Briefly Introduce Yourself And Discuss Your Experience ✓ Solved

Briefly introduce yourself and discuss your experience with taiko music

Write an introduction that briefly presents who you are, your background, and your experience or interest in taiko music. Include your motivation for studying or performing taiko and any relevant personal or cultural connections. Discuss your interest in the art form, your personal journey, and what you aim to learn or share through this research.

Paper For Above Instructions

My name is Reid Taguchi. I am the founder and lead instructor at San Fernando Valley Taiko, an organization dedicated to teaching and promoting taiko music. My journey with taiko began during my college years at UCLA, where I initially explored the art form as a classically trained flute player seeking a new musical outlet. A friend involved in the university’s taiko ensemble invited me to try it out, and I quickly fell in love with the rhythms, cultural significance, and community aspect of taiko. This early exposure sparked my passion, leading me to commit to the art for years and eventually establish my own group dedicated to sharing taiko with others in the community.

In my early training, I practiced regularly with my college ensemble, rehearsing twice a week for about four hours, increasing practice frequency prior to performances. My dedication to mastering the physicality, rhythm, and cultural context of taiko has deepened over time, inspiring me to become an instructor. Teaching others has become one of my most rewarding pursuits, as it allows me to pass on a rich cultural tradition while fostering community, discipline, and artistic expression. My motivation for studying taiko further stems from my desire to bridge cultural gaps, preserve traditional music, and create opportunities for others to experience its transformative power.

Through my research and teaching, I aim to illustrate the significance of taiko in cultural identity, its evolution in America, and its role as both a traditional art form and a contemporary performance genre. My personal connection to taiko continues to grow as I witness how this art form inspires and unites diverse groups of people, fostering appreciation for Japanese culture while allowing individual expression. This study is important not only to understand the cultural history of taiko but also to explore its ongoing relevance in multicultural societies, as it continues to evolve and resonate with new generations.

References

  • Taiko Center Co., Ltd. (N.D). Taiko in the United States. Retrieved from [URL]
  • Bender, S. (2012). Taiko boom: Japanese drumming in place and motion. Chapter 5. [Details, URL]
  • Dhaliwal, S. (2009). The Heartbeat of Japan. Japanese Religions and Material Culture. Retrieved from [URL]
  • Attaway, William. (1957). Calypso Song Book. McGraw-Hill.
  • Beana, Christian. (1999). Personal interview with the author, January 18.
  • Childers, Alonzo (Bob). (1962). Oil Drums on LP Record. San Gabriel Valley Daily Tribune. March 11.
  • Cohen, Sara. (1994). Identity, Place and the 'Liverpool Sound'. In Stokes, M. (Ed.), Ethnicity, Identity and Music. University of California Press.
  • De la Bastide, A. P. (1999). Phone interview with the author, April 7.
  • Dudley, Shannon. (1996). E-mail to the author, December 14.
  • Neuenfeldt, Karl Wm. (1991). Sun, Sea, Sex, and Señoritas: ‘Shorthand’ Images of Ethnicity, Ethos, and Gender in Country Songs Set in the Circum-Caribbean. Popular Music and Society, 15(2), 1-21.

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