Interview with Kaya Tominaga

Kaya Tominaga is a multi-instrumentalist, who explores the idea of bi-cultural identity and “home” through taiko performance. Taiko as an instrument and artform is conducive to this exploration, as it has moved around the world, creating footholds in new cultures – in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Europe – as a way for bicultural and multicultural people with Japanese and Asian heritage to connect with Japanese culture and pave their own unique cultural paths.

Kaya continues to explore the power that taiko has in bringing people from different backgrounds together through the energy, expression and vulnerability shared through performance. She often collaborates with other musicians and taiko performers to find community through this process, and also performs as part of Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra.

BEMAC chatted with Kaya about her upcoming performance, the history of taiko, and how this art form builds community and a sense of home.

BEMAC: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us Kaya. ‘Journey Home’ is your debut feature length production and it will also open BEMAC’s Creative Confluence Season 2. Are you finding any differences in preparations for this kind of a show and what does this mean for you to be opening the season?

Kaya Tominaga: Preparing a feature length show has been really exciting, as we’re working towards telling a story through taiko. We don’t often have the chance to perform this many pieces, so it is fun to imagine how the audience might be able to follow us through the show’s narrative. There are also a lot of moving pieces, so I am really lucky to have experienced performers from UQ Taiko bringing creative ideas, musicality and logistical support. It feels really special to be able to open the season. We’ve performed in collaborative shows with BEMAC before and I love the way that BEMAC supports artists and creates wonderful shows.

BEMAC: Taiko drumming is thousands of years old, how would you describe taiko drumming to someone who has never heard it (or of it!) before?

Kaya Tominaga: I would describe taiko drumming as expressive and dynamic ensemble drumming with some choreography and instruments such as Japanese flute and other percussion. It is tempting to say taiko is loud and focus on the enormity of taiko performances, but I also find taiko to be beautiful when it is quiet and restrained.

BEMAC: Japanese traditions are often known for being very rigid and inaccessible, unless you are from Japanese heritage, and even then you often need to negotiate permission to partake. Taiko drumming seems to be a bit of an exception, with a very open and welcoming ethos around it. How has this happened, and what are the cultural and creative consequences of this openness (in your experience)?

Kaya Tominaga: I find the history and evolution of taiko drumming to be fascinating. It has roots in Japan in festivals, theatre, rituals and of course music, but has also transformed in the past 80 years or so. We perform kumi-daiko which is a more modern form of taiko ensemble performance. It is also the style that was popularised in the Americas and in Europe and helped those with bi-cultural or multicultural backgrounds to express their identities. This history in itself is a history of working towards inclusion and acceptance, which is likely one of the reasons why it has such an open and welcoming community.

I also think it has been made accessible by those who brought their own unique ideas to the instrument. Taiko performers love to get together for festivals and conferences to share their experiences. There are some great texts to read on taiko in America and the experiences of Japanese American taiko performers, which I related to on some levels and helped direct my relationship with bi-cultural identity and expression through music.

BEMAC: How did you personally get into Taiko?

Kaya Tominaga: My mum suggested that I join a new club at UQ when I first started university. I was studying a music degree but had never learned any percussion. It felt like an exciting way to connect to Japanese music, and the club’s founder, Kana Imuta, put a lot of work into teaching us everything she knew about taiko.

BEMAC: ‘Journey Home’ combines taiko drumming and original music. What will this sound like? How do these interact?

Kaya Tominaga: The way that taiko performance has been spread around the world means that taiko rhythms have soaked up many influences. This has made the instrument an interesting way for me to explore writing original music with taiko. There will be singing and flutes as part of our show, which also has many incredible pieces composed by others, including one by Kana Imuta who taught us to perform.

BEMAC: In describing your production you say “Ultimately they discover that the journey home is actually a journey to find people who accept and nurture them”. Can you talk a little more about this concept?

Kaya Tominaga: Having an Australian mum and Japanese dad, I had some years in my life where I found it difficult to find a sense of home. I often felt that people noticed how I was different to them rather than what we shared in common. I also often had a longing to be back in Japan, even though Australia very quickly became where I had lived the majority of my life. This led me to start exploring bicultural identity and expression, and talking to other people about their similar experiences. What I found through this exploration was that I wasn’t the only one feeling this way, and that there were definitely people who wanted to know me for every part of who I am.

BEMAC: ‘Journey Home’ is potentially a deep emotional and personal shakedown. What sort of transformation are you anticipating that bringing this to the stage will result in, both for you and for the audience?

Kaya Tominaga: Although a lot of my exploration of finding home came from personal reflection, I think it also taught me the value of being accepting of those around me. It made me wonder who else is trying to find a “home” and who I could make feel at “home”. I think this is the ultimate goal for our performance – to make us all wonder what we could be doing to make a home for those on their journey.

BEMAC: Who needs to see your show?

Kaya Tominaga: I would love for people who have never seen a live taiko performance before to come and experience what it feels like!

‘Kaya Tominaga’s Journey Home’ opens Saturday 7 September. Find out more and book tickets.