McIntyre Hall Presents
Taiko Project
Friday, March 14 7:30pm
Taiko Project was founded in 2000 in Los Angeles, California by a group of young, emerging taiko drummers led by Bryan Yamami and Masato Baba. Taiko Project first made waves when they became the first American taiko group to win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest in 2005, besting all of the Japanese taiko groups in the competition. That year, they were cast in the Mitsubishi Eclipse commercial, the first and still only national advertising campaign to prominently feature taiko. The group continues to define a modern American style of taiko, blending traditional forms with an innovative and fresh aesthetic.
The group has performed on the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, NBC’s “The Voice”, Syfy’s Face/Off, The X-Factor, rock band 30 Seconds to Mars’ “Up in the Air” music video, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, the iHeartRadio Music Festival, and was honored with the prestigious Visionary Award from East West Players. Their new full-length concert program “BENZAITEN” is inspired by the Japanese goddess of wisdom, beauty, and dance. TAIKOPROJECT has always sought to break the boundaries of traditional taiko and create new music and choreography based in the art form, but expanding past its original expressions. In this latest work, they are challenging gender roles in taiko music and emphasizing the equity present in their ensemble that has not been present in the genre in the past. But not only will they be showcasing their female members in powerful, strenuous roles, but also delving into their male members’ delicacy and grace in a multi-layered exploration of taiko and gender.
All Ages.
Join us for a pre-concert talk 45 minutes prior to the concert.
This event is also part of the Create Your Own (CYO) Series. CYO gives you the freedom to choose all the shows that you want to see. Simply select at least 4 events from the CYO list & SAVE! (Some restrictions may apply.) Events included in this series are noted as CYO in the brochure and website. The more you choose the more you Save!
4 or More Events – Save 10%
6 or More Events – Save 15%
8 or More Events – Save 20%
Health Information: There are no requirements at this time.
Additional COVID-19 related health protocols may be in effect at the time of your performance or event including but not limited to: face masks, proof of negative test or vaccination, distancing, restricted theater capacity, modified seating configurations, and confirmation of no known symptoms of and exposure to COVID-19. We reserve the right to make changes to health protocols according to updated public health guidance and law. Please feel free to reach out to our Box Office at any time if you have questions or require additional information – or visit our homepage for up to date COVID protocols.