About Us
Burlington Taiko
Since it’s inception in 1987, Burlington Taiko Group has been involved in hundreds of performances, including feature performances at the 100th running of the Boston Marathon, annual performances at Burlington’s First Night, the Joseph Campbell – Keepers of the Lore festival, the Black Ships Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, and over 200 corporate, collegiate and public performances.
Burlington Taiko offers a range of public, private, collegiate, and school group performances as well as conducting extensive educational programs in schools across New England.
Stuart Paton
Stuart Paton, Founder and Artistic Director of Burlington Taiko, spent most of his childhood in Japan from age nine months through eighteen years. His earliest exposure to taiko included a subconscious learning foundation from weekends overhearing his neighbor’s own taiko practice, as well as a first-grade fascination with the drums at Obon celebrations in Tokyo. His formal study of taiko began in 1984 during a summer apprenticeship with Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka, founder of San Francisco Taiko Dojo – the first taiko group in North America. In 1986, not long after settling in Vermont, he founded the Burlington Taiko Group.
Stuart has established an artistic style for Burlington Taiko that combines movement, rhythm, voice, and the efficient and graceful movement of chi, or “energy,” from the player to the drum. His affection for the group dynamic of taiko is evident both when he performs at the most advanced level, and when he instructs the most novice players.
Stuart offers a variety of services:
Taiko Aikokai New England (TANE)
Burlington Taiko is the performance arm of our non-profit entity Taiko Aikokai New England (TANE).
Key Aspects of TANE & Burlington Taiko:
- Mission: To promote the art of taiko drumming and Japanese culture in New England.
- Performance: Burlington Taiko performs across the Northeast introducing audiences to powerful Japanese drumming.
- Education: They offer workshops and residencies for all ages, teaching taiko rhythms and cultural context.
- Community: They are part of a larger taiko community, connecting with other groups and promoting diversity in the art form.
TANE partners with TaikoVentures for administrative and booking support services.