Bonnie Soon - Jason Overy - Naomi Kajiwara
Bonnie Soon
Bonnie is an artist with an active history in many aspects of the art world. She began her performing career as a professional dancer touring with numerous companies including: the Paula Ross Modern Dance Company, Kokoro Dance, and Snake in the Grass Moving Theatre. Bonnie has professional credits in stage management and has worked in all aspects of media production from graphic design to video production.
Bonnie joined Uzume Taiko in 1991 as a core drummer and has toured regularly nationally and internationally since. She has served as artistic director since 1999, initiating new collaboration concerts with musicians, dancers and storytellers. Bonnie also works as an artistic educator with the UBC HeART cohort and in Lower Mainland school districts through Artist-in-Residence programs. She has mentored World Music students at the BC Festival of the Arts and led taiko drum workshops for B.C. Music Educators, B.C. Recreation & Parks staff, International Baccalaureate students, World Music Youth Summer camps, the Ailanthus Achievement Centre and at regional and North American taiko gatherings.
Bonnie builds and repairs taiko drums and works on innovative designs to make taiko equipment more accessible to the public. Bonnie studied taiko drumming with John Greenaway, Eileen Kage and Leslie Komori in Vancouver and in workshops with members of Kodo, Seiichi Tanaka and Tiffany Tamarabuchi at various North American taiko gatherings. She studied hand drumming at the SFU World Music Percussion Intensive with Sal Ferreras, Glen Velez, Trichy Sankaran and Modesto Amegago.
Jason Overy
Jason holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Victoria. He has played, recorded, and toured both nationally and internationally with Uzume Taiko since 1999. Jason has been fortunate to have the opportunity to study with some of North America’s taiko and percussion masters such as Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka: Master Taiko Drummer, Kenny Endo, Taiko Star Tiffany Tamaribuchi, Percussion Master Sal Ferreras and Drum Set Master Lou Williamson. In return, he has enjoyed teaching music in workshops, private lessons and institutionally, to people of all ages locally, nationally and internationally. Jason is also an Instructor of Shotokan Karate-do and travels to Japan with his Sensei to study as often as possible.
Naomi Kajiwara
Naomi became enthralled with Taiko after being inspired by Uzume, Goddess of Laughter, during her first workshop with Uzume Taiko back in 2001. In 2003 Naomi began performing with Uzume Taiko and since then has enjoyed reaching out to different audiences, from local elementary schools to international festivals. Naomi has had the privilege of attending various taiko conferences and workshops where she has had the opportunity to learn from other taiko professionals like Kenny Endo, Tiffany Tamaribuchi, Michelle Fujii, and percussionist Boris Sichon.
Born and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia, Naomi has been passionately involved in arts and performance where she has over 25 years experience in dance including: jazz, tap, hip-hop, Hawaiian and Polynesian. She has also studied and is passionate about music, photography and visual arts and received a Bachelor of Human Kinetics degree from UBC. She currently teaches taiko music and dance to people of all ages. Naomi would like to thank Bonnie Soon, Boyd Seichi Grealy, and Jason Overy for their mentorship and taiko guidance.
Guest Artist
Alcvin Ramos
Alcvin Ramos is a unique shakuhachi musician who is keeping the tradition of learning and playing the koten honkyoku (original zen pieces for shakuhachi) strong while exploring and expanding the boundaries of the instrument. Alcvin has collaborated with Uzume Taiko on several projects. In 2009 he participated in a tour of “Japanese Drum Spirits” to Germany, and he performed with the group in “Taiko and Také” in December 2009, at the Roundhouse in Vancouver.
Born and trained in Japan, Alcvin is one of the foremost teachers and performers of shakuhachi in North America. He was the first non-Japanese to win a prize (runner-up) in the all-Japan Shakuhachi competition in 2000. In 2001, he received his shihan (masters) license from one of the greatest shakuhachi masters in history, Katsuya Yokoyama. In November of 2008, Alcvin received his Dai Shihan (grand master) license from another one of Japan's greatest players and teachers, Yoshinobu Taniguchi, taking the new name, "Ryuzen" (Dragon Meditation) making him the first Canadian and one of only a handful of non-Japanese to receive this esteemed honor. Alcvin has also studied jinashi shakuhachi playing intensively with Atsuya Okuda of the Zensabo and shakuhachi construction techniques with Shugetsu Yamaguchi. He has also studied biwa (Japanese Lute) and vocals with Master Yukio Tanaka.
Alcvin is also a composer and player of a variety of instruments and has been experimenting with new ways of playing traditional instruments as well as with synthesized and electronic music. He has taught and performed all over North America, Europe and Japan, and pursues an active solo as well as collaborative career, playing with such distinguished artists as John McLaughlin, Bill Laswell, Hun Huur Tuu Mongolian Throat Singers, Toshinori Kondo, Joseph Pepe Danza, and Uzume Taiko, and has opened for Anoushka Shankar and the Yoshida Brothers. He has recorded both classical shakuhachi music and electronic fusion pieces. Dharmakasa, a group he co-leads, received a Canada Council grant in 2007 to produce their full length CD of fusion/experimental works.
