Japan
Kurumaya Masaaki, Fukui – the foremost proponent of the Hokuriku / Fukui style of taiko and the original teacher and mentor of Mugenkyo and Alison, and, later, of 2taiko (update: Kurumaya-sensei sadly passed away in 2023)
Motofuji Hiroshi, Tokyo – a pioneer who opened new horizons for taiko drumming in the 90s, well known as a session taiko player in all genres of music; he is considered a rare freestyle taiko player capable of great fusion and improvisation and is Yumi’s mentor and teacher
Nezu Gongen Ryujin Daiko, Tokyo – Yumi’s home taiko group, based at the Nezu Shrine in Tokyo
Oedo Sukeroku Taiko, Tokyo – professional taiko school and group of Seido Kobayashi, founding member of Sukeroku Taiko, the very first taiko ensemble in Tokyo
Kojima Chieko – dancer and taiko player of Kodo and Hana Yui, famous for her beautiful ‘Hana Hachijo’ taiko style and with whom 2taiko have studied
Amanojaku, Tokyo – top taiko group right in the heart of Tokyo (with whom Alison has studied)
Europe
Painted X-Ray, Glasgow, Scotland – multi-instrumental taiko band of which Alison is a founding member
Mugenkyo, Lanarkshire, Scotland – Europe’s leading taiko group, with whom Alison originally learned and performed taiko
Issho, Glasgow, Scotland – multi-instrumental taiko group of which Alison was a founding member; Shane Connolly of Issho joined Yumi and Alison for their last 2taiko concert in Montreal
Zoe Katsilerou – movement and voice artist & Eilon Morris – percussionist and educator – with whom Alison and Yumi recorded a Japanese lullaby with taiko (Takeda no Komori Uta)
Aber Taiko, Swansea, Wales – community taiko group with whom Alison teaches and plays
Taiko Mynydd Du, Brecon, Wales – community taiko group near the Brecon Beacons whose members Alison occasionally plays with
Tamashii Taiko, London, England – taiko school and performing group founded by Liz Walters, former Mugenkyo member and good taiko friend of Alison
SFTD共鳴 (“gong-ming” meaning “resonance”), London, England – taiko duo of Xun Dong and Ting-Chi Li, representing San Francisco Taiko Dojo,with whom 2taiko have performed
European Taiko Conference – which we attended and performed at in 2017 (ETC2) when it was hosted in Exeter, England
Nuit des Ours, Vallorcine, France – Créer c’est résister, RESISTER C’EST CREER. A small outdoor festival in the heart of the Alps, where 2taiko played their wildest gig ever, on the edge of a riverbed under the stars
Un Peu, Brussels, Belgium – Cayo Scheyen & Matthieu Ha of UN PEU make & repair giant flower petals AND organise exhibitions & concerts in and around Brussels
Taiko Zurich, Switzerland – who kindly lent us their dojo, sofa and a taiko for our 2020 Vallorcine gig
KiDaiko, Cluj, Romania – taiko organisation of Ignatius Kim, with whom 2taiko used to play back when we all lived in Montreal, as ‘Taikonauts’, also with Gregorio Rabuñal (who then went on to join Amanojaku)
North America
Arashi Daiko, Montreal, Canada – Montreal taiko group based at the Japanese Cultural Centre of Montreal of which Yumi was a member for several years (and Alison for a few months)
Burlington Taiko, Vermont, USA – friends of 2taiko and hosts of the excellent bi-annual Ringo Matsuri taiko festival
The Genki Spark, Boston, USA – Asian women’s taiko group whom 2taiko encountered at Ringo Matsuri and whose founder, Karen Young, Yumi and Alison have since met at other taiko events
Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center, New York, USA – excellent small taiko centre where 2taiko studied with Kojima Chieko
Mark H. Rooney, Washington D.C., USA – ‘the world’s most dangerous half-Japanese/half-Scottish solo improvisational taiko artist’ – we’ve met him several times and didn’t get killed
Kenny Endo and Chizuko Endo – outstanding and innovative taiko players based in Hawaii, with whom 2taiko have studied when they’ve visited the UK