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We're excited to have Rieko and Eddie back in our group!

St. Louis Osuwa Taiko Newsletter

Welcoming Two Returning Members!

It's the new year, and we're excited to have two former members returning to our performance group! After extended absences, Rieko Terai and Eddie Pelikan are back in the studio and ready to perform with us again!

Rieko first began performing with us about 15 years ago, after seeing renowned taiko ensemble Kodo perform. Rieko said of the experience, "I was so moved that tears came out of my eyes. That's the time when I wanted to be a member." Her passion for taiko has not disappeared after a seven year absence, during which she traveled as an interpreter, returned to school, and raised a family. Now the time is right for her to return and she's happy to be back! Rieko is especially excited to play her favorite songs, including the popular piece Omiyage, by Shoji Kameda, as well as learn new songs that we've added during her time away from the group.

Rieko TeraiAbove: Rieko performs during the 2009 Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Image courtesy of Kevin Dingman.

EddieLeft: Eddie performing at the Hope for Japan tsunami relief efforts in 2011.





Eddie began performing with us in 2006 but left the group when he moved overseas for several years. He played with several groups while living in Singapore, but missed the sense of community that he felt with SLOT. Upon his return to St. Louis last summer, Eddie began practicing with us and assisting with our education committee, and after refreshing himself on our repertoire, began performing with us in December. "My hands don't move as fast as I remember them. I have a lot of practice to do and new songs to learn." After his time away, Eddie is especially proud of the accomplishments of the members who were new to the group when he left. "They have come so far and gotten so good in my absence! It makes me proud to rejoin the group and play with this talented group of musicians!"

We're so happy to have Eddie and Rieko back in the group!
Joel Balestra

Song Profile: Kagura

Written by Daihachi Oguchi

Composed by Daihachi Oguchi of our parent group, Osuwa Daiko, Kagura means ritual dance and refers to the mythical origins of taiko. It is said that Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, was upset because her brother ran his oxen over fields, destroying them. Pouting, Amaterasu hid away in a cave, plunging the world into darkness. After some time, Ame-no-Uzume, the goddess of dawn, began to dance on an overturned sake barrel, making the first sounds of taiko. The gods were having such a good time that Amaterasu could not resist the merriment and came out of the cave, bringing light back to the earth.

The piece opens with a melody played on fue, punctuated by oodaiko and shime solos. The chuu-daiko join. Each time the melody repeats, it is played faster, a common pattern in Osuwa Daiko compositions. Between verses, players dance on and around the stage, and members of the audience have the chance to join in on the fun.

Kagura performance at the Touhill Performing Arts Center

Composed in 1953, Kagura was also featured in the 1998 horror film, Deep Rising, as performed by Yakudo.
 

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We are a non-profit group that performs the art of taiko around the St. Louis area and the world.
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10734 Trenton Ave. | St. Louis, MO 63132
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St. Louis Osuwa Taiko · 10734 Trenton Ave. · St. Louis, MO 63132 · USA

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