Taiko Center of the Pacific

Introducing the next generation of taiko artists...

The Taiko Center of the Pacific Youth Group (TCP-YG) is a taiko performing group consisting of children ages 5-18 from Taiko Center of the Pacific (a school of traditional and contemporary Japanese drumming). The TCP Youth Group made their debut performance at the opening of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii in 1994 and has since been actively performing for island festivals and special events. Formerly under the direction of Kenny Endo and Masato Baba, Gabriel Ishida currently serves as Director. Under the leadership of such fine artists, the group has developed their technique and creativity to become one of the top youth taiko ensembles in the United States. Among their many performances, they have appeared at the Neal Blaisdell Center Concert Hall as part of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra's educational series performances; Kobe Earthquake Relief Fund Benefit; Manoa Valley Christmas Parade; Arts Hawaii Festival; Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival; Honolulu Festival and the Aloha Week Festival. In 2002, TCP Youth Group traveled to Fort Wayne Indiana to be the lead performers of the First Annual International Youth Arts Festival, give school educational demonstrations, and performed at the F.A.M.E (Foundation for Art and Music in Elementary Education) Festival. The Youth Group made a big splash at the 2003 North American Taiko Conference "Taiko Ten" concert in Sacramento, California. In 2004 they were the featured guests in Zenshin Daiko's 5th Annual Taiko Festival on Maui, and also opened for the internationally acclaimed taiko group TAO. In 2005 the Youth Group was honored to perform in Kenny Endo's 30th Anniversary concert "East Meets West."