CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF NEN DAIKO, the taiko ensemble of Ekoji Buddhist Temple!
In Gratitude: A Taiko Benefit Concert
Nen Daiko has come a long way since their founding in 1994 by former Ekoji member Beth Fujishige and practicing songs on old tires. Nen Daiko was first conceived as an organized activity to engage the sangha members of Ekoji Buddhist Temple. Rev. Tsuji, Ekoji's resident minister at the time, supported the group’s inception and named the group "Nen Daiko," with the Japanese character for "Nen" being derived from the same character as in "Nembutsu." Members from sister groups Soh Daiko (affiliated with New York Buddhist Church) and Hoh Daiko (Seabrook Buddhist Temple's taiko group) invited the fledgling Nen Daiko to New York and New Jersey to learn basic taiko form and a couple of practice pieces. In this way, Beth provided Nen Daiko's organizational start; Rev. Tsuji provided a Buddhist foundation; and Soh Daiko and Hoh Daiko initiated the group's taiko education.
Although started as a temple extracurricular activity, the growth in Nen Daiko's performance capability by the late 1990’s helped spur an increase in outside performance requests, and Nen Daiko’s focus began to shift to performance preparation. Through public performances and the practice of Buddhist taiko, Nen Daiko became a public face of Ekoji, raising awareness of the temple throughout the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The members of the group today are of different faiths and enter the group through a regimented training program, but the spirit of the original group can still be felt through a common respect for the art of taiko, the teachings of Buddhist taiko, and the joy and exuberance of expression through the beat of the drum.
Nen Daiko will hold a 20th anniversary concert on Saturday, August 30th to commemorate this occasion and to express gratitude for these causes and conditions that have supported our existence all these years. In that spirit, the concert has been named “In Gratitude.” Participants who register for EBL 2014 are eligible for a $5 refund on their taiko concert ticket. General admission is $25, but if you elect for a Nen Daiko Supporter ticket at $50, you get VIP seating and a gift of appreciation from Nen Daiko. The $5 refund for EBL registrants is applicable for either general admission or Nen Daiko supporter tickets. The refunds will be dispersed at the EBL conference prior to the concert. Tickets are purchased on the Nen Daiko website ( http://nendaiko.weebly.com/20th-concert.html )
Ticket sales directly benefit Ekoji Buddhist Temple, and a portion of the proceeds will also benefit New York Buddhist Temple and Seabrook Buddhist Temple. This fundraising event will be an opportunity to thank so many who have helped Nen Daiko; we have commitments from Soh Daiko and Hoh Daiko to attend and perform with us, and the group is also planning to recognize 37 former members of Nen Daiko. To our knowledge, our concert will be the first public performance in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area for such a large Buddhist taiko gathering. If you are able, don't miss it! It is sure to be a wonderful evening of taiko and a tangible expression of the Three Treasures.
Although started as a temple extracurricular activity, the growth in Nen Daiko's performance capability by the late 1990’s helped spur an increase in outside performance requests, and Nen Daiko’s focus began to shift to performance preparation. Through public performances and the practice of Buddhist taiko, Nen Daiko became a public face of Ekoji, raising awareness of the temple throughout the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The members of the group today are of different faiths and enter the group through a regimented training program, but the spirit of the original group can still be felt through a common respect for the art of taiko, the teachings of Buddhist taiko, and the joy and exuberance of expression through the beat of the drum.
Nen Daiko will hold a 20th anniversary concert on Saturday, August 30th to commemorate this occasion and to express gratitude for these causes and conditions that have supported our existence all these years. In that spirit, the concert has been named “In Gratitude.” Participants who register for EBL 2014 are eligible for a $5 refund on their taiko concert ticket. General admission is $25, but if you elect for a Nen Daiko Supporter ticket at $50, you get VIP seating and a gift of appreciation from Nen Daiko. The $5 refund for EBL registrants is applicable for either general admission or Nen Daiko supporter tickets. The refunds will be dispersed at the EBL conference prior to the concert. Tickets are purchased on the Nen Daiko website ( http://nendaiko.weebly.com/20th-concert.html )
Ticket sales directly benefit Ekoji Buddhist Temple, and a portion of the proceeds will also benefit New York Buddhist Temple and Seabrook Buddhist Temple. This fundraising event will be an opportunity to thank so many who have helped Nen Daiko; we have commitments from Soh Daiko and Hoh Daiko to attend and perform with us, and the group is also planning to recognize 37 former members of Nen Daiko. To our knowledge, our concert will be the first public performance in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area for such a large Buddhist taiko gathering. If you are able, don't miss it! It is sure to be a wonderful evening of taiko and a tangible expression of the Three Treasures.