February 29, 2004

Zenshin Daiko Receives Grant from the
State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Brooks (left) and Bill work on Zenshin Daiko’s 5 foot in diameter, 300 pound hira-daiko.

The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts awarded Zenshin Daiko a grant to help build a large hira-daiko and put on Zenshin Daiko’s next Taiko Festival. The $2453 grant is being used to buy materials to build the 5 foot in diameter, 300 pound hira-daiko which will be the largest drum of its kind in the State and one of the largest in North America.

The 2 1/2” thick oak that is being used to build the hira-daiko came from a used 3000 gallon wine barrel from The Barrel Shop in American Canyon, California. The barrel was broken down and shipped to Maui in September.

The drum building crew at Zenshin Daiko, who have built the 20 or so drums that the group performs on, had to come up with new drum building techniques to over come the challenges of building a big drum. Zenshin Daiko is also fortunate to be able to consult with Mark Miyoshi of Miyoshi Daiko, one of the most respected taiko builders in North America.

The hira-daiko will debut at Zenshin Daiko’s 5th Annual Taiko Festival on June 26 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater. Maui Okinawa Taiko will open the concert and Zenshin Daiko will close out the first half. Then featured special guest Taiko Center of the Pacific - Youth Group will make perform the entire second half.

Check out zenshindaiko.org for more drum photos and updated concert information as it becomes available.

Sojin Kim from the Japanese American National Museum was on Maui gathering information about taiko for an upcoming exhibit. She got to try her hand at removing the hair from a fresh cow hide.