Toshi Makihara

• Toshi Makihara Solo365 Project (2009): Toshi Makihara performs a solo improvisation (using simple 1-drum-1-cymbal setting with various sticks and tools) everyday at home, record them on video, and upload them onto YouTube. Each solo will be 5-10 minutes long, and there will be 365 solo performances through 2009. The YouTube page is at http://www.youtube.com/Solo365Project

• Izu House: Chihan Art Project 2008 (2008), Dance/Music residency program at historical Chihan-an House in Ohito (Nishi-Izu, Shizuoka-ken, Japan) featuring the dancers Roko Kawai, Leah Stein and Hideo Arai, with the musicians Mika Kimura (voice) and Toshi Makihara (percussion). The general information page in English with some photos and video clips is here. A preview article (English) on Asahi Shinbun Newspaper is here. The Japanese information page is here. See the poster here.

• James Fuhrman: Contemplative Spaces (2007-Present), the collaboraton with sculptor James Fuhrman. Rather than using the sculpture as a musical instrument, Makihara coexists with it and supports its sounds to arise from within. Makihara tries to let itself speak its own story. One of the performances (November 2007) can now be seen on YouTube. The photos of the performance are here.

• Ausdruckstanz / Imprints in Motion, the premier of "Physiognomy of the Spirit," directed and choreographed by Brigitta Herrmann. Live music by Toshi Makihara. (Philadelphia, 2008).

• Merian Soto Performance Practice, One Year Wissahickon Park Project (Wissahickon park, Philadelphia, 2008). Performed 16 performances as a company member throughout four seasons (Oct 2007 - June 2008)

• Taught and performed at Fayetteville Sonic Arts Festival (Fayetteville AR, 2007). Taught workshops and performed at University of Arkansas

• Taught and performed at Kontakt Budapest Festival (Budapest, 2004-2005).

• Working as a full-time administrative staff at Community Education Center (Philadelphia PA, 2002-2003).

• Working as the Artist in Residence at Sedgwick Cultural Center (Philadelphia PA) for their 2000-2001 Season presenting variety of projects including music concerts, dance and interdisciplinary projects, and sound-movement workshops for children.

• Meneses/Makihara presented new works using Midi sampling systems, acoustic percussion and various sound media at Alternativa 99 Festival in Prague. (December 1999). The duo completed the 10-city tour of France and Spain in November 2001. Their CD titled "Next Bug" is available from Sonore, France.

• Shoup-Moore-Makihara Trio: East Coast tour with the Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore and Seattle based saxophonist Wally Shoup; The live recording of this trio, Hurricane Floyd is available from Sublingual Records in Boston.

• Music for "Kleopat'Ra", a mixed media performance work by the New York based filmmaker / performer Kathy Rose.

• Nein Cow, presented at Manifesta 2 Festival, European Biennial for Contemporary Art, held in Luxembourg (in collaboration with percussionists Jim Meneses and Guy Frisch). (1998)

• Recording: Grammy nominated "Another Shining Path" with saxophonist Gary Hassay and bassist William Parker

• "Seasons": a new full evening work presented at Community Education Center (Philadelphia, PA) in conjunction with its "Independent Performing Artists Project (IPAP)" program. (1997-98)

• Curating IMP Performance Series, a biweekly performance series promoting experimental performing projects, at Highwire Gallery, Philadelphia. (1996-1999)

• Composing and performing an original solo percussion music for Arden Theatre Company's "Henry V" [William Shakespeare]. Makihara's original solo percussion score and its live performance was nominated for the Barrymore Awards' "Best Original Music" category. (April-June 1996)

• Base-ment: a performance series of solo percussion works in his basement studio (1995-On Going)

• Performances with Diversions Dance Company of Wales: extensive tour of Terry Beck's "DIG" in Europe (1994-95).

• Performances at Ivrim Festival: (Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia - March 1995): collaboration with the choreographers Myra Bazell and Rennie Harris, and percussionist Lenny Seidman.

• Performances (as composer/percussionist) with Pennsylvania Ballet: "DIG" (in collaboration with the choreographer, Terry Beck) for the company's "Off Center Ballet" series (March 1994).

• Collaboration with choreographer Terry Beck for his dance company Terry Beck Troupe (1993-1998) include "Dance at the Packard" and some other series produced by Philadelphia Dance Projects.

• Long term collaboration with choreographer Leah Stein (1987-Present) :various outdoor site specific projects including Schuylkill River Festival (1997) City Dances presented by Philadelphia Dance Alliance, "Falling from The Sky" at Longwood Gardens (2000), "Corner Lot" at Philadelphia Fringe Festival, a new work at Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2001), Choreographers Project series at Susan Hess Modern Dance (1987-1995, Philadelphia), and a tour of Poland and Romania (2004).
  Leah Stein Dance Company

• Music for Kei Takei's Moving Earth at Mythos Festival, Philadelphia (1991)

• "A Place for Human Butoh" with Bodhisattva Butoh Keiko-ba: a series of Butoh performances in Japan (1989-92).

• Performances (as composer/percussionist) with ZeroMoving Dance Company (1988-91) including Baltimore Museum of Art, Joyce Theater (New York), and American Dance Festival (Durham NC).

• Extensive Performance with Joel Thome's World Sound (1989-92): Galerie LeLong (New York), Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh), Los Angels County Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum (New York) National Gallery of Art (Washington DC) and others.

• Six Saturdays: Exploration in Six Archetypal Themes (Body, Mind, Place, Pathway, Planet and Future). No.4: "The Pathway" (July 12th, 1981) with Joseph Campbell / Orchestra of Our Time (Joel Thome: Director). Makihara performed his solo percussion work "Seven Faces of Oku" at Yellow Springs Institute, Chester Springs, PA.