- Mukashi Mukashi ("Once Upon a Time")
Inspired by Rev. Tom Kurai's "Riverside Bayashi"
Composed by Senryu Taiko 2000-2001
A playful, happy tune in swing beat. It reminds us of children playing in the school yard in a sunny late-afternoon.
- Nano Hana(“Brassica rapus arvensis”) Composed by Mieko Moody & Reina Fujii 2001
As the season changes from winter to spring in Japan, the snow begins to melt and the small, yellow wild flowers called “nano hana” begin to sprout from the earth. With tiny voices, the delicate blossoms call to us… “The earth is waking up!”
- Shoyu("Soysauce") Composed by Mieko Moody & Fong Chen 2001-2002
We "SHOW-YOU"... "YOU-SEE-OUR" Taiko!!! (please read out loud.)
This song is dedicated to those who have been in search of the perfect shoyu bottle: one that doesn't drip or leak all over the table when pouring shoyu.
- FANtasy (...a fan dance piece) Composed and choreographed by Mieko Moody, Reina Fujii and Fong Chen 2001-2002
Three years ago, one of the founders of UCR Taiko (we weren't named "Senryu Taiko" then) envisioned the creation of a collegiate taiko group at UCR that will some day be just as reputable like many other groups in So-Cal. In the following years, its members have worked through many obstacles to realize this fantasy (we are still trying!!). This piece portrays the group's recent three generations of directors and the passing of our legacy: the fantasy.
- Ichi Ji ("1:00 A.M.") Composed by Mieko Moody 2002
"I've always been confused as to why the day begins at twelve midnight. I think it makes much more sense to begin at one. Regardless, I suppose it doesn't make much sense to pinpoint such a place in time at all. The days, after all, are cyclical. Just as seasons and generations roll from one to the next, in nature, there is no one point in time that separates the beginning from the end. The beginning is the end; and the end is the beginning. This song is dedicated to Keith and all those jam sessions that rolled from one day to the next..."
- Watashi no atama ga itaii ("My Head Hurts") Composed by Joe Hockel 2003
The earliest form of music comes from the beating of the heart. As the heart pumps, the rhythm of life is played throughout the body. This piece demonstrates the subtle flow of rhythm throughout the body as one endures a headache. It emphasizes not only the rhythmic patterns of life but also the existence of rhythm in any format whether it is the beating of the heart or the ticking of a clock.
- Yoru no nagare (“Flow of the Night”) Composed by Fong Chen & Choreographed by Junko Ihrke 2003
The wild geese glided over the quiescent waters; and
the full moon (o-daiko) floated across the streaming clouds (fans).
This song is a collection of experimental ideas of things we haven’t tried before. Like the waltz backbeat, movements inspired by Okinawan folk dance, & the unique sound of using folding fans as drumsticks. We would like to dedicate this song to our former director Reina Fujii for her inspirations which began the song.
- Bara renbu (this is not a Japanese phrase!) Composed by Fong Chen 2003
This is a song to commemorate the coming-of-age and other vices. It is a song about things like the first sip of beer, first failure to meet parent’s expectations, not getting accepted to all those good schools, the aversion toward responsibility & formality; about the doubts, fears, insecurities, anger, and torment over nothing (at least to others’ concern); about the first unconventional decision, first stray from the ordinary, first real friends.