About Tracy Bush-Traver

After attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and graduation, Tracy Bush moved to Japan where she was inspired by the unique passion and exuberance of Taiko. Her pursuit of the art form led to the award of the prestigious BunkaCho, Japanese Ministry of Culture, grant for her extended study of the Japanese Folk Performing Arts. 

 

During this time, she became the first foreign artist to work within Warabiza, a premier performing arts community of 200 dedicated to the preservation and outreach of the Japanese Folk Arts. She was also given the opportunity at the invitation of Suzuki Koki Sensei, to live for several years with the Rando Drummers, known for the powerful, central role of the women within the ensemble. Together they performed throughout Japan and internationally at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration in Texas. They were honored, as well, to be chosen to tour and perform with the granddaddy of Taiko, Oguchi Daihachi Sensei, as official representatives of the Japanese government in Washington D.C for an historic installation at the Smithsonian Institution.  Additionally, during these four years, she traveled extensively throughout Japan to observe the performing traditions in their native venues as well as meeting and studying with musicians and dancers throughout the country.

 

On her return to the US, she taught and performed with her own ensemble, the Marin Taiko drummers, throughout the San Francisco Bay area. Branching out as a sound designer, she created a unique blend of traditional and more unusual elements for local theaters and was a frequent guest collaborator for Theatre of Yugen in their American tours for several years.  She also performed with World Arts West in “People Like Me” their annual outreach program bringing renowned performing artists from throughout the world together in creative collaboration for a unique and educational theatrical experience for thousands of northern California schoolchildren. 

 

Seeing the need for Taiko here after her move to Charleston, she established Taiko Charleston in 2009.  As a teacher, she is thoroughly committed to excellence from her students and to helping them share and express their extraordinary spirits through this art form.

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