My first exposure to taiko was at a kite festival in Long Beach, Washington, and it happened to be Portland Taiko! I joined the performance group in 2004 and the Board of Directors in 2011. Thinking back to my childhood, I was most influenced by arts education. I love how a taiko performance or workshop leaves such a lasting impression on its participants. One of my favorite PT moments was having the opportunity to perform for patients at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem—it was very rewarding to see their faces light up. < Back