Interested in Taiko but not sure what it is? Check out our sample video below!

Video produced by "Wild Scissors," contact Martha Low, 952-456-1992, watchB30@gmail.com

What follows is a basic overview of our current offerings. Mu Performing Arts will work with you to meet the needs of your school/organization.

If you are interested in more information, or in booking one of our programs, please contact our Outreach Director. Our Outreach Director can provide details and pricing information. Please allow 6-8 weeks advanced booking time for all theater outreach performances and all out of town performances. There will be a 50% deposit due on all theater programs.

Community Stories Program

In Mu's groundbreaking Community Stories Program, Mu teaching artists lead a series of theater-based workshops designed to stimulate the mind, body, and imagination in order to tell a story inspired by the experiences and concerns of the students themselves. Through communication, group activities, and performance, students develop skills that help them to become leaders in their communities.

	Ying Zhang/Musician Mr. Ying Zhang is a renowned composer and musician from Mainland China where his name is recorded in the Book of First Rank Musicans. He plays numerous Chinese and Asian instruments including various flutes, gongs and a turkey bone. Older Elementary to Adult  — Program length: variable
	Dragons, Flutes & Monkeys Mr. Ying Zhang, Master of Chinese flutes, and Rhonda Lund take you on a musical tour of China - amazing and rare instruments, a dragon story, and a classic Monkey King tale. Elementary and Families  — Program length: 50 mins.
	The Walleye Kid Inspired by Korean and Japanese folk tales, this story is a modern Minnesotan fable about a Korean girl who miraculously appears as a baby out of a huge walleye, is adopted by the couple who caught the fish, and takes a magical journey to the land of her birth and back again. Elementary & Families — Program length: 45 mins. with Q&A
	Hmong Tiger Tales Three fun short plays based on Hmong folk stories about tigers. "Tiger and Crow" tells the story of how the crow tricked the tiger into having fewer cubs, explaining why tigers are so rare. "Mother Tigress" tells the story of a tiger who raises a child who later discovers her real family in a village. "Yer and the Tiger," a young girl uses her wit and courage to escape the jaws of a clever tiger who has infiltrated her family. Elementary & Families — Program length: 45 mins. with Q&A
	My Story A touching and powerful story about a Korean adoptee growing up in Minnesota. Junior High to Adult — Program length: 20 mins.
	FOB A groundbreaking comedy about Chinese American identity. "FOB" stands for "Fresh Off the Boat," a derogatory term used for recent Asian immigrants. The play revolves around three Chinese American characters who identify more with their American upbringing than their Chinese heritage. High School to Adult — Program length: 50 mins.

What is Taiko?

With origins spanning nearly 1,000 years of Japanese history, taiko drumming now reaches around the globe as on of the most recognizable - and most exciting! - representations of Japanese culture in the world. Over the last fifty years, taiko (Japanese for "big drum") has become a fixture in the Asian American community and evolved into its own unique art form here in the United States. As the Asian American population continues to grow and diversity, taiko remains one of the most dynamic means of artistic expression across the pan-Asian community. Through drumming, men and women come together to both connect with Asian culture and build their own Asian American tradition.

Our Programs

Educational interactive presentation
This specially designed educational program exposes students to taiko while establishing basic historical and cultural background for the art form. Through performance and reflection, Mu Daiko members build an understanding of the impact of taiko in the United States.
- Interactive features: Students practice simple taiko rhythms using kuchi shoka, the traditional vocal learning technique.
- Number of performers: 3
- Time: 45-50 minutes

Taiko Workshop
Great for small groups, this can be added on to your Interactive presentation. Give students greater exposure to taiko through a one-time taiko workshop. Students get to see and learn from the pros, and then try it themselves as Mu Daiko members lead fun, hands-on group instruction in the basic rhythms and form of taiko.
- Interactive features: Students exercise coordination and learn musical structure through practice of rhythms and movements.
- Number of performers: 3
- Time: 45-60 minutes

Custom-designed residency

Taiko Programs

Taiko is one of Mu's most popular programs in the schools. All of Mu Performing Arts' educational taiko programs are performed and led by Mu Daiko members with years of experience working with students of all ages. Mu will work with you to tailor a performance or residency that best fits your school's needs and budget. Click HERE to see a full listing of our taiko offerings.

Dragons, Flutes & Monkeys

We are proud to represent renowned Chinese composer and Master of Chinese flutes Ying Zhang and storyteller Rhonda Lund in this magical musical tour of China. This 50 minute presentation includes amazing and rare instruments, a dragon story, and a classic Monkey King tale.

Theater Programs

Our theater programs range from short plays with talk back discussions, to helping students act out and create their own stories. This is a great way to bring new perspectives and diversity into your school. Whether it is Hmong Tiger Tales, or stories about Korean adoption such as Walleye Kid, our theatrical presentations cover history, immigration, and equality all from the heart of the Asian American Experience. Click HERE to see a full range of options for your school.

What follows is a basic overview of our current offerings. Mu Performing Arts will work WITH you to meet the needs of your organization.

If you are interested in more information, or in booking an outreach program, please contact our Outreach Director. Our Outreach Director can provide details and pricing information. Please allow 6-8 weeks advanced booking time for all theater outreach performances and all out of town performances. There will be a 50% deposit due on all theater programs and on all out-of-town Mu Daiko programs at the time of booking.

	Mu Daiko Mu Performing Arts presents Taiko: Japanese-style drumming. Taiko is the Japanese word for drum. Taiko drumming goes back to the earliest Japanese communities where it was a part of daily life and rituals. In North America today, taiko has become a dynamic performace art form of musical drumming based upon traditional Japanese styles and techniques. It’s loud, strenuous, and pulsating with adrenaline. All Ages  — Program length: variable
	Ying Zhang/Musician Mr. Ying Zhang is a renowned composer and musician from Mainland China where his name is recorded in the Book of First Rank Musicans. He plays numerous Chinese and Asian instruments including various flutes, gongs and a turkey bone. Older Elementary to Adult  — Program length: variable
	Dragons, Flutes & Monkeys Mr. Ying Zhang, Master of Chinese flutes, and Rhonda Lund take you on a musical tour of China - amazing and rare instruments, a dragon story, and a classic Monkey King tale. Elementary and Families  — Program length: 50 mins.
	The Walleye Kid Inspired by Korean and Japanese folk tales, this story is a modern Minnesotan fable about a Korean girl who miraculously appears as a baby out of a huge walleye, is adopted by the couple who caught the fish, and takes a magical journey to the land of her birth and back again. Elementary & Families — Program length: 45 mins. with Q&A
	Hmong Tiger Tales Two fun short plays based on Hmong folk stories about tigers. In "Yer and the Tiger," a young girl uses her wit and courage to escape the jaws of a clever tiger who has infiltrated her family. "Tiger and Crow" tells the story of how the crow tricked the tiger into having fewer cubs, explaining why tigers are so rare. Elementary & Families — Program length: 45 mins. with Q&A
	My Story A touching and powerful story about a Korean adoptee growing up in Minnesota. Junior High to Adult — Program length: 20 mins.
	FOB A groundbreaking comedy about Chinese American identity. "FOB" stands for "Fresh Off the Boat," a derogatory term used for recent Asian immigrants. The play revolves around three Chinese American characters who identify more with their American upbringing than their Chinese heritage. High School to Adult — Program length: 50 mins.