Mushi Okuri Project

Mushi Okuri Project 2020

Thank you for joining us to play together during these challenging times in the spirit of Mushi Okuri, not only for protecting crops at harvest time, but also to collectively send away illness, negative thoughts, and misfortune from the community, and to welcome wishes for good health, channel positive energy, and bring good fortune to all! 

~Great Lakes Taiko Center, April 2020, message to community members

April 2020 “GLTC Homework” details:

1. Review or learn the song Mushi Okuri [for your reference: Homework message 3/29/2020 from Brian Sole at GLTC, link to music notation pdf, watch Brian's instructional Mushi Okuri Demos, watch teachers demo shime and nagado parts].

2. Record yourself as you play (or sing or dance) along to one of the Mushi Okuri (Ji-Uchi or Melody) play-along demo videos for the entire duration of the song.

3. Please submit your video by Sunday, April 19th 2020 if you would like to be part of our first Mushi Okuri community video project to be edited by Toko Shiiki Imagery for April 2020. (If you send us videos after 4/19, they will be saved for potential future projects.)

4. December 2020 Update: Please submit any NEW videos by Thursday, December 31st 2020 to be included in the end of year project, a new compilation of our Mushi Okuri Project 2020 videos, to be edited by Eileen Ho for the Asano US & Friends Jan. 24th 2021 Virtual Concert!

April 2020 General guidelines & tips for recording:

• Record your video in horizontal/landscape orientation (not vertical/portrait).

• Keep the recording camera/phone in a stable position, placed on a table, stand or tripod, rather than handheld.

• Try to listen to the demo video with your headphones or earbuds on while you play along, so that you are recording mainly your sound, but don’t worry if you can’t.

• What you wear and where you record is your choice (as long as you have decent taste and lighting).

• You can play on any instrument you have at home (drums, pads, desk, chair, air taiko, rolled towel, pillows and cushions, pots and pans, your voice, your body, etc.) with bachi, other sticks, or even arms and hands or feet.

• Pick any taiko part to play. Most of you will play a nagado part, but if you can and want to play another part (shime, ojime parts, or various narimono, for example) or need to improvise parts you don’t know yet, then go for it. This is your chance to be creative (keep it simple or go next level).

• Focus on the fun and don't worry about whether your video is perfect or good enough. We will take whatever you submit and contact you if there are any issues. We just want everyone to have fun doing this project!