Special Guest Instructors

SHOJI KAMEDA & YUTA KATO

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We are very pleased to announce that Shoji Kameda and Yuta Kato will be your lead instructors for the first Taiko Gasshuku Alba. It's a massive honour and privilege for us to be hosting two of the most sought-after and highly regarded instructors and performers in the Taiko Community, and we can't thank them enough for accepting the invitation to lead our very first intensive.

 

If you've taken a workshop with either, you'll appreciate the depth of knowledge and rich skillsets both men posses. The Gasshuku presents a fantastic opportunity for intermediate to advanced players to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Taiko, improve their skills, and absorb the teachings and philosophies of two genuinely world-class artists.

 

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About the Instructors

 

SHOJI KAMEDA is a Grammy nominated musician, composer and producer. He started playing taiko at the age of 8 and has spent over 30 years teaching and performing taiko throughout the world. He composed the original score for Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story, Audience Award winner for Best Documentary at the Slamdance Film Festival.

 

He was featured in the music of the hit NBC TV show “Heroes” performed with Stevie Wonder at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and received a Grammy nomination with jazz fusion band Hiroshima for his work on their album Legacy.

 

As a founding member of On Ensemble and the group’s primary creative force he produced On Ensemble’s critically acclaimed albums. In 2014 he partnered with other leading taiko artists and instrument maker Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten to create kaDON.com an online venture dedicated to making high quality instruction, repertoire and instruments accessible to the entire taiko world.

 

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YUTA KATO is a freelance taiko performer and instructor with over 30 years of taiko playing and 20 years of instruction ranging from traditional Japanese art forms to contemporary American compositions.  Has organized multiple community and cultural exchange programs ranging from conference-type events to Japan taiko tours. 

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Served as the first Principal of LATI (Los Angeles Taiko Institute) until recently, where the job description entailed weekly instructions, curriculum development (from beginners to professionals), scheduling of other instructors, taiko group creation, and event organization.  After 10 years since inception, LATI currently has over 300 people coming through the facility on a weekly basis.

 

Passionate about connecting the past and future through constant learning and passing down of taiko technique, expression, and knowledge.