Group History#
Katari Taiko has the distinction of being the first taiko drum group formed in Canada and has developed a large and enthusiastic popular following. Since its inception in 1979, this performing company has performed throughout Canada and the U.S. The group has appeared in numerous festival and theatre settings.
Katari Taiko has built up an extensive repertoire of both traditional and modern pieces, including original compositions. Their performances incorporate vocals, martial arts, poetry and theatre. The synergy of the group, their joy and passion, together with the visceral experience of the drumming appeals to audiences of all ages and transcends cultural barriers. The group operates as a collective, with a goal to develop a form of Asian Canadian culture that incorporates the following elements: discipline, physical strength, grace, non-sexism, musical creativity. Katari Taiko hopes to inspire other Asian Canadians to explore their community and culture. They give workshops and classes in Vancouver to enable the general public to get a feeling for taiko and to serve as cultural exchange between Canadians of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Arguably, Katari Taiko is both the oldest and the youngest group. As the first taiko group in Canada, Katari Taiko members have helped start many groups in centres across Canada. As past members have left to start their own unique groups, to focus on family, work, school and other activities, others have continued to create new works, to rehearse repertoire, to recruit and train new members, to perform and to join other taiko groups in community workshops, shared concerts and new collaborative works.
Founding Inspiration#
Katari Taiko has a long history with the Powell Street Festival going back to its inception. Founding members of the Katari Taiko helped establish the festival and were inspired to start the group after seeing San Jose Taiko at the festival. Katari Taiko has performed at the festival annually with few exceptions.
Notable History#
- 2025: Premiere of Toki No Suna by member Steve Kubota at the Echoes Concert at Performance Works, presented by Vancouver Taiko Society
- 1982-2024: Powell Street Festival
- Past tours over 46 years in BC, across Canada, in the US and Japan
- 1987-88: Rage, choreographed by Jay Hirabayashi, performed with Kokoro Dance at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and at the Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa
- 1985: Canada Summer Games, New Brunswick
Future Goals and Values#
Building its archive of songs, history and the groups that grew out of it.
Performance Material Sources#
The majority of Katari Taiko songs were written by former and current members. A few songs were arranged from works that were shared or taught by taiko masters in the US and Japan such as the piece Ashura by Reverend Mas Kodani of Kinnari Taiko in Los Angeles and Matsuri by Seiichi Tanaka of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo and Sen No Kaikyo by Eitetsu Hayashi from Japan.
Taiko Community Mentors in the Group#
- Atsuko Yamashita, Pey-Ming Liu, Reiko Shimizu Anderson, Steve Kubota - workshops
- Diane Kadota, general manager - grant writing (maybe)
