Unique Drum Performances Occur Saturday

by Jonathan Weaver

The historical art of Japanese drumming will resonate through Leechburg Junior/Senior High tomorrow night.

Leechburg High Director of Bands Rob Reams organized the performance.

Reams has also performed with Pittsburgh Taiko for about a year. A percussionist since he was a student at Danville High School, Reams was hesitant at first to join due to his school schedule, but is glad he made time.

“Taiko drumming is really physical, so you have to be in really good shape to be able to play – because you’re using your whole body to play the instrument,” Reams said. “I like the physicality of it. I really enjoy running and I like drumming, so put it all together and it just made sense.”

Reams has also organized two Leechburg Taiko ensembles – both a faculty group with teachers from various disciplines and a 9-12th grade student group with musicians that normally play various musical instruments.

“A couple years ago, we did a Taiko concert with the (students) and some of the faculty were in the audience and were really interested in it. So, we started it and it’s been a lot of fun,” Reams said.

Both Leechburg groups will also be part of tomorrow’s concert, with the faculty group performing the traditional festival piece Yatai-bayashi.

The student group will also perform this April at Millersville University.

Ben Pachter, a founding member of Pittsburgh Taiko, has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in percussion performance. Through his education, he has traveled to Japan multiple times.

He simplified what audiences should expect this weekend.

“The concert itself, if we break it down really simply, is a bunch of people playing a lot of big drums,” Pachter said. “These are loud drums, big drums – you can’t play them daintily. It’s a very physical performance art – a visual and musical spectacle that draws in all audiences.”

Pittsburgh Taiko has performed many cultural outreach events and will also give a lecture/demonstration during a high school Japanese contest at the University of Pittsburgh today before Saturday’s concert.

Dan Long, a Twin Valley High School music teacher, is originally a trumpet player but became interested in Taiko drumming after visiting his daughter in Japan.

“They had a Taiko festival occurring in her province, and I went and watched it. I thought it was a very unique experience and something I wanted my students to experience,” Long said.

Leechburg and Twin Valley high schools have since coordinated a musical exchange program.

Saturday’s concert begins at 5PM at Leechburg High School. Tickets are $6 each.

A Taiko performance was to occur at the school last March, but it was canceled due to an ice storm.