By their own count, Portland Taiko, which was founded in 1994 by Ann Ishimaru and Zachary Semke alongside Japanese American community activists, has performed at over 1500 events for over one million audience members. Now, the Oregon-based troupe travels north to Washington state, to present at the Regional Taiko Conference in Seattle and later perform at the Realms Unknown Festival in Woodland.
This year, Portland Taiko is celebrating its 30th anniversary. “Portland Taiko has certainly changed over the years, but I continue to be inspired by its unique combination of high energy, artistry, and commitments to sharing Asian American pride and culture with the community,” said founder Ishimaru. “During the pandemic, the group really stretched its creativity, not only shifting to online classes and rehearsals, but also composing new music over Zoom, collaborating with other artists, and using video to share the excitement and beauty of performances everywhere, from the middle of a forest to an Oregon winery and the serene beauty of the Oregon Buddhist Temple, where the group is based.”
The drumming group didn’t shy away from combatting anti-Asian sentiment during this period. “Asian American members of the group shared a video of their personal experiences with racism to educate about the prevalence of those experiences and call for action to combat hate,” Ishimaru reported. “The group has kept two things at its core that I think are super powerful and unique, a rootedness in Japanese and Asian American cultures, history, and communities, married with an embrace of artistic excellence and creative innovation!”
During the past three decades, Portland Taiko has undergone leadership transitions and other changes, and Ishimaru credits the group’s committed members and supporters for its longevity. “To name just a couple, Valerie Otani was a founding member of our group whose vision, artistry, creativity, and deep community convictions live on in the mission of the group, her many striking works of public art, and in the countless people she touched,” she enthused. “Wynn Kiyama, our last Executive Director, led the organization through the pandemic with such dedication, creativity and hope.”
In honor of Otani, Portland Taiko will perform Gathering, a piece that was composed remotely over Zoom, at the upcoming Regional Conference. “Gathering was written in honor of our dear friend and founding member Valerie Otani,” said Portland Taiko’s Executive Administrator Kelsey Furuta. “She will always be remembered for her infectious joy on stage and dedication to community.”
To help celebrate Otani’s legacy, Tiffany Tamaribuchi has joined as Portland Taiko’s newest Artistic Director. “Tiffany is a giant in the taiko world!” Ishimaru said. “From her starring role in Finding Her Beat, a documentary film, to leading the group in a collaboration with Shivy Vanka’s beautiful Bharatanatyam group at Carnegie Hall earlier this month, she’s an artistic force who is already evolving the performance of the group.”
Tamaribuchi is excited to work with the group’s mix of long-term and newer members. “The group also has a rich history and a solid musical core repertoire, so it’s also exciting to have an opportunity to add compositions to that repertoire,” Tamaribuchi said. “On top of that, the organization as a whole has always and still continues to engage in community centered action and advocacy, and it’s incredibly rewarding to be a part of that legacy.”
In addition to performing, Tamaribuchi will be teaching workshops at the upcoming Regional Conference. “Preventing common but easily preventable injuries is a huge passion of mine, but lately I’ve been emphasizing the practice of enjoying what you are playing in the moment,” she said. “Seiichi Tanaka-Sensei used to teach us to play with a ratio of 99 percent crazy to one percent cool, that you have to be totally invested in the spirit of the drumming and the piece you are playing, with only about one percent of your attention on critical things like form or timing.”
This kind of guidance keeps drumming fun for long-term Portland Taiko members like Krista Ede. “I took Taiko 101 in 2001 and have been a member since 2004, so 23 years!” Ede remembered. “Drumming is a fun, energetic release for me.”
She’s looking forward to the group’s participation in the Regional Conference. “I always learn more about the origins of taiko at conferences, and I am inspired by the high-level workshop leaders,” she said. “I hope to add some confidence and flair to my solos.”
Fellow performer Donovan Carrillo, who started drumming in 2001 with a group in California and later joined Portland Taiko in 2018, agrees. “I’m looking forward to spending time getting to know lots of other taiko players and having a chance to learn new styles of playing in the workshops,” he said. “I love the energy and power of playing taiko, and I feel like practicing exercises a different part of my brain than my day job. I also really value the connections I have made with taiko, both within our group and in the community.”
That’s the kind of drumming that Tamaribuchi hopes to foster. “To get out of your head and let go of the self-criticism and self-doubt, and embrace and express the groove of a piece and the sheer joy of playing it in the moment is not an easy thing for a lot of people,” she advised. “Others may emphasize the ‘mushin’ aspect of letting go of ego and being in the flow more, and there’s being mindful of the ‘ma’ or space, bringing the rhythms to life, breathing, relaxing, all of that is important, but I most hope to convey the idea of thoroughly enjoying the practice and performance in the moment and having as much fun as possible.”
Beyond fun, Tamaribuchi also advocates for the very serious matter of creating sustainable employment within the realm of taiko performance. “The other hugely important thing to me about the Regional Conference is to help spread the word about TaikoVentures and the work Sue Yuen and company have been doing to revolutionize the taiko economy in support of people who have dedicated their lives to the art and have been part of the foundation of the community as it exists today,” she said. “I am a TaikoVentures vocationist, and it’s been hugely beneficial to me personally, especially as I’ve recently gone through a medical crisis that might otherwise have been career-ending.”
Supporting all of this performing, teaching, and community-building is Executive Administrator Kelsey Furuta, who joined Portland Taiko in 2009 as a member of the artistic staff. “When I had my second child in 2019, I ended up taking a break from drumming,” she shared. “This was a big decision, that was made partly by my infant, and partly from lockdown, because I had been playing since 1993, when I first started playing taiko with a youth group in Seattle.”
Furuta admits missing performing as a drummer. “At the same time, I really love being able to support the group in this new way,” she said. “The most satisfying thing that I’ve accomplished was getting my first grant!”
She also helps Portland Taiko partner with community organizations, and Portland Taiko recently performed at 4 Days of Aloha in Vancouver, Washington, as a benefit for the Ke Kukui Foundation. “4 Days of Aloha is one of our favorite summer performances,” Furuta said. “We always try to make time for performances that align with our mission statement, and often these types of performances are pro bono or discounted.”
And she has a big role in bringing the group to the Regional North American Taiko Conference in Seattle. “The NATCs are always a blast!” Furuta said. “It’s such a great opportunity to learn from taiko legends from all over the world, connect with other taiko players, and enjoy performances.”
With Furuta’s assistance, Portland Taiko is already making plans for beyond 2024: In March, 2025, the group will perform at Tacoma Arts Live.
But even as the group looks ahead, founder Ishimaru encourages audiences to consider taiko’s history. “I love that we have so many taiko groups in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, and it’s become common to hear the thunder of taiko!” she said. “I hope that people remember that that sound and the freedom to play with such abandon is a legacy of the Issei and Nisei, the first and second generations of Japanese Americans, who were incarcerated and persevered through and after World War II.”
Ishimaru highlights the work of Stan Shikuma, in particular. “Many of our American taiko elders are sansei, the third generation of Japanese Americans, who fought for civil rights, redress for incarceration, and they are continuing to lead the fight towards a more just world,” she emphasized. “I am so proud that Portland Taiko has stewarded that legacy while continuing to innovate to expand our creative horizons and contribute to a vibrant future in our communities.”
Taiko Portland performs at the Realms Unknown Festival on September 21, at 3209 Lewis River Road, Woodland.
