On Sunday 14th July 2024 our Frankston Taiko Drumming group held a fantastic Come 'N' Try Taiko event at the Bunnings Frankston store! There were lots of enthusiastic participants willing to have a go and learn Japanese drumming during the event.
The workshop started with a performance by members of our drumming group using our recently acquired taiko drums in public for the first time! We played the piece taught to the group by teacher Toshi Sakamoto at our June taiko lesson a number of times to an appreciative audience.
We then invited members of the audience to join us and try Japanese taiko drumming. Instructions on how to hold the bachi (drumming sticks) and how to stand were given before a short warm-up. This was followed by the participants repeating a number of basic drumming patterns given by our Vice-Chairperson and instructor Simon.
Participants were then taught the performance piece our group had given at the beginning of the workshop, making sure to break down the piece into short and easy to follow segments. As each segment was learnt, we added more until we were playing the whole piece. We were even joined by a number of the Bunnings staff members who were keen to have a try during their break from work duties!
This part of the workshop concluded with a number of performances of the piece our participants had just learnt before we invited more people to have a turn. There were so many willing participants that we needed all our taiko drums, plus our gomi daiko (plastic rubbish bin practice drums), and our 5 mini taiko drums being played by the toddlers!
 |
| How cute were these participants? |
Our shutterbug Peter said there were 24 people drumming at one stage in a large circle using the biggest and smallest taiko drums to play together! We had 40-50 people of all ages participating during the 2-hour workshop.
A huge thank you to our FSFA team who made the day possible - "teamwork makes the dream work!", the participants who came along and joined in during the workshop, and to Frankston Bunnings Activities Organiser Lyn Kellow for providing the great venue and her and Bunnings support for FSFA and our Frankston Taiko Drumming group. Lyn said she would love to have us back to run another workshop.
