Taiko drummers signal start of workshop

Emery Santana (4), of Dunedin, takes  part in a taiko drumming workshop at the College of...
Emery Santana (4), of Dunedin, takes part in a taiko drumming workshop at the College of Education yesterday. Photo by Linda Robertson.
The sound of drums boomed out in Union St yesterday as O taiko drum group leader Sabrina Goh led drummers in a series of rousing performances.

The performances were an introduction to a workshop taught by visiting drummer Mike Vallabh, from Hamilton taiko group Wai Taiko.

Ms Goh, who is a psychology PhD candidate at the University of Otago, said she got into taiko drumming in 2013 when the previous group leader saw her drumming.

''She saw me and said, 'Oh, you have some rhythm, come join us.' So that's how I got into it.''

This weekend's workshop was the fourth they had put on with a visiting taiko drummer, funded by a grant and gold coin donations from participants.

O taiko itself was ''funded and supported'' by the university's music department, Ms Goh said.

''So all the equipment we have comes from the music department. They're so generous to let us play on it and practise on it.''

 

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