It helps them broaden their

perceptions and hone their evaluative skills,

cementing what they themselves think.

Sounds from the Natural World

One defining characteristic of Japanese music is its

affinity for and inclusion of sounds from the

natural world. The taiko has been used to

represent thunder, earthquakes and tidal waves.

Ask students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes,

preferably outside. Write down the different

sounds they hear. Was there a barking sound?

Chairs scraping? An air sound? A metallic sound? A

quick sound? Slow sound? Have the group see if

they can replicate (sing, clap, tap) the melody in

everyone's sound in some sort of pattern, preferably in the

same sequence and timing that they heard it. (Allow space to

be a part of the piece)

You can also demonstrate natural percussion rhythms. Take a

ball (basketballs work great). Drop it from head height. Listen

to the accelerating rhythm of the sounds. This accelerating

rhythm is used frequently in Japanese music.

Movement Memories

Invite each student to choose one particular movement from

the show that stands out in their memory. Remind them of

the different types of moves they saw and ask for volunteers

to demonstrate the movements as best they remember

them. As each volunteer performs a movement, invite

everyone to create their own interpretation of that same

movement and perform these pieces simultaneously. (Hint:

use the lights in your room to cue the start and end of the

“performances.”) Ask the students what made these

movements memorable.

Making a Hatchimaki

Purchase several yards of white cotton material. Cut the

material into 2-3" strips, one for each student. For 36"

material, trim the length to 20-26" depending on the age of

the students. Have the students draw a small picture from

Japanese culture in a 2" square in the exact center of the

strip. Mt. Fuji, or the Rising Sun are always easy. The intent is

to place a symbol of importance in an area that will be in

constant focus or attention. In Japan, school mascot or

emblem is often used and so would also be agood choice.

When finished, have them tie the Hatchimaki as follows:

1. Place the fabric flat, with the picture face down.

2. Fold the fabric in thirds lengthwise so that it forms along

strip with the picture still showing.

3. Twist the two ends of the Hatchimaki in opposite

directions, so that it becomes ropelike.

4. Grasp the hatchimaki at either end and place the center

against your forehead with the picture (or as much as is still

visible) facing out.

5. Cross your hands behind your head, right over left.

6. Allow your right hand to drop, and your left to rise, then

uncross your hands. This will cause a twist to form in the

hatchimaki.

7. Still holding onto the ends, take the twist and rotate it

forward (towards your head- or clockwise as seen from the

right) and down.

Presto- the ends should be now be trapped by the

hatchimaki and will stay in place.

Have the students wear these hatchimaki for some period of

time. Then ask them what they notice. Do they notice any

difference? Do the hatchimacki help concentration, focus?

Are they distracting?

Bare Bones Response

Invite students to make a list of the feelings evoked in them

during the show or images inspired by the performance.

From their lists, ask them to select one feeling or image and

write a cinquain (5 line) poem, either as a group or

individually, reflecting on how the performance expressed

the culture. Here is the format:

NOUN

2 ADJECTIVES

3 GERUNDS (-ing words)

SIMILE

NOUN (synonym for the word in line one)

To get a deeper sense of the culture,

read a few traditional folk tales by a

selection of translators.

The following provides a good place to start. The

ones marked with * are picture books.

*Hodges, Margaret, The Boy Who Drew Cats.

Holiday House, 2003. A young boys' obsession

with drawing cats changes his life.

*Kimmel, Eric, Three Samurai Cats: a story of

Japan. Holiday House, 2003. A feudal lord seeks a samurai cat to rid his castle of a savage cat, but soon

discovers that violence is not always the best way to accomplish things.

Martin, Rafe. Mysterious Tales of Japan. G.P. Putnam, 1996. Traditional Japanese tales expanded, developed

& reinterpreted by noted storyteller.

*Morimoto, Junko. The Inch Boy. Viking Kestrel, 1986. An inch-high boy proves himself a warrior by

vanquishing the giant red demon with his cunning and bravery.

*Mosel, Arlene. The Funny Little Woman. Dutton, 1972. While chasing a dumpling, a little lady is captured by

wicked creatures from whom she escapes with the means of becoming the richest woman in Japan.

*Myers, Tim, Tanuki’s Gift: A Japanese Tale. Marshall Cavendish, 2003. One winter, a priest takes in a furry

tanuki and the two become friends, but when the tanuki tries to repay the priest, they both learn a lesson.

Sakade, Florence, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories. Tuttle, 2003. A delightful collection of Japanese

folklore, first released in 1953.

*Schroeder, Alan. Lily and the Wooden Bowl. Doubleday, 1994. A young girl who wears a wooden bowl over

her face to hide her beauty overcomes a variety of trials and eventually finds love, riches and happiness.

