Letter: In Brief

Sir: Your picture caption refers to the Japanese drummers Wadaiko Yamato as specialists in "traditional" taiko drumming (18 May). While it is safe to say that taiko drums have played a central role in Japanese traditional music, the genre taiko (also referred to as wadaiko and kumi-daiko), has its origins in the 1950s.

JANE ALASZEWSKI

Centre for Music Studies

School of Oriental and African Studies,

University of London