And that’s a wrap on our annual recruitment kick-off!

This month we hosted our annual recruitment workshops with two full days of drumming, sweating, learning, and fun. We welcomed a range of participants into our dojo, from beginners to those with taiko experience, and introduced them to the fundamentals of playing the Soh Daiko way. We’d like to give a big thank you to everyone who came out to play and learn from us this year–we hope you enjoyed our time together as much as we did!

We are excited to share our new class of trainees for the 2022-2023 season: , Suzhen, Charlotte, Lisa, and HanBin! Our new trainee class comes from across the NYC and New Jersey area and brings a diverse set of experiences, from collegiate and community taiko groups to musical studies. Over the next few months, they will join our rehearsals and learn our technique and repertoire.

We’re looking forward to a great season ahead as we hone our skills, polish our repertoire, and shape our trainees into a new generation of Soh Daiko performers!

With our 2021-2022 season coming to an end, we are happy to announce our two newest performing members, Jodi Scharf and Nick Mechak! Both Jodi and Nick joined our trainee program last fall and have practiced and performed with us throughout the year. You may have seen them playing the in our signature pieces “Matsuri” and “Yuudachi”, drumming samba rhythms in master drummer Kenny Endo’s piece “Symmetrical Soundscapes”, and more!

Jodi has played taiko for four years and was previously a member of Gendo Taiko at Brown University. Jodi recently completed her masters degree in public health and currently works as a researcher in population mental health here in NYC. When she’s not playing taiko, Jodi enjoys cycling, hiking, and playing piano and trombone.

Nick is new to taiko, but has previously played Western-style percussion at UMass Amherst where he earned his degree in Music Composition. Outside of Soh Daiko, Nick owns and operates Sour Humanoid, an artisanal vinegar company specializing in unique flavors. You can follow Sour Humanoid on social media (@sourhumanoid) and can find his products online or in the NYC area!

We are excited to see Jodi and Nick grow as performing members in the years to come. Please join us in offering them your congratulations and full support!