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November 2019
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kaDON Retreat 
Epic. I've been sitting here for the past 10 minutes trying to figure out how to start this paragraph and how to describe what happened at the kaDON Retreat. It was a month ago and I know it's an experience that will stay with me forever.

Kaoly Asano is an amazing teacher and artist. Her generosity of spirit, the way she moves when she plays, the tone of each note that she gets from the drum was just inspiring to be around. It will take some time to digest everything she taught us, but I've already started implementing some of the aspects of how she taught in my own teaching.

The most amazing part of the kaDON Retreat was the community that was forming around the event. When planning these events, our team puts a lot of thought into gathering a great group of people together, along with a great teacher at an amazing location, but what really makes the whole experience come together is what each person brings to the event. So many of the special moments at the retreat aren't really planned and instead, happen naturally because of the people who come with openness and who share their spirit and energy with everyone. So thank you to each and every one of you who came to the kaDON Retreat! It is your presence that makes these events so life affirming!

While we can't announce anything quite yet, we do want you all to know that we are working hard to make the next kaDON Retreat happen!

Video of Eleven
"When we play taiko, we offer our body and soul."
Voices and taiko resonating together with love and strength one final time during our retreat (but certainly not our last)! Thank you Kaoly for guiding each of us to discover our taiko spirit and for sharing your dream through your incredible composition, ELEVEN.

Below is also a link of the first full run through of ELEVEN the participants did with Kaoly. Fun Fact: this is the first time ever that ELEVEN has been played in North America. We were so honored to be able to witness Kaoly's dream come true of bringing ELEVEN to North America!

First run through of ELEVEN!
UTAH TAIKO EXPERIENCE
Our next big event will be co-presented with Taiko Zentrum Deutschland and is called the “Utah Taiko Experience.” This 9-day taiko adventure will take place in beautiful Ephraim, Utah from August 1-10th, 2020! Yuta Kato and I will be leading a great content team (supported by Diana Wu, Martin Doyle, Shonagh Walker, Jason Matsumoto and Rannoch Purcell) and we plan to have a full schedule of workshops and outdoor activities that will culminate in a performance for the local community towards the end of the event. I'll send another newsletter soon talking more specifically about the UTE, but if you feel like this is calling for you already, registration is open now! Register at the following link, where you can also check out more information regarding the Utah Taiko Experience: https://www.taikozentrum.de/ute
New Course: Tottemo Yoi with PJ Hirabayashi
New Course: Tottemo Yoi with PJ Hirabayashi
We are working on bringing more beginning level content to kaDON and our new course is a fun introductory level piece called Tottemo Yoi with PJ Hirabayashi! This piece is a great introductory level piece that weaves in movement, drum patterns and chanting. Students will learn how to build body awareness and how to incorporate the drum and the space around them in their movements. PJ is a master at playing with space and movement and not being constrained by standing behind the taiko. In this piece she uses simple concepts to get us more comfortable with using the space around the taiko. It's available now at: kaDON.com!
Quick European Tour Recap
So much happened this past month! I haven't even started talking about the two weeks I spent in Europe after the kaDON Retreat. It started with an amazing concert with Tsuchigumo Daiko in Glasgow, Scotland, which was then followed by a series of
workshops organized by Silke Hanzen in the Dusseldorf area. I then went off to Madrid, Spain and met up with Isabel Biedma as well as a great group of artists that collaborates with her. Afterwards, I made stops in Zurich and Basel for workshops in two beautiful Swiss cities and then finally, two workshops in the equally beautiful city of Heidelberg, Germany. It was a great tour filled with lots of taiko and hanging out with incredible taiko people!

After trips like these, I always feel so fortunate and grateful that I get to do  meaningful work that I love with such extraordinary people. You can follow some of the photos and stories from the tour via my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turtlefield76/

There is a ton more info that I haven’t gotten to yet, so I'll be sending another newsletter soon with more details on the Utah Taiko Experience and more great things we have that are coming up!

Peace,
shoji
kaDON Mission
At kaDON we are dedicated to empowering taiko players around the word! When you subscribe to kaDON you get immediate access to our entire library of online courses! But kaDON is much more than just a website. It's an growing world wide community of passionate taiko players! We organize and support events that bring the taiko world closer together. Every time you pick up a pair of bachi you are connected to much bigger community and we encourage everyone to get out there meet new friends and become more connected to the greater taiko world! Here's what some of our subscribers are saying:
 
"The materials you post on the kaDon are FANTASTIC! I thoroughly study them by making plentiful notes which serve as an invaluable help for my own instructor-role in a few taiko-groups! Helps me advance my own skills immensely. Thank you all from my heart for such a big effort and for the generosity of purpose which you guys apply!"  -- O.M.

Free Sample Lessons
Get a sample of our video lessons by checking out our free sample lessons in each course:

Taiko Fundamentals Lesson 3
Taiko Set Lesson 4
Chappa Basics Lesson 5

kaDON Store

Check out our selection of bachi, taiko, fue, drum making supplies and accessories at http://kadon.com and clicking the “store” button. If we don't have it in stock we can get it shipped directly from Japan for you. We have access to the entire Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten catalog of traditional instruments. Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten is the instrument maker to the emperor of Japan so even hard to find items are not a problem! We ship wordwide and if you have a large order contact us for discounted shipping. If you have any questions or inquires about any kind of taiko related supplies or accessories contact Aya at info@kadon.com.
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