Members

 

 

With the group since 2007, Darlene is already a key member of Tucson Taiko Kyokai. She started playing drums at the age of nine but her mother swears she was keeping time in the womb. With a strong western music background rooted in symphony and marching band, and years of performance experience, she has a sincere desire to expand her musical talents and has the self-discipline necessary to adapt herself to the taiko art form. In her day job, Darlene works at Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona.

Eric is one of the co-founders of Tucson Taiko Kyokai. His first taiko lessons were from Esther Vandecar Sensei of Fushicho Daiko (Phoenix AZ) and he continues to study under her guidance. Before co-founding TTK in 2005, Eric was a member of the performance ensemble and board of directors of Odaiko Sonora in Tucson.. Eric's taiko talents have evolved over the years from training with many Japanese and Japanese-American masters -- Seiichi Tanaka Sensei, Kenny Endo, San Jose Taiko, Nosuke Akiyama, Tiffany Tamaribuchi, Kris Bergstrom, Yoshikazu Fujimoto from Kodo, Ringtaro Tateishi from Ondekoza, and Grand Master Seido Kobayashi of Oedo Sukeroku Taiko. Among his varied talents, Eric is a master carpenter and personally makes all of the group's drum stands and bachi, and oversees the construction of the group's drums.

Frida was TTK's very first student in 2005. Just nine years old then and eager to drum, Frida quickly embraced the taiko art form and easily absorbed her lessons. Today, despite her youth, she is a seasoned performer and a respected elder student. Her graceful form and her ability to quickly learn and play multiple parts of a piece are examples to the group's junior students.
Frida made her first trip to Phoenix to learn from TTK's Sensei Ester Vandacar (Fushicho Daiko) in Jan 2008 and she played in her first All Arizona Matsuri Festival in Feb 2008. She feels fortunate to be part of the taiko community at such an early age. When Frida is not practicing and performing with TTK, she pursues her studies at a local charter junior high school where she is immersed in math, science and foreign languages.

Jasper started her taiko career with Tucson Juku Taiko and Odaiko Sonora, both founded by Karen Falkenstrom and Rome Hamner. Jasper joined TTK in 2005 and is a respected senior student who shares the knowledge she has gained through classes from Esther Vandecar Sensei (Fushicho Daiko, Phoenix AZ), Tiffany Tamaribuchi, and Kenny Endo. In her day job, Jasper oversees the environmental services department at University Physicians Hospital, Kino Campus.

Mo is a co-founder and chief marketer of Tucson Taiko Kyokai and owner of the Mo-Sun Art and Wellness Center, the site of TTK?s dojo. Like Jasper, Mo started playing taiko with Tucson Juku Taiko and Odaiko Sonora, both founded by Karen Falkenstrom and Rome Hamner. Mo is committed to continuing her taiko growth and continually takes classes from masters such as Seiichi Tanaka Sensei, Kenny Endo, Tiffany Tamaribuchi, Yoshikazu Fujimoto of Kodo, Marco Lienhard, Ringtaro Tateichi, Yoshikazu Fujimoto, and San Jose Taiko. Like Eric, Mo is one of the few taiko drum builders in the state and helps to oversee TTK's drum building classes. When she is not playing taiko, she is a federal law enforcement officer who works way too many hours.

Ofelia is a co-founder of Tucson Taiko Kyokai. Before TTK she played with Odaiko Sonora in Tucson for about four years. She has had the good fortune to have taken classes from Seiichi Tanaka Sensei, Kenny Endo, Eitetsu Hayashi, San Jose Taiko, Tiffany Tamaribuchi, Shidara, Yoshikazu Fujimoto from Kodo, Russel Baba, Toru Watanabe, Kris Bergstrom, Jeanne Aiko Mercer, Nosuke Akiyama, and Mizuho Zako and Seido Kabayashi of Oedo Sukeroku Taiko. Ofelia continues taking classes from her first revered Sensei Esther Vandecar (Fushicho Daiko, Phoenix AZ). Ofelia is forever grateful to Esther Sensei for teaching her her first DON and for years of unconditional support. As TTK's artistic director, Ofelia arranges and choreographs the group's performances as well as designs and sews the group's costumes.


Erin started playing with TTK in the summer of 2006. As an athlete, Erin admires the bodily strength and finesse the technique requires. In addition to the physical workout, she enjoys the exciting rhythms and the stress-relieving effects of the practices. Erin just graduated from the University of Arizona with an undergraduate degree in East Asian Studies

 

Dana is one of the newer members of Tucson Taiko Kyokai, having joined in 2008. She is a great source of positive energy for the group as she is constantly striving to increase her musical and technical skills with an abundance of good nature. She is an inspiration in her determination to learn and impressive in her commitment to the taiko art form. Dana is looking forward to accumulating enough training time so that she can begin applying to taiko workshops in California. In her day job, Dana is an elementary school teacher in the Tucson area.

 
   
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