kaoru watanabe's Page

Status

Artist

Discipline(s) engaged in or interested in

Music

Artistic background

Kaoru was born in St. Louis, MO to symphony musician parents.  After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music with a BFA in jazz flute and saxophone performance, he moved to Japan and joined the internationally renowned taiko drum ensemble KODO, where he studied and performed taiko, traditional Japanese folk dance and song, with a special emphasis in various fue (bamboo flute) such as the noh kan, ryuteki and shinobue.  Beginning in 2005, Kaoru served as one of their artistic directors, focussing on KODO's world music festival Earth Celebration, curating and directing collaborations with such artists as Zakir Hussein, Carlos Nunez, Giovanni Hildago and Yamashita Yosuke. Kaoru has also performed and recorded with such artists as Jason Moran, Stefon Harris, Adam Rudolph, Tatsuya Nakatani, Tamango and with the legendary Kabuki actor Bando Tamasaburo.      

In late 2006 Kaoru left Kodo and returned to NY to teach and continue performing fue, western flute and taiko around the world in a variety of settings - collaboration with musicians, dancers, and visual artists of both western and eastern disciplines are a constant source of inspiration.

In August of 2008, he founded the Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center to provide a place where people are encouraged to study fundamental playing technique, develop a stronger understanding of the cultural and historical background of taiko.

My dream collaboration

I feel like I get to do a lot of my dream collaborations! I don't know, who else? Bill T Jones? Issey Miyake? Bjork? Wayne Shorter? Spike Jonze? Hariprasad Chaurasia? Radiohead?

Creative influences / favorite artists

how much time you got?

Artistic Affiliations

Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center, Khoomei Taiko Ensemble, KATARU, NakaNaka Series@drom

Web link

http://watanabekaoru.com