TaikoTrek 2016

A “Distinguished Alumni” of SF Taiko Dojo and former Artistic Director of Somei Yoshino Taiko Ensemble, Mui has spent the last 33 years as a multi­faceted performing artist/producer/educator working in the fields of contemporary dance, dance theater, world music and Taiko.  As a dancer, he received his degree in Modern Dance & Choreography from CalArts, and then went on to work with the likes of MacArthur Fellow and Tony Award winning choreographer, Bill T. Jones, and George Coates Performance Works. As Taiko Artist he has shared the stage with luminaries within the jazz, world music and Taiko scene such as Kenny Endo, Riley Lee, Marcus Shelby, Kyoungil Ong and others.  As a director, he has created ongoing Taiko productions for Disneyland and the Hotel Nikko SF.  He currently serves as Executive Producer/Director for the SF World Percussion Arts Festival and as an itinerant Taiko Educator for the SF Unified School District. He founded his Taiko School in San Francisco, Maikaze Daiko, in 2007 and received an Isadora Duncan nomination in the category of music for his work with longtime collaborator, Krissy Keefer & Dance Brigade.  

Isaku Kageyama is an eclectic and versatile taiko performer, hand percussionist, and drummer, currently working with groups such as Asano Taiko UnitOne, film-scoring extravaganza The Masterpiece Experience, world music group Rhythm of the Universe, anime band Soulandscape, and the LA Japanese Music Ensemble.
His resume includes major corporate events and TV commercials for global brands such as Boeing and Toyota, performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and tours including nations such as Brazil, China, Thailand, United Arab Emirates.
Formerly a principal drummer of premiere ensemble Amanojaku, he holds a Bachelor of Music from the Berklee College of Music and a Master of Arts from Longy School of Music of Bard College.
He is also a two-time National Odaiko (large drum) Champion, becoming the youngest person to win highest honors at the Mt. Fuji Odaiko Contest in 2000, and Hokkaido in 2003. 

Joe Small is a Los Angeles-based taiko drum artist whose creative approach incorporates postmodern choreography and performance art.  Career highlights include a Fulbright Fellowship to Japan to research taiko drumming and festival culture (2005-2006), a two-year apprenticeship with the renowned taiko group, KODO (2007-2009), performing as a pick-up member of Marco Lienhard’s Taikoza (2009-), and ongoing activities since 2012 as the sole non-Japanese member of Fu-un no Kai, the professional ensemble of pioneering solo taiko artist Eitetsu Hayashi.  Joe has performed and taught in numerous locations throughout the United States and Japan, as well as in Hong Kong, Australia, Spain, and Switzerland.  In 2015, Joe debuted his first original evening-length concert, Spall Fragments, and was a guest artist for the Sydney-based professional taiko group, TaikOz.  He is a 2005 graduate of Swarthmore College (BA, Dance) and a 2015 graduate of UCLA's Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance (MFA, Dance).

Originally from Hong Kong, Yeeman graduated in University of Hong Kong in 2010 with an MPhil in Musicology. She is a dedicated taiko practitioner, performer and teacher. Her passion as a performing artist blossom while studying Orff Schulwerk to teach music. After becoming a certified Orff instructor in 2013, she combined her love for Taiko with her enthusiasm to teach as she continually finds new ways to celebrate the essence of the mind, body and spirit. Mixing a combination of taiko and Orff education approach, it’s her dream to share the enjoyment of music to everyone of all ages and skill levels. Through activities such as body percussion, singing and dancing, her goal is to help develop the individual’s sense of natural musicality. In 2012 and 2013, she was awarded a one-year fellowship to study with Kenny Endo at the Taiko Center of the Pacific (TCP). Since then she has been working as a performing member and teacher at TCP. Outside of Hawaii and Hong Kong, Yeeman has also taught and performed in Los Angeles (LATI), Las Vegas (NATC), Madrid (Taiko Film documentary), and recently conducted a series of music teacher workshops in Macau.

Heidi Chan is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and music researcher. She plays Asian flutes (Chinese dongxiao, Japanese shinobue), percussion (Japanese taiko drums, percussion, drum kit), electronics (modular synth, software, effects) and bass ukulele. She has performed with numerous music groups including professional Japanese taiko drumming ensemble Nagata Shachu (Toronto), ground-breaking rock band The Cliks (Toronto), and experimental music ensemble Brown Note Collective (Hong Kong).  She is currently a member of folktronic duo deenzi, experimental Japanese folk ensemble Ten Ten, ukulele duo My Bach Has Fleas, and continues to be involved in music projects that challenge and expand her musical knowledge, skills and sensitivities. She performs and collaborates regularly with a wide range of musicians and artists in Toronto and abroad. Chan composes electronic music under her solo project Bachelard.  She holds a Masters degree in music composition at York University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Ethnomusicology at York University.