October 2023: It is with great sadness that we found out that our taiko teacher, Kurumaya-sensei, master of the Fukui style of taiko, has died. Alison was fortunate to be taught by him when she first began learning taiko, with Mugenkyo in 1999. At that time, Kurumaya-sensei was staying with Mugenkyo at their new base
A few photos from our taiko workshop in Vallorcine in the French Alps, teaching taiko on the shores of the l’Eau Noire at the foot of the mountains. Definitely our most stunning workshop location so far.
During the brief interlude between lockdowns and travel restrictions, we managed to get together to do a couple of gigs at outdoor festivals in Belgium and France. Here we get in a much-needed practice at the Lay-Saint-Christophe while en route from Brussels to Vallorcine. Many thanks to Chantal Puccio and her husband for their generous
Finalement 2taiko va jouer ensemble encore! On a deux petits spectacles bientot – le première à Bruxelles au fin du Juillet et le deuxième dans des Alpes françaises. Si vous êtes tout près venez nous voir 🙂 // Finally 2taiko will play together again! We’ve two wee gigs coming up – the first in Brussels
2taiko have been invited to perform a short set in Aber Taiko‘s annual concert at Taliesin Theatre in Swansea, South Wales, on March 24th. Aber Taiko are a community taiko group based in Swansea, and Alison has been teaching them the Fukui style of taiko for the last couple of years. Aber Taiko play several
2taiko went to the second European Taiko Conference and it was a totally amazing weekend. So many good workshops and discussions, such a variety of powerful and moving taiko performances, such a friendly open atmosphere, such great folk, all night discussions and some legendary drinking games… Despite being introduced to the joys of ‘Taiko Uno’
It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, but 2taiko are finally getting together to attend the European Taiko Conference in England in February 2017. Yumi is currently based in Nancy, France while Alison lives in South Wales and on a boat in the West of Scotland, so England is a relatively convenient place
We’ve just spent nine days in Fukui with Kurumaya-sensei at his beautiful taiko dojo in Miyama, Fukui prefecture, Japan. Kurumaya-sensei is the teacher of the UK taiko group Mugenkyo, whom Alison first trained and performed with. It was 15 years since she had seen Kurumaya-sensei. Yumi had also visited Kurumaya-sensei at his dojo twice before,