In January 1991, Steve Wilkes, with the sponsorship of the Uchida
Scholarship Foundation, travelled to Japan to study “taiko” drumming.
Taiko is the native drum of Japan with a history nearly 1500 years long.
He studied with taiko master Seido Kobayashi in Tokyo, travelled to
Sado Island to observe the historic Kodo ensemble, and to Kokura to
observe the group O Gion Daiko. The music he composed for The
Secrets of Shadows was inspired and informed by these experiences.

“Dr. Berk and I share a vision of bringing East and West closer together
through the universal language of music. In The Secrets of Shadows,
Berklee Professor Steve Wilkes details the stimulus Japan has provided
to Berklee College of Music. This is the sort of effort that will encourage
young talent and bring the world closer together.”

— Mr. Genko Uchida, Uchida Scholarship Foundation

“The Secrets of Shadows by Steve Wilkes is an exploration, a discovery,
and a synthesis which teaches us the importance of interactions be-
tween two distinct societies. Increased awareness and appreciation of
the way in which musical cultures nourish each other can only result in
greater respect, understanding, and goodwill.”

— Dr. Lee Eliot Berk, President, Berklee College of Music

Berklee

COLLEGE OF MUSIC

Where careers in music begin.