Instructors
kaDON Instructors
Sumie Kaneko
Sumie (sumi-é) Kaneko is a New York based composer, singer and koto and shamisen artist. She is renowned for her mastery of traditional repertoire and her ability to bring this depth to many different musical projects. She has collaborated with … Continued
Martin and Shonagh
Tsuchigumo Daiko is an organisation based in Central Scotland committed to the study and promotion of Wadaiko (way of Japanese Drumming) across the country and beyond, through regular classes, workshops, outreach, and performances. The group was founded in February 2016 … Continued
Eri Uchida
A professional taiko performer in Japan for over 10 years, Eri Uchida was immediately touched by the strong connection that taiko had on the community when she watched the taiko performances at San Jose Obon in the USA. As a … Continued
Kaoly Asano
The first time Kaoly Asano saw taiko drumming, she felt a familiar sensation as if she was finally “home.” As the founder and lead drummer for GOCOO and its taiko school TAWOO Taiko Dojo, Kaoly has pioneered a free spirited … Continued
Kenny Endo
For nearly 40 years, Kenny Endo has been at the vanguard of the taiko world, continuing to carve new territory in this Japanese style of drumming. He was the first non-Japanese national to be honored with a “natori,” a professional … Continued
Leonard Eto
Leonard Eto is one of the world’s most influential and innovative taiko players. His creativity and vision has deeply molded the way taiko is performed and perceived. Leonard is known for the fluid dance like quality of his movements and … Continued
PJ Hirabayashi
PJ Hirabayashi is the Artistic Director Emeritus, former Artistic Director, and founding member of San Jose Taiko (SJT), a world-class performing ensemble of taiko drummers. She is a pioneer of North American taiko, recognized in the international taiko community for … Continued
Shoji Kameda
Shoji is a Grammy nominated musician, composer and producer. He started playing taiko at the age of 8 and has played continuously since. He was selected through a highly competitive process as an Asian Pacific Performance Exchange fellow, collaborating with … Continued
Kaoru Watanabe
Kaoru Watanabe is a New York-based musician and North America’s leading practitioner of the shinobue (Japanese transverse flute). Kaoru began playing taiko at the age of 11 as a member of St. Louis Osuwa Taiko and went on to become … Continued
Hibikus Instructors
Kunihiro Kawahara
President of the Fukuoka branch of the Nippon Taiko Foundation, vice president of the All-Kyushu Taiko Federation, and president of the Fukuoka Prefecture Taiko Federation, Kunihiro performs both in Japan and abroad with his Fukuoka-based wadaiko drumming group Nobushi. He … Continued
Masaya Koike
Born in Yokohama, Japan, Masaya Koike started taiko at a young age. After graduating from high school, he joined the Kodo Apprentice Centre in Sado Island, Niigata. There he studied taiko, fue and dance and progressed to become a junior … Continued
Kenichi Koizumi
Born in Saitama, Japan, Kenichi Koizumi studied under Eitetsu Hayashi, a legendary taiko performer, and became a member of Eitetsu Fu-Un no Kai. In 2003, Kenichi moved to Australia to study music and joined TAIKOZ in Sydney. He learned various … Continued
Katsuji Kondo
Originally from Mie, Japan, Katsuji Kondo joined Ondekoza on Sado Island right out of high school to study taiko and Tsugaru shamisen. In 1982, he became one of the founding members and key performers of the renowned Kodo, and in 1987 … Continued
Tsuyoshi Maeda
Born in Kobe, Japan, Tsuyoshi Maeda started taiko at a young age as part of the regional revival movement from the Great Hanshin earthquake (1995). In 2008, he joined Kodo and toured all over the world performing on more than … Continued
Maya Minowa
Maya was born in Miyazaki, Japan and started playing taiko as a child. In 2008, she moved to Brazil and started teaching taiko. For eight years starting in 2011, she was a member of the taiko performing group Kodo, based … Continued
Masaru Tsuji
Born in Hokkaido, Japan, Masaru Tsuji enrolled in the Kodo Apprentice Centre after finishing high school and stayed on as full member of Kodo’s performing ensemble until 2016. While at Kodo, Masaru performed at over 1,900 venues both in and … Continued