Saturday during concert rehearsal, I was playing odaiko-style on our miya-daiko (another big drum) and thought, "damn, we're fortunate."
I know I'm lucky enough to be in a group like SJT that's been around for 37 years - and with that has come accumulated instruments and equipment. But it makes me remember that a LOT of other groups do with SO much less, some of the newer groups not even having drums to play on!
Could I join a group to learn an art I don't know, without the instruments? Am I *that* dedicated? Can't rightly say. Sure, I can take a garbage can and play on that, but it's nothing like feeling the drum reverberate after a strike. At least with karate, I don't need a uniform or gear or anything but an instructor. There, the physical stuff can help but it's really superfluous.
Another thing that hit me this weekend was that we spent 13 hours this weekend rehearsing for our upcoming concert. This isn't uncommon; we often have weekend rehearsal for concerts and tours. However, amongst the "I'm tired and wish I was home relaxing" thoughts came one of "I bet there are people who would LOVE to practice taiko all weekend." That didn't make me less tired, but it made me stop and think about again, how fortunate I am to be able to do this.
So why this post? I want you to stop and think about what you take for granted, even if it's just artistically. It's sort of like admiring the forgotten trees you see every day or having running water. Sometimes little things bring you closer to the beauty of what you already have.
After going to Jodaiko, I appreciate San Jose Taiko so much more. I feel so lucky to have started in the jt program and to have such great role models to look up to. The transition from jtpe to jodaiko was shocking but it made me realize how lucky I was to get the opportunity at such a young age to play with amazing performers like you guys :)
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