TAIKOZ CO-FOUNDERS HONOURED WITH JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER'S AWARD
Co-founders of Taikoz, Artistic Director Ian Cleworth and Shakuhachi Grand Master Dr Riley Lee, will be honoured with a Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation for their contribution towards promoting friendship and goodwill between Australia and Japan.
Co-founders of Taikoz, Artistic Director Ian Cleworth and Shakuhachi Grand Master Dr Riley Lee, will be honoured with a Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation for their contribution towards promoting friendship and goodwill between Australia and Japan.
The awards will be presented at an official ceremony on 6th October at the Japanese Consul-General's residence in Bellevue Hill, marking the 40th anniversary since the 1976 signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Australia and Japan.
Cleworth and Lee will be honoured alongside other high profile Australians including fashion designer Akira Isogawa, Australian Chamber Orchestra violinist Aiko Goto, ceramist Mitsuo Shoji and president of the Australia-Japan Society of New South Wales, Philip Mitchell.
Founded in 1997, Taikoz introduced the art of taiko drumming to Australia and has long since been one of the world's leading taiko ensembles, regularly performing on Australian and international stages to critical acclaim.
Quote from Ian Cleworth "Australia's non-Indigenous musical history is a rich tapestry of instruments, sounds, techniques and traditions that originally came from other parts of the world, and twenty years ago, Riley and I had a dream to gather together a group of dedicated musicians that could create and perform original, new music for the Japanese taiko and shakuhachi. Having our contribution recognised in this way is truly a great honour."
The awards will be presented at an official ceremony on 6th October at the Japanese Consul-General's residence in Bellevue Hill, marking the 40th anniversary since the 1976 signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Australia and Japan.
Cleworth and Lee will be honoured alongside other high profile Australians including fashion designer Akira Isogawa, Australian Chamber Orchestra violinist Aiko Goto, ceramist Mitsuo Shoji and president of the Australia-Japan Society of New South Wales, Philip Mitchell.
Founded in 1997, Taikoz introduced the art of taiko drumming to Australia and has long since been one of the world's leading taiko ensembles, regularly performing on Australian and international stages to critical acclaim.
Quote from Ian Cleworth "Australia's non-Indigenous musical history is a rich tapestry of instruments, sounds, techniques and traditions that originally came from other parts of the world, and twenty years ago, Riley and I had a dream to gather together a group of dedicated musicians that could create and perform original, new music for the Japanese taiko and shakuhachi. Having our contribution recognised in this way is truly a great honour."