From June 23-27, two teams of deaf taiko drummers will perform at
the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, NY. The
visit is part of an international symposium entitled "Instructional
Technology and Education for the Deaf." (ITED)

ITED runs from the 25th to the 27th, during which time the drummers
will perform on three occasions. Additionally, in the two days
prior to the symposium the drummers, will conduct workshops on the
campus alongside one team of non-hearing impaired drummers from San
Francisco.

The performance will be the first ever given in the U.S. by deaf
Japanese taiko drummers.

Taiko is one of Japan's classical art forms, with roots that go
back over 2,000 years. Drums are made from a single hollowed-out
tree trunk, and range in diameter from six inches to six feet.
Research has found that the deep resonant beat of the taiko drum
can be therapeutic for many groups of people, including those with
hearing impairments.

The sponsors of the visit are The Nippon Foundation and the Nippon
Taiko Foundation.

Yohei Sasakawa, president of The Nippon Foundation, expects that
listeners will be moved by the excellence of the performance. "I am
looking forward to seeing your faces full of astonishment at the
beautiful, thrilling music of these deaf and hard-of-hearing
musicians," he says.

Performances will take place at the opening ceremony on the 25th
(8:30-10:00 AM), at an evening concert for symposium participants
(7:00 PM) and at a free concert on the 27th, starting at 7:00 PM.
The final concert is open to the public.

Reference

IETD is a forum for the dissemination of information about cutting-
edge technology relevant to the process of teaching the deaf.
Pre-conference workshops will provide participants with hands-on
training in the use of this instructional technology.


The Nippon Foundation was founded in 1962 as a private, nonprofit,
grant making organization. The Foundation has the largest
operational budget of its kind in Asia, out of which it allocates
funds to support both domestic and international projects.
Its overseas support covers a wide range of areas, including human
resources development, support for the basic human needs and the
development of international cooperation and understanding.
Among its many important efforts have been the rebuilding of the
sub-Saharan agricultural system and the world-wide elimination of
leprosy. Thanks to its diligence in this area, the number of
leprosy-endemic countries has fallen from 122 to about 6 in less
than 20 years. It is leading the push to completely eliminate the
disease by 2005.

The Foundation is also a major financial supporter of both the
Nippon Taiko Foundation and the National Technical Institute for
the Deaf.


The Nippon Taiko Foundation (NTF) was founded in 1997 to promote
Japanese taiko drumming both in Japan and abroad. The NTF pursues
activities related to the promotion and preservation of the taiko
tradition. Though traditionally an exclusively male art form, taiko
groups now include both men and women of all age groups. People
with various disabilities are also taking part.

In fact, during the first four years of an annual NTF-sponsored
contest, 63 teams comprised of people with disabilities took part.
23 of these teams were hearing-impaired.

More than 50 teams of hearing-impaired taiko drummers are believed
to be active in Japan.

Membership in the NTF has reached 801 groups, totaling
approximately 22,000 members. Thanks to the Foundation, the
popularity of this art is growing at an explosive rate.