Education for the Arts is proud to partner with the Connecting Chords Music Festival for these performances.
Since 1973, San Jose Taiko has captivated global audiences and critics alike with the powerful sounds of the taiko. Inspired by traditional Japanese drumming, company performers express the beauty of the human spirit through the voice of the taiko, creating a vibrant, contemporary art form as they strive to connect people through cultural understanding, creative expression, and rhythmic heartbeat.
San Jose Taiko was founded by young Asian Americans searching for an outlet to convey their experiences as third generation Japanese Americans, or Sansei. Looking to Japan for inspiration, they were drawn to the empowering sounds of the taiko – the Japanese drum – an instrument that embodies the spiritual essence and heartbeat of Japan.
Since then, San Jose Taiko has become a world-class ensemble, performing extensively both nationally and internationally, reaching more than 75,000 audience members each year. By studying with masters of other traditions and cultures, San Jose Taiko has broadened and embellished this historical art form into a distinct performance style that blends the traditional rhythms of Japanese drumming with the beat of world rhythms and is often described as “dancing with drums.” Known for synchronized choreography, eclectic musicality, and joyful spirit, San Jose Taiko performances and instruction are sought throughout the world by taiko fans and practitioners alike.
Japanese taiko is not only heard—it is felt. The drums reach something profound inside the listener. The propulsive reverberations feel as essential as a heartbeat. – Joey Thyne, Idaho Mountain Express
Thank You!
This project is funded in part by Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
