John Endo Greenaway
John was a founding member of Canada’s first taiko group, Katari Taiko, and Canada’s first professional taiko group, Uzume Taiko, with whom he toured extensively across Europe and North America. He spent five years as assistant instructor with Chibi Taiko, Canada’s first youth taiko group. He is a freelance graphic designer and editor of The Bulletin, a journal of Japanese Canadian community, history and culture. John is happy to have drummed with his two daughters, Emiko and Kaya, in Chibi Taiko and his wife Amy in Sansho. A highlight was when the whole family travelled to Onomichi with Chibi Taiko in the summer of 2009 for a collaboration with Onomichi’s Betchar Taiko. John’s Website.
Kuu Itoi
Kuu’s taiko journey started at age 12. He joined a traditional arts club and played Japanese taiko and dance and Chinese dance for six years in Japan. The team was invited to perform at more than ten local events around Tokyo every year. After graduation, Kuu decided to come to Canada to study biology and thought he would never play taiko again. But he soon realized that a big Japanese community exists in Vancouver and found his favourite taiko, Miyake taiko. This encounter brought him into the taiko world again. Now he is a member of Sansho Daiko, Canada Miyake-kai, Rakuichi Mikoshi, and Southern Wave. He is excited to be a part of Sansho Daiko!
Cheryl Lee
Cheryl helped form the Gold Buddha Monastery Taiko (GBM Taiko) group in 2008. With other members of the group, she studied traditional taiko drumming under Shinobu Homma. She played with Tokidoki Taiko before helping form Sansho Daiko in 2010. “What I love about Sansho Daiko is the fun, laughter, and the food that keeps us going . . .”
Amy Newman
Amy Newman was first introduced to taiko in 1990 when she joined Uzume Taiko as a saxophone player. She later trained as a taiko drummer and spent six years touring internationally with Uzume. Amy has recorded and co-composed music for two taiko CDs and later joined the community-based taiko ensemble Tokidoki Taiko in order to balance the needs of her family and job of elementary music teacher. Amy has a Masters degree in music education focusing on taiko drumming in the elementary classroom. She recently earned a doctoral degree in Educational Practice highlighting ways to open up Principaling, embedded in hermeneutic philosophy and Buddhist practices.
Kanata Soranaka
Kanata has found joy in weaving together her music background and Japanese heritage through taiko. Born and raised in London, Ontario, she grew up playing the piano and violin in a classical setting.
Kanata has a degree in piano performance from the UBC School of Music. She also ventured to Toyama, Japan as part of the JET Program to immerse herself in Japanese culture. Upon her return to Vancouver, she completed a Bachelor of Education to begin a career in teaching. She has taught various grades in the elementary classroom and is now teaching Music at Belmont Elementary School in Langley. She incorporates taiko instruction into the curriculum and strives to facilitate culturally diverse learning experiences through music and dance. Kanata has been part of the Steveston Tera Taiko, Toki Doki Taiko and was the instructor for the Topham Tora Taiko Club.
Mika Takee
Mika, of Japanese-Korean heritage, has been playing taiko since her early childhood in Japan. As a member of Tokyo’s Daigen Gumi, she was the recipient of a Judge’s Special Recognition Award at the Okaya Taiko Festival in Nagoya. Mika’s interest in Latin music brought her to Salvador, Brazil, where she joined the samba bateria “Swing do Pelo”. She has also played the Korean janggu in an ensemble in Japan. Mika was introduced to Sansho Daiko in 2022 by founding member Tamotsu Tongu. She is excited to join this passionate team and hopes to bring a fun and unique vibe to the group.