Shimabayashi

Shimabayashi (2006)

 
2nd UK Taiko Festival took place in Exeter in July 2006. The Festival included two National Youth Taiko Concerts, featuring groups from all over England – and Scotland. The finale of both the matinee and evening concerts was an arrangement of Shimabayashi, with a base provided by Kagemusha Junior Taiko and representatives from all the other groups involved joining in. By the end of the evening concert, the finale of which is presented here, the whole audience was joining in with the song as well. Taiko is great to play, and it’s even better to play together.
 
 
 

Shimabayashi (2014)

 
Furthering the idea of playing taiko together to build community, at 10th UK Taiko Festival, we organised a special Sunday lunchtime performance of Shimabayashi, played by no fewer than 133 taiko drummers. They came from the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and USA – and there may even have been other countries represented somewhere in the crowd.
 
It had rained earlier in the morning, and just 5 miles away there was a torrential downpour at the time we were playing. Somehow, the sun managed to shine on us.
 
 

Shimabayashi (2016)

 
Shimabayashi has been taught in many schools all over the UK. Besides featuring in Introduction to Taiko, Vol 1, it was the featured composition in the Drums for Schools publication, Jonathan Kirby’s Taiko Drumming Book, which has been bought by over 100 teachers in the UK alone.
 
In 2016, Kagemusha Taiko were invited to perform some special concerts at the Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe, for schoolchildren from North Devon. The group performed Shimabayashi and many of the children joined in.
 
Some historical notes follow the initial video.

Taiko for Schools, Volume 1, Fundamentals

 
Published in February 2018, this is a new book by Jonathan Kirby. It provides support for a set of 21 short instructional videos, designed for use by school teachers in the UK, and suitable for showing in the classroom.