País | Japão |
Ocupação | Compositor, Interprete, Professor |
Categorias | World Music |
Art Lee, renowned artist and performer of the Japanese Drumming art form known as taiko, is the first non-Japanese ever to be awarded an artist visa by the Japanese government to teach taiko and lead the life of a professional taiko artist in Japan.
On October 15th, 2005, Art won First Place in the Solo Odaiko section of the most prestigious and renowned taiko contest in the World - The Tokyo International Wadaiko Contest
Before becoming a solo artist in 2001, he was a featured performer with groups including the Sacramento Taiko Dan and one of the top taiko groups in the world, Ondekoza.
Utilizing his extensive training in both traditional and modern taiko techniques, he continues to perform all over the world, as well as teach in both English and Japanese to taiko enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
In addition to his teaching and solo performing schedule, he is the instructor of taiko groups 'Suiko' and 'Nadeshiko', as well as the leader and Artistic Director of his own performance group, Wadaiko Ensemble TOKARA. He was also a member and part-time instructor with Grandmaster Daihachi Oguchi and Osuwa Daiko for six years.о