World Renowned Taiko Drummers To Perform At NTID’s International Symposium

Japan’s world-famous Taiko drummers, emissaries of Japan’s traditional culture and spirit, will perform at the upcoming Instructional Technology and Education of the Deaf Symposium at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), June 23-27, 2003. NTID and The Nippon Foundation of Japan are sponsoring the symposium through the Postsecondary Education Network-International (PEN-International), a multilateral international program at NTID funded by the Nippon Foundation.

"We want a way to offer participants both the best of the world’s newest technologies and something special in the way of cultural enrichment," said symposium coordinator E. William Clymer. "Conference participants and members of the Rochester community are in for an unforgettable treat."

The troupe of approximately 20 members-mostly deaf-will perform during opening ceremonies of the symposium. They also will conduct a workshop for deaf youngsters from the community and will hold one community performance.

"Those who have never seen these magnificent drums and drummers will be treated to a unique percussion genre, dating from the B.C. period and recently revitalized through generous support from The Nippon Taiko Foundation," said NTID Vice President Robert Davila. Taiko drummers performed during the recent Winter Olympics and at the World Cup soccer competitions in Japan.

Taiko drumming is considered both educational and cultural. Its emphasis on the importance of courtesy and teamwork has drawn worldwide acclaim, and its members range in age from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. The recent addition of Taiko groups composed of mentally and physically challenged individuals is indicative of its popularity and acceptance in Japan.

The international symposium on Instructional Technology and Education of the Deaf expects to attract 300 individuals interested in learning about the importance of technology in the education of deaf students worldwide. Online learning strategies, use of technologies within subject matter specialties, and assessing the impact of technology on students of every age are some of the topics that will be covered.

The first and largest technological college in the world for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, NTID, one of eight colleges of RIT, offers educational programs and access and support services to 1,100 students from around the world who study, live, and socialize with 14,000 hearing students on the RIT campus. Web address: www.rit.edu/NTID.

For more information about the symposium, visit http://www.rit.edu/~techsym or contact: E. William Clymer, Symposium Coordinator Email: ewcncp@rit.edu.


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