07/15/2026
If you've been to any of our gigs lately, you've probably seen some new faces on stage! In April, we welcomed Artistic Staff member Jacob Dirkx, and recently he's been leading our Summer Intern program for Mia Hale & Bill Baxter. We are keeping them especially busy with leading youth programs during the day, teaching our public classes in the evenings, intern-specific rehearsals, performing group rehearsals, and performances! (Don't worry, we're squeezing in some fun Portland things too!)
Jacob recently graduated from the University of Oregon where he was the Artistic Director at Ahiru Daiko. He first saw Portland Taiko perform growing up and participated in a gomidaiko workshop at Richmond Elementary, where he participated in the Japanese dual language program. Jacob enjoys the collaborative and uplifting nature of taiko and the feeling of being lost in a piece bigger than yourself.
Similarly, Mia also has memories of Portland Taiko performing at Obon, and just finished her second year as a member of Ahiru Daiko. Mia loves taiko because of the enthusiasm and fun that fills the community, and the opportunity to share culture with others. Mia has been a musician most of her life, currently focusing on oboe -- seen in the video!
Bill just graduated from the University of Washington, where he's played with Taiko Kai since 2022. He also plays clarinet and guitar, and enjoys exploring different styles of taiko as well as auxiliary instruments such as chappa, kane, and fue. Bill loves that taiko is a combination of music, dance and a rich cultural history.
