Odaiko Sonora’s children’s book “Asako” to be released at Tucson Festival of Books
by Carolyn Classen on Mar. 05, 2012, under Arts, Education, Life
Odaiko Sonora has been taiko drumming in Tucson for 10 years now.
To commemorate their 10th anniversary and the 1 year anniversary of the March 11, 2011 9.0 earthquake & tsunami in Japan, they are releasing a children’s book of a tale which is one they’ve used in school residencies for years.
The book is entitled “Asako, The Girl Who Saved Her Village” and is authored by Odaiko Sonora. The illustrator is Nadia Hagen, Artistic Director of Flam Chen and the All Souls Procession.
This book will be unveiled at their performance at the Tucson Festival of Books on March 10. Students from Prince Elementary and Amphi Middle School will join kids in their youth taiko group to perform the folktale. Each of the students will get a copy of the book, and “Asako” will be for sale for $10 at the Festival.
I’ve read a preview of this cute children’s book, and it is a good story about the courage of a little Japanese girl in face of a tsunami. The drawings are charming and there are several Japanese terms in the story, such as “obi” (belts) and “kami” (nature spirits).
Look for their performance at the Diamond Children’s Story Telling Stage from 4 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday March 10.
other drawings by Nadia Hagen in this picture book
Also –Odaiko Sonora Japanese Storytelling
When: Sunday 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Where: Bear Down Entertainment Stage
My previous blog on the 4th annual Festival of Books (click here)on March 10 & 11 at UA Mall.
More information on Odaiko Sonora, www.tucsontaiko.org, info@tucsontaiko.org. They won a 2008 Lumie (Tucson Pima Arts and Business Award), Emerging Arts Organization and a 2009 Arizona Arts Award from the Community Foundation for Southern AZ. The founders are Rome Hamner, and Karen Falkenstrom, who is half Korean-American.
Odaiko Sonora is Tucson’s taiko, or Japanese ensemble drumming group. Serving southern AZ since May 2002, Odaiko Sonora is dedicated to increasing familiarity with and understanding of taiko in our community. We do this for over 30,000 people each year through classes and master workshops, performances, school residencies, teambuilding workshops and by producing concerts by internationally acclaimed taiko artists.
And if you miss them at the Tucson Festival of Books, you can order the book on their website and pay via paypal. There’s will be a small shipping charge. They are also running a Kickstarter campaign to pay for the printing, and the $25 donor level (and all higher donor levels) receives a free copy of the book.
