WOMAD

Mark Alcock

From Japan, United Kingdom

Mark Alcock, leader of Taiko Meantime, studied and performed Taiko drumming with the Tennon Daiko drummers of Wakayama prefecture in Southern Japan. His teachers include Katsuji Kondo, former front man of the world famous Kodo drummers.
On his return to England in 1994, he began playing with the brilliant Japanese percussionist Joji Hirota. Mark was also an original member of Glasgow-based Mugenkyo and now runs Taiko Meantime in London (www.taikomeantime.com).
Mark has performed alongside multi-percussionist Peter Lockett, dhol drummer Jonny Kalsi and most recently, performances with virtuoso flautist Guo Yue.
Mark also leads Taiko drumming workshops, having offered the first hands-on Taiko workshops in the UK to members of the public and schools.
Since 2000 he has extended the education side of his work to the corporate world where he uses Taiko to unite teams in business (www.rhythmworks.com).