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Margaret Park School students Christie Jack, left, and Abigail Garcia learn the art of taiko drumming. (PHOTO BY DARREN RIDGLEY)

Students at Margaret Park Community School just want to bang on a drum all day, and they got what they wanted last week.

Japanese taiko drumming group Fubuki Daiko visited the school during the week of Feb. 18-22, teaching the kids the basics of the Japanese drumming style. At the end of the week, the different classes put on performances for their peers.

Hiroshi Koshiyama, who taught the classes along with Bruce Robertson, said they try to impart some lessons about Japanese culture as well: Students bowed before entering and leaving the gym where the lessons took place, and they set aside some time for meditation, which is taken from Japanese martial arts.

"It’s been going great, the kids have been really fun to work with," he said.

"We teach them a lot about Japanese etiquette, respect."

Koshiyama said the group has been with Artists in the Schools for 16 years.

"We just really enjoy working with the kids. We like to spread the Japanese culture, and letting people know what taiko drumming is all about."