Taikoforum.com June 14th!

Below is the email I just sent out. Note that we're starting out with groups in North America and plan to expand naturally according to the needs of the users--so anyone's welcome to join the community. Welcome!

Dear Taiko Family,

Please share this email with members of your taiko group.

Join us for the launch of Taikoforum.com on the morning of June 14th with moderator Kris Bergstrom!

You'll find 3 sections within the site: Forum, Wiki, and Group Map. The Forum is for discussion and also where you'll find the Featured Topic guided by the current moderator. The Wiki has informational pages on taiko. And, the Group Map shows where taiko groups are in North America.

As you explore please keep this in mind: Taikoforum.com is created to allow for maximum user participation! This means that we've gotten things started, but it's up to you to help make Taikoforum.com accurate and complete. So, once you register, we encourage you to:

1. Check out the Forum! Add your own comment or question; help keep the space active.

2. Check the Map to see if your group is represented and that all information is current. If not, follow the instructions at the bottom of the map for corrections.

3. Search the Wiki pages to see if one exists for your taiko group. If not, consider making one! Let your group members know so they can help create it.

4. Find the video page within the Wiki and edit it to include a link to a video of your group, if one does not already exist.

Please create a new Wiki page on any topic of your choice that you feel is important to the community, however we encourage you to first search the current pages to see if it already exists and also consider whether or not your topic could simply be added to another page.

Featured Topic, June 14th

Moderator: Kris Bergstrom

Kris began his taiko career as a member, composer, and leader of the university group, Stanford Taiko. He then spent 3 years in Japan where he studied and performed traditional dance within the Wakayagi school, kumidaiko with Nihon Taiko Dojo, and nagauta shamisen with Kineya Katsuyukie, one of the world’s most respected shamisen players. An artist of many talents, Kris maintains an active teaching schedule of taiko technique, turntable scratching, and shamisen, and currently serves as mentor to a small group of dedicated apprentices. In 2008 Kris received his natori (professional stage name) for nagauta shamisen from the Kineya School where he is known as Kineya Katsukoujyu. He is one of only a handful of musicians in the United States who have achieved this status.

Kris' Topic

Masturi Aces is a project to create a deck of 52 playing cards each with its own bon taiko (matsuri) move/rhythm. I will eventually be looking for move submissions from the community, but there are still lots of questions and tasks before that. Once complete, a series of games would involve players choosing cards and using their movements. The goal in the project is to move toward better form and innovation in bon taiko. I have a number of general questions for the taiko world about the project, and maybe a few specific ones too...

Please join Kris for discussion beginning June 14 and help us launch Taikoforum.com!

Thank you!

The Taikoforum Team

Carrie Carter (carrie@taikoforum.com)
Ben Pachter (ben@taikoforum.com)
Matt Tom-Wolverton (matt@taikoforum.com)
Adam Weiner (adam@taikoforum.com)

Lis Testa (lis@taikoforum.com)