Kyodo Taiko's 25th Annual Spring Concert: Ukiyo

*Please read our description in its entirety*

About us:

UCLA Kyodo Taiko is the nation’s first collegiate taiko team, founded in 1990 by Mark Honda. Since our establishment 34 years ago, our ensemble has worked to promote the art of Japanese American taiko drumming within UCLA and the greater Los Angeles area, as well as instill within the community a sense of respect and understanding of Japanese American culture.

Our concert:

Every year, Kyodo Taiko’s annual Spring Concert is a completely student-led, produced, and performed event that honors the resilience of previous generations, showcases the tireless work of our members, and inspires members of the UCLA community to explore and learn more about taiko and Japanese American culture. Over the past 24 years, we’ve performed numerous original compositions for sold out audiences of over 300 people, and this year we will return to the stage for another memorable performance.

We are honored to present our 25th Annual Spring Concert, "Ukiyo" (浮世) on Saturday, May 25, 2024, from 7-9 PM in Northwest Auditorium. “Ukiyo” translates to “The Floating World”, a term which emerged during the Edo period of Japan and was accompanied by the development of a vibrant urban culture that embraced entertainment, artwork, fashion, and the like. Ukiyo highlights the sentiment of living in the moment that our team members embody, as they dedicate time and energy to hone their skills and grow as individuals. Taiko can serve as an escape from our daily stresses, and the countless hours each member has put into our event is a testament to how much this our team cherishes this artform.

Here is the link to reserve a ticket for our concert: [Ukiyo Tickets]

Why we need your help:

Our Spring Concert has always been free to the public to overcome financial barriers and constraints for guests, as well as advocate for the ease of accessibility to students, faculty, and other community members. Your generous donations will directly contribute to the costs associated with the event and allow us to continue celebrating the rich history of Japanese and Japanese American culture.

Please consider supporting our efforts, and help make this 25th Spring Concert a success! We thank you deeply in advance for your endless support and generosity. All donations made to our organizations are tax-deductible, and if monetary donations are not possible for you at this time, we gladly accept any support you can give our way.

No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.

Directors’ Statement of Solidarity with Palestine and Student Protests

Over the course of this past week, the UCLA administration has demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the safety and wellbeing of its student body, faculty, and staff. The escalation of violence against peaceful pro-Palestine demonstrations on our campus at the hands of Zionist counter-protestors and law enforcement is alarming and reminds us that systemic oppression is still very much present in our country. In light of these events, we would like to make it clear that we stand in full solidarity with the student protestors, the UCLA Palestine Solidarity Encampment, and the Palestinian liberation movement.

Chancellor Block’s decision to allow protestors on our campus to be harassed, assaulted, and arrested instead of committing to disclose and divest from companies and institutions complicit in the ongoing occupation and genocide in Palestine signifies that his priorities lie beyond the community he serves. Him and the administration’s characterization of the student protests as dangerous shifts the blame away from non-student aggressors who continue to enter our campus and threaten the safety of everyone, and this is unacceptable. Their silence is complacency, and since October 2023 they have remained complicit in creating a hostile environment that fails to protect the Palestinian and Muslim population at UCLA. We condemn UCLA’s silence, inaction, and offense in endangering the lives of its students, faculty, and community members.

As a taiko ensemble, our roots lie in the Japanese American and overall Asian American resistance to white supremacy, xenophobia, and systemic injustice. Taiko was a way for incarcerated Japanese Americans and following generations to remain connected to their heritage, a culture which the U.S. government sought to erase during World War II. Now, the North American taiko community is composed of diverse and intersecting identities that share a profound love for music. The struggle for liberation across the world is unfortunately a common one, but that is all the more reason to recognize the journey that allows us to learn, enjoy, perform, and honor the roots of taiko.

In an effort to not take away attention from protesting efforts on our campus and remain sensitive to those who have been pained by the recent violence, we are limiting concert promotion to emails and text messages for the time being. Please feel free to share our concert with your loved ones, as we still hope to deliver a performance to as many interested guests as possible.

If you are interested in learning more, donating, and supporting Palestinians in Gaza, please consider exploring the following resources. This is not reflective of the countless organizations and grassroots efforts that have operations in or near Gaza, however we hope to inspire you to seek out more information about this conflict:

If you are interested in learning more about efforts at UCLA, the following Instagram accounts are resources for your discretion:

Sincerely,

Karen Cederholm, Rylee Kubo, Calvin Su

Kyodo Taiko co-Directors, 2023-2024