Category: past performance

Lake Oswego Cultural Xchange

Lake Oswego’s multicultural festival Cultural Xchange celebrates different cultures from around the world. The event takes place Sunday, September 18, 2022 from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Millennium Plaza Park. Enjoy traditional dance and music performances, a Wushu martial arts demo, food and artisan vendors and more. Portland Taiko is thrilled to share the stage with DJ Avelanche, Clan Macleay Pipe Band, Mariachi Mexico En La Piel, White Lotus Dragon & Lion Dance, Dina Y Los Rumberos, Jujuba, Anavai O Te Ora (formerly Ora Nui) and Ron Artis II Trio. Portland Taiko plays at 12:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Portland Taiko Farm Festival
Triskelee Farm at 29700 SW Mountain Road, West Linn
Saturday, August 27, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. 
Portland Taiko presents its annual concert as an outdoor FARM FESTIVAL at Triskelee Farm in West Linn. Bring your own food, picnic blanket, chair, or canopy, and enjoy the full-length concert with Portland Taiko and guest appearances by the “Beyond Basics” taiko class. Guided farm tours, beer and wine for sale in the barn, produce stands, and a shave ice food truck! Thank you for your support and we’re happy to announce that we are SOLD OUT! You can still join the waitlist here. 

Hiroshima Day
Japanese American Historical Plaza, Waterfront
Monday, August 8, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. 
Sponsored by the Physicians for Social Responsibility

Obon Fest
Oregon Buddhist Temple at 3720 SE 34th Ave.
Saturday, August 6, 2:00 – 9:00 p.m. 
After two summers without an obon, we’re excited that the Oregon Buddhist Temple will host its Obon Fest this year! Lots of food, children’s activities, temple talks, and entertainment. The Portland Taiko students will perform at 5:30 p.m. and Portland Taiko will perform at 6:30 p.m. Stick around afterwards for the bon odori (obon dance)!

People of the Drum
Gateway Discovery Park at 10520 NE Halsey Street, Portland, OR
Saturday, July 23, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. 
We’re thrilled to announce the return of Portland Taiko’s People of the Drum free concert at Gateway Discovery Park in association with the Portland Parks and Recreation! Free performances and drumming/dance workshops by Hula Hālau ‘Ohana Holo’oko’a, Mexica Tiahui, Alex Addy Drummers, and Portland Taiko! Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of drumming and dance from different cultural traditions! 

Nikkei Park Celebration
Nikkei Park at 5009 NE 135th Ave in Vancouver, WA
Friday, July 15, 7:00 p.m. 
We’re excited to join the Naming Celebration of the new Nikkei Park in Vancouver, Washington! Please join us for live music by the Minidoka Swing Band and Portland Taiko, along with storytelling by Alton Takiyama-Chung. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. and Portland Taiko performs at 8:40 p.m.

JACL Day of Remembrance
McMenamins Kennedy School at 5736 NE 33rd Avenue
Saturday, February 26, 1:30 p.m. 
We are honored to perform at the Portland JACL’s program at the McMenamins Kennedy School, featuring a screening of Reparations with Senator Lew Frederick, Traci Kato-Kiriyama, and Jon Osaki. 

Salem Public Library
Online Performance for Salem Reads 
Saturday, February 5, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
We’re thrilled to perform for our friends at the Salem Public Library to kick off the Salem Reads Event! There will be audience participation and time for questions and answers. Live Spanish language and ASL interpretation will be included. Sign up in advance to receive Zoom access information on the day before the event: https://bit.ly/SR2022events

Bonenkai 2021
Online Year-End Celebration
Saturday, December 4, 7:00 p.m.
Join us for a special online celebration with performances by Portland Taiko and students from our ‘Naname Fundamentals’ and ‘Beyond Basics’ classes! More information to be posted soon! 

Joy (Comes) in the Mourning
Free program curated by Portland Playhouse
Saturday, September 18 from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.
602 NE Prescott Street, Portland 97211
Please join us for a heartfelt program reconnecting to mourning traditions and rituals, sharing the practices acknowledging loss, and expressing grief. Portland Taiko is honored to be a part of this event and performs at 4:30 p.m.

Gateway Discovery Park
Outdoor Concert sponsored by Portland Parks and Recreation
Saturday, August 21 from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. 
10520 NE Halsey Street
Free. Join us for this small-group performance in the spacious Gateway Discovery Park! 

Mochitsuki
Saturday, January 23, 12:00 pm
It’s the Year of the Ox and this year’s Mochitsuki is online. There is a full month of programming and we’re happy to be sharing the virtual stage with Oregon Koto-Kai, Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, Paul Matsushima, and Utsukikai! For the premiere of our video on 1/23, view here!

Bonenkai (Year-End Party, Recital, and Fundraiser)
Friday, December 4, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Join us for our annual year-end gathering! We will present taiko performances by our students, release the uncut taiko videos from our fall concert video event, and share our musical tribute to Valerie Otani. Stay tuned for details.

Fishtrap and the NEA Big Read
Thursday, March 19 at 7:00 pm
OK Theatre
2018 W. Main Street
Enterprise, OR 97828
Cancelled due to the covid-19 corona virus. We are working with the Fishtrap Writer’s Workshop to reschedule this wonderful program and hope to be in Enterprise sometime soon!

Asian Celebration
Sunday, February 16 at 1:40 pm
Lane County Fairgrounds
796 W 13th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97402
Celebrate the Year of the Rat with tons of performances, food, a huge marketplace, and hands-on activities! Portland Taiko performs on Sunday at 1:40 pm!

