Lark in the Morning started in 1974 with the conviction that sharing music builds
bridges between friends, families, cultures, and nations. “Music
reminds us we're all part of one family and provides an environment
where love can develop and flourish.” Lark works with suppliers
in 70 countries, constantly searching the world for hard to find
folk and ethnic instruments. Kristina Almquist manages their store
in Mendocino California, which is jammed with instruments, international
tapes and CDs, as well as tutorial videos.
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The San Francisco
Ethnic Dance Festival presents its series in June,
with hundreds of dancers and musicians from Egypt, India, Turkey,
Japan, Bali, China, Tahiti, the Philippines, Mexico, Peru, Argentina
and many other countries.
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Since ancient times
in Japan, taiko (drum) has been regarded as sacred; the powerful
beating, which imitates the sound of thunder, was thought to summon
rain and ensure bountiful harvest. Stage performance of kumi
daiko, or “ group taiko,"
began as a 1960’s Asian American Movement. Kyodo Taiko,
at the University of California in Los Angeles is the first collegiate
taiko group in North America. (Kyodo means both “family,
“ and “loud children.”). Their first major
performance paid tribute to the 175 UCLA students who were interned
during World War II. Women and men college students now perform
together frequently: a family sharing the joy and the spirit of
taiko.
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