Taiko in New York

During my visit to New York last week, I had the chance to meet up with Ariel Shearman, a Wellesley alum and member of Soh Daiko, the first taiko group established on the East Coast. We spent Saturday morning reminiscing over brunch at "Ciao for Now," a cute restaurant in the East Village. I first met Ariel during my senior year in college. She heard about Wellesley Aiko and expressed interest in meeting the group. After several email correspondences, Ariel offered to lead a taiko workshop on campus. My fellow Aiko members and I were ecstatic. During the workshop, Ariel introduced "Kasabayashi," a fun piece that includes dancing. Aiko debuted "Kasabayashi" this year at Odaiko New England's recital at Concord Carlisle high school. See video below:


After brunch, Ariel had an important taiko rehearsal to attend. Soh Daiko would be performing at a music festival in New Jersey the following day. I was hoping I could accompany her to practice, but I thought it would be inappropriate to ask. I have the impression that most professional taiko groups (and other performance groups for that matter) prefer to keep their practices private. Hmmm, I suppose the worst she could have said was no....Well, I believe things happen for a reason. I spent the rest of the afternoon outdoors exploring the city with two friends from high school. One of our stops included the newly opened High Line Park on the West Side of Manhattan. If you're in the area, I suggest you stop by. It's worth the visit. There are lots of nice wooden benches to relax and enjoy the skyline.