Mochitsuki 2020
Sunday, January 26 at 2:00 p.m.
PSU Viking Pavilion, Peter Stott Center
930 SW Hall Street
Portland, OR 97207
Celebrate the Year of the Rat with food, demonstrations, stage performances, and of course, mochi! The whole event lasts from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Portland Taiko goes onstage for 20 minutes starting at 2:00 p.m.

Portland Taiko’s 25th Anniversary Concert

Saturday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 3 at 2:00 p.m.
PSU Lincoln Performance Hall
1620 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR 97201
Portland Taiko’s 25th Anniversary Concert will feature current and past members, new works, and special guests Kenny Endo (Hawai’i), Tiffany Tamaribuchi (California), and the Kalabharathi School of Dance (Oregon). Please join us as we celebrate 25 years of drumming and community engagement! SOLD OUT! 

Thank you so much to our Saturday audience!!! For Sunday ticket-holders, remember it’s Daylight Savings and you get an extra hour of sleep tomorrow before the matinee!

Oregon Nikkei Endowment, 30th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 4:00 — 6:30 p.m.
Festival Street, NW 4th & Flanders
Portland, OR 97209
Sneak peek at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center’s new museum space with food, fun, and hard hats! Portland Taiko performs at 5:45 p.m. for thirty minutes. We’re thrilled to be joining in this celebration of Oregon Nikkei Endowment’s 30 years of history, community engagement, and activism. Open to the public but a ticketed event. 

Fourth Plain Multicultural Festival

Saturday, September 7, 2019 at 3:15 p.m.
Evergreen Park
3500 East Fourth Plain Boulevard
Vancouver, WA
This free event includes multicultural music and dance performances, sports and arts activities, children’s games, food vendors, booths for local organizations, and more! It runs from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Portland Taiko performs for 30 minutes starting at 3:15 p.m. Information here!

North American Taiko Conference

Friday, August 9, 2019
PSU Smith Memorial Student Union
1825 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
The Taiko Community of Portland (Portland Taiko, Takohachi, en Taiko, Unit Souzou, PSU Taiko Ensemble, and Catlin Gabel Taiko Club) will perform TOGETHER WE RISE to welcome the attendees of the North American Taiko Conferece! 

Obon Festival

Saturday, August 3, 2019 from 3:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Oregon Buddhist Temple
3720 SE 34th Avenue
Portland, OR 97202
It’s obon season again and we’re thrilled to return to Oregon Buddhist Temple’s Obon Festival. Come enjoy an afternoon of performances, delicious food and drinks, cultural and religious programs, and obon dance! Portland Taiko performs at 6:30 p.m. and the obon dance follows soon after!

Starlight Parade

Saturday, June 1, 2019 at 8:30 p.m.
Downtown Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland Taiko is thrilled to run its Portland Festival Yatai (float) once again through the streets of downtown Portland at the Rose Festival Starlight Parade. This year, we’ll be debuting our brand-new festival music written by Keiko Araki! Parade route and information here.

Fear No Music

Monday, May 6, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.
The Old Church
1422 SW 11th Ave
Portland, Oregon
Portland Taiko will appear as guests for Fear No Music’s Japanarama concert, reprising Kenji Bunch’s Dango Jiru and other pieces from our Sticks and Strings concert. Also works by Pauchi Sasaki, Barbara White, Stephen Hartke, and Wang Jie. Get your tickets here!

Oregon Historical Society, Family Day

Saturday, February 16 at 12:00 p.m.
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, Oregon
Join us for a fun, family day at the Experience Oregon Grand Opening Celebration with performances by BRAVO Youth Orchestras, Oregon Trail Trio, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, The Prairie Blossoms, and storytelling by Esther and Shannin Stutzman! Portland Taiko plays for 15 minutes starting at 12:00 p.m.

Mochitsuki

Sunday, January 27, 2019
PSU Viking Pavilion at the Peter Stott Center
930 SW Hall Street
Portland, Oregon
We’re excited to perform at the brand-new venue, the Viking Pavilion, at the Peter Stott Center! Come enjoy the same format of food vendors, cultural demonstrations, community organizations, and a full performance lineup at the new location in the Year of the Boar!

No No Boy
Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
Oregon Buddhist Temple
3720 SE 34th Avenue
Portland, Oregon
The night before our fall concert, we will collaborate with the songwriting and activist team of No No Boy for their opening number. Tickets are $10 with part of the proceeds benefiting the Oregon Buddhist Temple!

STICKS AND STRINGS
Sunday, October 21, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
Lincoln Performance Hall
1620 SW Park Avenue
Portland, Oregon
Tickets are now available for our fall concert highlighting Portland Taiko’s melodic repertoire for taiko, flute, and violin. The concert will feature guest musicians from the new music ensemble Fear No Music, youth taiko group en Taiko, and the premiere of Dango Jiru, a commissioned work for taiko, flute, violin, and cello composed by Kenji Bunch, Artistic Director of Fear No Music. Purchase your tickets here!

Celebration of Life for Bill Bulick
Reed Performing Arts Building
Saturday, August 4, 2018, 2:00 p.m.
28th and Botsford Drive (west end of campus)
Portland, Oregon

Rose Festival Starlight Parade
Saturday, June 2, 9:00 p.m.
Downtown Portland from Burnside/9th to Lincoln High School
Portland, Oregon
We’re thrilled to be relaunching our festival cart at this year’s Starlight Parade! Grab your beach chairs, find a spot along the parade route, and take part in this free, fun-filled Portland tradition!