Columbia University Taiko Festival 2024 – Recap

November 26, 2024 • Performance Recap

Soh Daiko members perform Hachidan.
*(Left-to-Right: Jane Conrad, Jodi Scharf, Victoria Nishikawa, Anna Croteau)*

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.

Soh Daiko members Jodi Scharf and Miyuki Takahashi.

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!

Group photo of the performers at CU Taiko Festival 2024.
Thank you, CU Taiko and all who participated!

Public Workshop 2024 Recap

November 18, 2024 • News Recap Workshop Workshop

This past Saturday, November 9th, Soh Daiko hosted a public taiko workshop! Workshop participants were taught the basics of a taiko hit, introduced to the Soh Daiko patterns for Matsuri, and educated on the history of Soh Daiko and taiko in the United States. We capped off the workshop with a taiko jam, where participants played together with Soh Daiko members and let loose with their new taiko skills!

Thank you to the participants who came to our workshop; we were impressed by your efforts! As taiko players ourselves, we know how challenging it can be, both physically and mentally, and we are thankful to everyone for staying engaged and focused over four strenuous hours. This year, participants came from all experience levels, from those who had years of experience to those who were completely new to taiko. We also were happy to see participation from a variety of age groups, a true representation of community.

During the workshop, we loved seeing everyone open up and flourish the more we drummed. And, thanks to the participants’ hard work, we were able to advance more than anticipated! We hope that everyone returned home feeling empowered and inspired by a fresh joy for taiko. On Soh Daiko’s end, we were inspired throughout the workshop by the participants and were reminded of what motivates us to continue playing.

Taiko is more than just a musical artform, it is also about giving to and receiving from the greater community. A wonderful part of taiko is spreading the simple joy of drumming together. We always love sharing the history of taiko and our love for the art with community members, and so we are thankful to the workshop participants for being interested and spending time with us. We hope to see you at future taiko events!

Celebrating our 45th Anniversary!

June 4, 2024 • News Recap

2024 is Soh Daiko’s 45th Anniversary year! We have been drumming in the basement of the New York Buddhist Church for four and a half decades, giving countless performances at events large and small and near and far. After a brief beginning as a youth group, Soh Daiko was formed in 1979 and became the first taiko ensemble on the East Coast of the United States. Over the years we’ve made appearances on Sesame Street, NBC’s Today Show, Saturday Night Live, and more, as well as sharing the love of taiko with audiences all across the tri-state area at cultural festivals.

This weekend we came together with former Soh Daiko members and friends to celebrate this milestone. We enjoyed a beautiful view, great company, delicious food, and a performance just for us.

In honor of our 45th Anniversary, we will be taking a trip down memory lane to celebrate our iconic repertoire from its early days to the present. Original compositions like Yuudachi and Hachidan and arrangements like Matsuri and Miyake have stood the test of time over our 45 year history. Though the music and spirit have endured, these pieces continue to evolve with the group and its members. Join us as we revisit videos of our favorite performances from the early days and recent years!

You can follow along at our Youtube channel HERE and on Instagram and Facebook with: #sohdaiko45th