Sean Shibata
Presidential Scholars Adviser: Dr. Rebecca Gerber
Analysis and Synthesis of a Taiko Group
Music and culture should be studied together when gaining a perspective on a cultural group. As an aspiring ethnomusicologist, I will be studying the Japanese Taiko drumming which is widely used in classical, folk, pop music, and during festive occasions. The majority of the research will be done in Japan during school breaks to receive lessons and participate in the customs. Research will also include analyzing the historical, cultural, and technical aspects of the Taiko Ensemble. The knowledge gained will then be shared with other students in Potsdam to synthesize a small scale Taiko ensemble. This ensemble performance will be recorded for the documentation as well as performed live for the Presidential Scholars presentation.