On Sunday, November 10th, Soh Daiko was thrilled to take part in the 10th Annual Columbia University Taiko Festival. We were deeply inspired by the incredible talent and energy of all the taiko players who came together for this special event! Soh Daiko performed Tsunagu by KODO and was joined on stage by former member Mac Evans for our signature piece Hachidan. Additionally, members Jodi Scharf and Miyuki Takahashi participated in a multi-group performance of Omiyage, alongside other members of the East Coast taiko community, completing an unforgettable program.

The event featured an impressive lineup of renowned taiko players and groups. Notable mentions include our dear friend Shoji Kameda, composer of Omiyage and founder of kaDON, an online taiko school. We were also joined by Casual Fifth (led by former Soh Daiko member Mac Evans) and Swarthmore Taiko (led by the East Coast’s only tenured taiko professor, Joe Small), both traveling from Philadelphia. Other collegiate groups included Brown-RISD’s Gendo Taiko, Stony Brook University’s Taiko Tides, and Binghamton University’s Unkai Daiko. Local NYC groups represented by New York Taiko Aiko Kai, OMNY Taiko, and, of course, our hosts, Columbia University Taiko, all added to the vibrant atmosphere. We were also excited to see two high school groups, Ridgewood High School Wadaiko and Pingry Taiko, take the stage—such a promising sign of taiko’s growing presence in schools! As a piece of NYC taiko history, we’d like to share that a founding member of CU Taiko, Akira Baruah, was also a member of Soh Daiko from 2014 to 2016.

For the New York taiko community, it’s a rare and special occasion to have so many groups come together in one place. For the past 10 years, the CU Taiko Festival has served as a vital connection point for both the New York City and greater East Coast taiko communities. Soh Daiko was overjoyed to reunite with old friends and meet so many new taiko players. A huge thank you to everyone at CU Taiko for making this incredible event possible year after year. Congratulations on 10 amazing years, and here’s to many more to come!