About USC Kazan Taiko
History of Kazan
Founded in the Fall of 2002, USC Kazan Taiko ("kazan" meaning "volcano" or literally, "fire mountain") is one of the newest collegiate Taiko groups to join the ranks of existing groups like UCLA Kyodo Taiko, UCI Jodaiko, and Stanford Taiko.
With the extensive knowledge and guidance of Taiko Project's Artistic Director and USC alumnus Bryan Yamami, founders Koichi Sanchez and Bridge Mei, along with the enthusiastic and devoted founding group, created USC's first Taiko group.
Kazan Taiko's formation is a testament to the growing popularity of Taiko not only on the college level but for North America as well. Kazan Taiko's goal is to provide a place to learn more about the deep rooted tradition of Taiko while allowing members to express themselves through music and movement with both traditional and modern influences of dance, music, and culture.
Performances
On USC's campus, Kazan Taiko has performed at philanthropic events such as Relay for Life and cultural and social events such as USC Nikkei Association's Culture Night, a multi-act production utilizing creative storytelling to educate about the Japanese American identity and experiences, and the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association's homecoming tailgate and Asian Pacific Graduation Ceremony. This year we also performed for the USC Visions and Voices event, "From Bebop to Doo-Wop to Hip Hop" and for the Japanese Chamber of Commerce's New Year's Celebration in Little Tokyo.
Workshops
This past year we began inviting members of the Southern California taiko community to assist us in improving our technique and performance quality. These workshop leaders have included: Reverend Masao Kodani and George Abe of Kinnara Taiko, one of the first taiko groups formed in North America; as well as Charles Kelogg, who formally trained with KODO on Sado Island.
Social Events
Although we are primarily a performance group, we still like to have fun! We program various social events where are members can relax and get to know one another better. Our events have included: after-practice dinners, laser tag, kayaking, and karaoke.