NEWSLETTER MAY 2023
Long time – no newsletter! We have had a fantastic first few months of 2023 with loads of high-quality Taiko events taking place.
EVENTS
~ THE HIVE, SHREWSBURY In January we started a new series of new Taiko workshops in conjunction with long term partners The Hive Arts Centre in Shrewsbury, drumming with young adults with Special Educational Needs & also sessions with Looked After Children.
~ GUEST WORKSHOP WITH YUTA KATO in February. It was an honour to host the one and only Yuta Kato, visiting Shropshire for the first time from the USA, and teaching cracking sold out Naname skills workshop in Wem to Taiko West students and guest from further afield. This was followed by a Taiko road trip with him across central Wales down to Swansea for the first part of his 2-day session with Aber Taiko. Just brilliant
~ MIDLANDS TAIKO DAY 2023 on March 25th at the West Midlands Taiko Centre was totally awesome. Huge thanks to my Taiko Soulmate, Mark Alcock of Taiko Meantime, for leading the workshops and for the stunning evening show. Pics and videos here:
– SAMBA TAIKO! In Feb & March I was invited separately by 2 different samba groups in the north west to deliver one-off Taiko workshops. Karamba Samba in Chester and Batida Rio in Warrington were great hosts and we had a blast!
– SUSTFEST, Stourport-on-Severn, April 29th. Wyre Forest taiko gave some great mini-demos at The Civic Theatre and I ran some quick fire public workshops during the day. Always great to be involved in events like this that are local to all our respective community projects across the Midlands.
BACHI FOR SALE
If you like extra-chunky bachi, we have a stock of unused pairs, sized 40cm long and 25 mill diameter. Relatively lightweight – 120-135 grms per stick. Most likely birch wood.
Cost is £10 per pair and we can arrange collection at our In-Person Classes. Email me directly for more info: james@taikowest.com
DISCOUNTS AND REFUND POLICY FROM END OF JUNE 2023 ONWARDS
Firstly, a massive thank you from me needs to go out to everyone who continues to support Taiko West with your regular attendance at our classes.
Since Covid hit, we have been running a sliding-scale payment option as a temporary measure to help people out. In some of our weekly courses we have also been able to be more flexible with payments and cancellations. However, as certain costs have increased recently, I have taken the decision that the sliding scale option will end in June 2023, and also that we will be fully implementing our cancellation policy. I hope you understand. All booking and payment enquiries now go through Barbara at admin@taikowest.com.
NEXT MONTHLY IN-PERSON SESSIONS: CHUSHIN DAIKO in Stoneleigh in Warwickshire, Sat May 13th. WREKIN TAIKO at West Midlands Taiko Centre in Newport, North Shropshire, Sat May 20th. WYRE FOREST TAIKO on Sunday May 21st. TAIKO TRIBE in Derbyshire on Saturday June 3rd.
NEXT WEEKLY IN-PERSON COURSE: TAIKO SHROPSHIRE next 6-week course starts on June 12th. Monday evening classes in Wem, North Shropshire.
Details & sign-up here: https://www.taikowest.com/in-person
NEXT ONLINE COURSE & 1-2-1 ONLINE COACHING
Although it was the pandemic that kickstarted our online classes & coaching, plenty of Taiko folks are still getting benefit from continuing with their online practice and study.
Our next 6-week Online Course starts Weds 14th June 7.00pm to 8.15pm on Zoom. Registration for this course starts on or about the 24th May. For more info please go to: https://www.taikowest.com/courses-and-single-class-try-out/
Online 1-2-1 Coaching sessions via Zoom are available on Thursdays & Fridays. We offer 30, 45 or 60-minute sessions. Email me directly for more info: james@taikowest.com.
Happy Drumming,
James Barrow