Monsoon Season 2007 Odaiko Sonora Newsletter

Odaiko Sonora News in Monsoon Season 2007

From left: Katy and Sam, two of our first Parent/Child class participants, practice at home; Odaiko Sonora hosted San Jose Taiko for a workshop as part of our Showcase project, inviting members of other AZ groups; ASTD Team-building workshop at Odaiko Sonora SPACE; Kids at Fenster Ranch Camp learned about taiko, and helped bring the rains on July 6.

Going National

We’re thrilled (and daunted) to announce that Odaiko Sonora has been accepted into the Taiko Ten concert at this year’s North American Taiko Conference. Taiko Ten features—you guessed it--ten groups from throughout North America, and this will be the first time a group representing the southwest has been included. Selection for this concert is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate what we’ve been able to accomplish in this region.

Our entire Performing Ensemble will be traveling to Seattle, with enough logo wear so that there is no question that they are from Tucson, hotspot of the nation. This would be a great time to sign on as a Friend Of Odaiko Sonora (FOOS) or make a one time donation to support Odaiko Sonora. Contact karen@tucsontaiko.org, call (520) 327-1228 or simply go to our website and click on the “Donate Now” button at the top right of the screen. Thank you for helping us to be ambassadors of our unique and wonderful region.

SoAZ Taiko Intensive/Open Audition

Odaiko Sonora is seeking candidates for its respected Performing Ensemble. Taiko is a heritage-based practice that combines music, movement and martial arts principles in a unique and compelling performance art. The Intensive will introduce experienced musicians, performers and martial artists to this thrilling practice. The intensive is scheduled for:

Friday, Aug. 17, 5:00pm–8:00pm
Saturday, Aug 18, 8:45am–4:30pm
Sunday, Aug. 19, 2:30pm–4:30pm

Students who are accepted into the program will receive training that is worth over $250. For complete guidelines and to download a cover sheet, visit the News & Performances page. Deadline for receipt of application materials is 5pm, Monday, July 30.

Dates of Note

Wed., July 18, Bistro Las Candelas, 7:30 & 8:45pm,427 E. Limberlost
Join us for one of the most unique summer events in recent history: The new gourmet grill and entertainment series at Bistro Las Candelas. $35 ticket includes dinner and entertainment, with $5 benefitting Our Family Services. Later series dates include Flam Chen (8/1), Batucaxé (8/15), and a live-action, audience-participation murder mystery called “Where Have All the Artists Gone?” on 8/29 starring artists from the series. Download the exquisite menu at http://tucsontaiko.org/Promo/Bistro.pdf. Reservations are highly recommended to ensure you have a seat at this uniquely Tucson event. Call 696-9100.

Saturday, Sept. 22, 7:30pm, Green Valley Recreation Special Event, 1111 Via Arcoiris, Green Valley.
Tickets go on sale through GV Recreation on Aug. 1. You can buy online at:
http://www.gvrec.org/A&E/arts_and_entertainment.htm

Events of Note

4th Annual SoAZ Taiko Showcase
Oddly enough, it’s time to mark your planners for Sunday, Dec. 9, 7pm at the Berger Performing Arts Center! We decided to swap our fall and spring seasons to accommodate the travel schedule of Shidara, who we will be hosting in spring 2008. Given the incredible progress of taiko in this area, the 4th Annual Southern Arizona Taiko Showcase will, for the first time, feature only Arizona groups! It is a testament to the work of Stan Morgan and Esther Vandecar, who pioneered the art form in our area. Featured along with Odaiko Sonora will be Phoenix’s Fushicho Daiko, Mari Kaneta’s Suzuyuki-Kai MoGan Daiko, and, new to the Showcase, the Tucson Taiko Kyokai. Once again, the event will be co-produced with Jonathan Holden, Rhythm & Roots.

SHIDARA: April 20, 2008
What can we say? An unexpected sell out in August last year, and people are still talking about this phenomenal group from Toei, Japan. Last year’s tour was an exercise in faith—a grass roots effort to introduce the group to the people of the western states. Shidara’s 2008 tour will include major halls such as L.A.’s Cerritos Center, and cover twenty cities in six states. They are playing Tucson because they deeply appreciate the warm reception they received last August and would like to thank us for the work we put into making their dream of touring the U.S. a reality. Mark the date!

Grant Happy

We’d like to thank the Tucson Pima Arts Council and Arizona Commission on the Arts for funding our 2007-08 grant applications. Odaiko Sonora ranked exceptionally high in all categories and was awarded public funding as follows: TPAC $1,222 and ACA $9,000 for General Operating Support (GOS); and TPAC $4500 and ACA $2,994 for our 2007-08 Taiko Season, that involves producing a 4th Annual SoAZ Taiko Showcase, the April 20 Shidara concert, and three free community workshops. ACA funding must go entirely towards guest artists fees and staff costs. TPAC funds are applied as percentages of our general operation costs, and production budgets for the two concerts and three community workshops. To give you an idea of the money’s impact, TPAC and ACA funds comprised 17.5% of our 2006–07 Showcase project budget ($2,200 of $12,520) and about 11% of our annual organizational budget ($10,327 of almost $90,000). These are your tax dollars at work, regranted by agencies designated by the City, County and State to bring cultural events and arts education programs to our region.Thank you!

Lest we feel too great a sense of satisfaction over these figures, we must point out that Pima County now has a population of over one million people. Our funding represents about a penny a person, or, for the over 13,000 people who enjoyed an Odaiko Sonora performance or workshop last year, a cost of 79 cents each. Arts and arts education are still poorly funded, and we remind you to let your elected officials know that arts and culture matter to you, and are an important part of a child’s education and the quality of life here in Pima County.

What’s up at Odaiko Sonora SPACE

Expanded offerings at our studio now include Beginning Poi classes with Flam Chen (starting Aug. 6), Community Yoga and Yin Yoga Mediation with OS Wellness Coordinator Julie Baron, and a new hour-long class with Ironwood Tai Chi. See http://tucsontaiko.org/SPACE.asp for a complete schedule.

Classes, and how to enroll

Fall Classes begin Sept 8! For a complete schedule and information on how to register, visit http://tucsontaiko.org/classes.asp. Several of our classes are now offered through the PCC Community Campus Catalog and Pima County Parks & Recreation Leisure Times. Registration info may be found in their publications or, posted on our classes page once they are available.

Arigatou gozaimashita!