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News Releases 
Tires, Tape and Taiko Drumming - CTC and Kenny Endo take Taiko Drumming into the St. Paul Schools 
For Immediate Release: February 6, 2002
St. Paul, MN - The Children’s Theatre Company, the nation’s leading theatre for young people and families, has partnered with Kenny Endo, Master of Japanese Taiko Drums and Percussion, to bring music and performance into two St. Paul public schools. Endo will work with students at the World Cultures and Languages Magnet School and Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School for two weeks, concluding with demonstrations for classmates on Thursday, February 14th and a demonstration for family and friends at The Children's Theatre Company on Friday, February 15th.
The first day of Endo’s residency consisted of a one-hour lecture demonstration open to all students at the school. From that, 16 students and 4 teachers at World Cultures and 20 students at Dayton’s Bluff who showed a keen interest in learning the techniques of Taiko drumming were selected to participate in the intensive daily workshops. The students began by making drums using old tires and packing tape to use during the workshop. Over the next seven days the students will learn the history and techniques of Taiko drumming as they create an original piece to present at a final demonstration. The last day of the residency will consist of the students from both schools attending a performance of The Beggars’ Strike at The Children's Theatre Company, having lunch together and then presenting their original work on the CTC stage.
Both World Cultures and Languages Magnet School and Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School are part of CTC’s School Partnership program which supports schools seeking to build a lasting, integrated arts curriculum by providing students with exposure to live theatre and creative drama in the classroom. Last year, CTC reached over 5,000 students from inner-city schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul through School Partnerships.
The partnership between Kenny Endo and The Children’s Theatre Company began in 1997 with the development of the touring production Wondrous Tales of Old Japan, which was adapted, directed and choreographed by Endo. The current residency is made possible by the McKnight Visiting Composer Residency granted to Endo by the American Composers Forum. The residency is designed to allow composers to partner with organizations in Minnesota and work together to foster the demand for new music, enrich communities and develop the next generation of composer musicians and music patrons.
World Cultures and Languages Magnet School
1075 East Third Street, St. Paul, MN 55106
Workshops: February 1 - 14, 9:00am - 10:00am
Final Demonstration for classmates: Thursday, February 14, 10:15am
Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School
262 Bates Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55106
Workshops: February 1 - 14, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Final Demonstration for classmates: Thursday, February 14, 2:00pm
The Children's Theatre Company
2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Final Demonstration on CTC stage: Friday, February 15, 1:00pm
More about CTC's Education Programs»
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