Eitetsu Hayashi
After 11 years of performing in a group, Eitetsu started performing solo in 1982. In 1984, he debuted at Carnegie Hall as the first Japanese taiko drum soloist and gained international acclaim. In 2000, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic in Waldbühne, Germany, and overwhelmed an audience of over 20,000. Since then, he has performed with many symphony orchestras and artists of different genres worldwide.
Eitetsu has pioneered the field of traditionally unprecedented taiko solos, including the Odaiko solo techniques and the creation of original techniques using a set of multiple taiko drums. He has developed a new genre of "Taiko Music" to be transmitted from Japan to the world, and is active in Japan and overseas. In 2018, he performed 6 concerts in 4 cities in the Japan-Canada Friendship 90th Anniversary Tour in Canada and in October performed in the official performance of the Japan-France Friendship 160th Anniversary Japan Expo “Japonisum 2018”. This year, he worked for production and recording as a concept video production staff for the “Tokyo 2020 NIPPON Festival”.
Eitetsu contributes to a large number of large-scale dispatches for introducing Japanese drum music and culture for each International Friendship and Exchange Year for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Relations Foundation, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
He has authored many publications, including the newly refurbished version of "Ashitano Taiko Uchie" (Hatori Shoten), autobiography "Taiko Hizuki-Dokuso no Kiseki" (Kodansha), and many other articles in journals and magazines. He has received the 1997 Minister of Education Prize for Arts and Culture, the 2001 Japan Traditional Culture Promotion Award, and the 2017 Matsuo Entertainment Awards.
#TaikoCelebration2021
SONGS
WTC 2020
Taiko Composition Library: Your Music Around the World!
Thank you for all of your submissions! The deadline has now passed, and we hope you enjoy all of the wonderful shared contents on the WTC website and Youtube page!
For this library, we asked eeryone to share their song with taiko players around the world!
“I want my song to be played around the world!”
“I want to play along with fellow taiko players across the ocean!”
“I want to share my new song through WTC!”
This project was made in response to such voices. In addition to the theme song, WTC has introduced song submissions from taiko players around the world.
Playing taiko gives us all a strong connection to a community, no matter where we are in the world. Participating in this art form thus connects you to a culture built on supporting and sharing with each other in the community. We want to continue cultivating this outlook by encouraging everyone to embrace the spirit of generosity and to take this special opportunity to share your creativity with taiko players from across the globe.
Pieces will remain on our website for everyone to access.
For those who would like to explore the compositions listed on WTC website, please note:
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You are free to perform and record any of the listed pieces. If you have any additional questions or comments regarding the piece, such as alternative arrangements, please contact the composer(s) directly. They would love to hear from you!
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Please contact the composer for workshop opportunities and/or permission to teach their piece.
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Remember to give the proper name credits to the composer and composition.
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If you are sharing any media of the piece (photos, videos, etc.) on social platforms, we suggest tagging hashtags, mentions, or links back to the composers of the piece. It would mean a lot to the composers to see where their piece has travelled to all over the globe.
Share your piece today. Taiko players around the world are awaiting your submissions!
World Taiko Conference Theme Song
The theme song for the inaugural WTC will be composed by solo taiko pioneer, Eitetsu Hayashi. Eitetsu is the creator of many of the taiko expressions and styles that are commonly performed today, and has continued to lead the taiko world since the early stages of kumi-daiko to the present.
Read more about Eitetsu Hayashi here
This piece will be specially created to be shared with the worldwide taiko community. It is our hope that the sharing of this piece contributes to the growth of our community and helps to strengthen the values that make our art form special.
Theme Song Title:『遙かな囃子』Eternal SONG -It Is “HAYASHI"-
Song Description:
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As a taiko composition to be played by everyone involved, I have written this piece that incorporates taiko-bayashi rhythm that represents Japan, for those who love to play the Japanese taiko around the world. It’s like an etude to learn the different Japanese taiko rhythms.
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The beginning is like a matsuri-bayashi with the shime daiko and nagado taiko exchanging rhythms.
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Next, we use rhythms that leap, and they are ancient Japanese rhythms that imitates “wave sounds”, played all over the country.
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Then, comes the “Conference Theme” section.
This is an easy phrase that can be learned by all ages, synchronizing rhythms with words and taiko. As long as you are saying the correct rhythms, you can play them as well: a composition method used by Eitetsu, for beginner players.
(Putting rhythms into words is a traditional and universal method often used for odaiko in kabuki theater, or in African drumming language.)
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Ikou (Let’s go), ikou (let’s go), kan-fah-ren-su (conference), ikou (Let’s go), ikou (let’s go), kan-fah-ren-su (conference), , seh-kai-no-hito-to （with the people worldwide), tsu-na-ga-reh tsu-na-ga-reh (connect, connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), I-Koh-Oo-Yoh (LET’S GO!) !
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The middle section is for improvisation. In this case, we used four distinctive ohayashi rhythms in Japan. While everyone plays the ji (basebeat), 4 solos take place one after another.
Improvisation solo 1 is Mushi Okuri Taiko rhythm from the Hokuriku area, solo 2 is Hachijo Taiko rhythm, solo 3 is Chichibu Yatai-bayashi rhythm, and solo 4 is Osaka’s Tenjin-bayashi rhythm.
(Note from the composer)
I thought about writing out the improv solo parts on the score as well, but when I do, I’m afraid that the local music and culture will spread uncontrollably. So I decided not to, since there was a high chance that the local rhythms will be misinterpreted when seeing it only on a music score, rather than learning directly from the local people.
However, I know it contradicts with the above, but the ji (base) rhythm is written on score, as I feel is more acceptable as a learning source. I felt the need to create learning material, for those who want to properly learn Japanese traditional arts and rhythms.
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Then comes Sen No Kaikyo theme and the Conference Theme repeatedly. This uses worded rhythms again. I think it’s fine for you to verbalize them while playing the drum as well.
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Sa-sa hajimaru (Now it begins), hito-bito yo-koso (welcome, everyone), DoDon, DoDon, Don Don uchi-masho (let’s play more and more), DoDon to genki (so much energy), ichiban deru (with utmost), Do---n to uchimasho (let’s play with Do---n), minna de ikou (with everyone),
Hito (people), umi (ocean), sora (sky), so-re,
Hito (people), asu (tomorrow), mirai (future), so-re,
Nippon (Japan), sore sore sore sore sore sore, sekai (world), sore sore sore sore sore sore,
Nippon (Japan), sore sore, sekai (world), sore sore
Hito (people), asu (tomorrow), mirai (future), eien (forever),
Do---n to uchimasho (let’s play with Do---n), Don Don ikunara (if you’re up to more),
Sa-, sa-, kan-fah-ren-su! (conference)
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Ikou (Let’s go), ikou (let’s go), kan-fah-ren-su (conference), ikou (Let’s go), ikou (let’s go), taiko kai-gi (taiko conference), , seh-kai-no-hito-to （with the people worldwide), tsu-na-ga-reh tsu-na-ga-reh (connect, connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), tsu-na-ga-reh (connect), I-Koh-Oo-Yoh (LET’S GO!) !
Total duration is about 6min long, but if you expand on the improvisational sections, it can be played as a larger piece.
-Eitetsu Hayashi
Let’s play the WTC Theme Song together!
And share YOUR piece with the rest of the taiko world!