Japanese drum group visits Polson Schools
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News from Mission Valley Live
POLSON — Polson Middle and High School students experienced two exciting programs Monday, Oct. 31. Members of Fubuki Daiko Japanese drumming group provided an energetic, educational workshop to 24 percussion students that morning, and then a lively, engaging Taiko drumming program to over 700 students and staff that afternoon. The workshop and program were staged in the Polson High School auditorium.
Music teachers Nicholas Rossi and Richard Sawyer identified 24 percussion students to participate in the two-hour, fast-paced workshop conducted by Taiko instructors Hiroshi and Naomi, core members of Fubuki Daiko. Students learned traditional Japanese Taiko drumming strokes, a few martial arts forms as well as verbal prompts and responses in Japanese. As students finished the workshop and prepared to leave for their next class, several gathered around Mr. Sawyer and were heard saying, “How soon can we get some Taiko drums here at the high school?”
That afternoon students and staff filled the auditorium and experienced an energetic Taiko drumming program performed by all four members of Fubuki Daiko. Audience members enjoyed several Taiko drumming songs, learned a few points about the traditional art, and roared with laughter as a traditional Japanese clown (Hiroshi in disguise) invited several students and teachers to the stage to play the Taiko drums, using hands, arms, feet and voices as they responded to comical cues from the clown.
Mission Valley Live provides evening programs as well as educational outreach to students and community members in Polson and Ronan. Funding for these programs comes in part from generous donations of local sponsors and grants from the Western States Arts Federation and Montana Performing Arts Consortium (MPAC) Presenter Development Program. MPAC is supported through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Montana Arts Council and a legislative grant from Montana’s Cultural Trust. For more information about Mission Valley Live and the 2016- 17 series of evening and outreach programs, please visit our website, www.missionvalleylive. or