Snyder, Diane. The Boy of the Three Year Nap. Houghton Mifflin. 1988. A poor Japanese woman maneuvers

events to change the lazy habits of her son.

Watkins, Yoko Kawashima. Tales from the Bamboo Grove. Bradbury Press, 1992. A collection of Japanese

folktales recalled from the author's childhood.

Typical Daily Schedule for Taiko Drummers

8am Come to the Leader's House

Run 10 Kilometers in the Mountains

9am Eat Breakfast Together

10 am Weight Training

Suburi - 1000 - 2000 Repetitions

12 pm Lunch Together

1 pm Go to Dojo and set up Taiko for Practice

3pm - Practice

9pm Return to the Leader's House

Dinner

Meeting

12 am Go Home

The Flynn Center

The Flynn has been at the center of Vermont's cultural

landscape for over 80 years—from its earliest days as a

vaudeville house through five decades as a movie theater to its

present life as the region's leading performance center and

arts education organization. Today, the Flynn Center for the

Performing Arts is recognized internationally for its significant

artistic, educational, and community outreach activities;

superb technical capacity; beautiful historic setting; and world-

class presentations. At the Flynn, we celebrate a rich legacy of

connecting our community with the arts. The Flynn is

recognized for its stellar artistic programming in theater, dance, and music; and for educational programs

that reach far into the community to advance teaching and learning. For more about the Flynn, click here.

DISCUSS BEING A

MINDFUL AUDIENCE

MEMBER:

How is going to see a live

theatre performance

different from seeing a

movie, going to a

concert, or watching TV?

In small groups, come up

with a list of positive

audience behaviors, and

behaviors that would be

disruptive to performers

and other audience

members. Come

together and create a

master list.

Etiquette for Live Performances

The Essentials

Listen, experience, imagine, discover, learn!

Give your energy and attention to the performers.

At the end of the show, clap for the performers’ time and energy.

Eating, drinking, and chewing gum are not okay.

Talk only before and after the performance.

Turn off wireless devices. No photos, videos, texting, or listening to music.

Why is Etiquette Important?

A good live performance is a powerful communication

between audience and performer. The more the audience

gives to the performer, the more the performer can give

back to the audience. The performer hears the audience

laughing, senses its sympathy, and delights in the

enthusiasm of its applause. Furthermore, each audience

member affects those sitting near him or her, in addition to

the performers onstage. Technological devices (cameras,

phones, etc.) have become so prevalent in our daily lives,

but using these devices is distracting to the performers

onstage and other audience members trying to watch the

show. Even the light from checking the time, or the buzz of a phone on vibrate can pull

the people around you out of the experience. Cell phone frequencies can even interfere

with the microphones in the production, and taking photos can be unsafe for performers.

Additionally, an artist has the right to decide what photos and videos go out into the

world. Phones keep you from being present and fully engaged with the show. Thank you

for turning devices completely off!

We can’t wait to see you at the theater!

Teachers, a few reminders:

Fill out the Seating and Travel Survey, so we can best accommodate your group’s needs in regards to dismissal,

bussing, students with different needs, etc.

Share your experience with us! Use the feedback links, or share your students’ artwork, writing, responses. We

love to hear how experiences at the Flynn impact our audiences.

Explore other student matinees at the Flynn this season. We’ve still got seats in some shows and we’d love to help

you or other teachers at your school enliven learning with an engaging arts experience!

We have some new initiatives to deepen student connection and experience!

Pre or Post-Show Video Chats:

Help students build enthusiasm or process their experience with a free, 5-10 minute

video chat before or after the show! We can set up Skype/Facetime/Google

Hangouts with your class to answer questions about the content, art form, and

experience. Contact Kat, kredniss@flynncenter.org to set up your chat!

Autism and Sensory-Friendly Accommodations:

The Flynn Center has been working diligently to break down barriers for audience

members with disabilities, with a particular focus on those with sensory-sensitivities.

Social stories, break spaces, sensory friendly materials, and more are available for all

student matinees. Feel free to let us know ahead of time if any of these would be

useful, or ask an usher at the show!

Make your field trip the most meaningful learning experience it can be with a preparatory

Companion Workshop in your classroom!

An engaging Flynn Teaching Artist can come to your school to deepen students’ understanding of both content and form with

an interactive workshop, enriching kids’ matinee experiences. Funding support is often available. To learn more, check out this

link. To book a workshop, click here. Questions? Contact Lauren: schoolprograms@flynncenter.org or (802)652-4508

Hello from

the Flynn!