Members of the Circle Percussion Group SEN and HIBIKI are making their first visits to the United States to perform in the "Upstate NY Tour 2009 Taiko History - To the Future of Music and Disability.”

A group of six Taiko drummers from Japan are bringing their barrel-shaped instruments to Geneva. Their trip here isn’t just to perform concerts. They hope to share their culture and tradition while breaking stereotypes about people with disabilities.

One of the drummers, Ryouta Kataoka, is blind. Another, Ryuji Tomono, has developmental disabilities and says “his drum allows him to better connect with others.”

"The vibration is what attracts the deaf audiences," says Masanori Seto, a member of the Circle Percussion Group SEN in Japan before moving to Geneva to attend college. "So many deaf people really feel the beat from the drums. Some have said that’s when they feel beats for the first time and really experience the music we’re playing. It is the perfect opportunity to raise the interest of drumming and show people with disabilities can become professional musicians."

Taiko, which literally means "Big Drums," is a Japanese traditional percussion instrument. The powerful, deep bass sound of the Taiko is unmistakable. Ancient Japanese thought its thunder-like vibration had numinous power and treasured Taiko as sacred instruments. To this day, Taiko takes a vital part in festivals and ritual ceremonies in Japan as well as in Kabuki and Noh, which are traditional Japanese play styles. Taiko has become one of the most popular musical instruments in Japan and overseas in the past few decades. There are tens of thousands of Taiko groups, amateurs and professionals worldwide who enlighten audiences with their performances.

One type of Taiko drum is called Naga-dou (long trunk) and is traditionally made of a hollowed out log. The barrel-shaped Taiko has drumheads on both sides which are tacked on by hundreds of black nails. Other types that are tightened by ropes use a lighter wood to allow the musicians to play as they walk with them.

Many of the musicians are trained in traditional music played at community festivals in Japan. Some of the drumming dates back to more than 1,000 years. The drummers visited the communities to learn of the subtle differences each possessed. “It wasn’t until about 30 years ago drums were played on stages in performances, Seto said. Audiences will also hear them play more contemporary works.”

Their trip to New York, which has been in the planning stage for three years, is sponsored in part by the Japan Foundation and the Postsecondary Education Network-International at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf.