Odaiko Sonora

10/14/2026

Odaiko Sonora Enews: Festival Season -

First, catch Odaiko Sonora on the Church Street Stage from 6:45-8:00PM on Saturday, Oct 17, where nearly thirty taiko players will be performing everything from traditional pieces to modern originals.

10/10/2026

Day 10: Risk/Reward

For an arts organization, there aren't many bigger swings than 'buy a building before your fifth birthday' - and to be fair, there have been times over the years when owning and running our own studio has been pretty darn stressful! But at the end of the day (and with help from some generous friends of the group), having our own space has also been one of the risks we are most grateful to have taken. As we look to the next 25 years, having Rhythm Industry means the stability of a secure future, the freedom to take new chances, and the power to shape a space that serves the values and the communities that we care for. So when in doubt...swing big!

10/09/2026

Day 9: Growth

Over the years, we've had — and continue to have! — the remarkable privilege of watching several of our youth players grow into increasingly skilled taiko artists, as well as into kind, thoughtful, and hard-working adults. Performing Ensemble Member Linnae is one of those young adults, and while we won't embarrass her by posting a taiko baby picture, we DO want to celebrate her achievement in composing and debuting her first piece, Wildflower, last spring. In that process, she demonstrated a persistence and willingness to push herself that we can sometimes lose sight of among the demands of adult responsibilities — and we're so grateful to her and all of our younger players for the many ways in which they help us ALL grow!

10/08/2026

Day 8: Backdrop

To all of our beloved friends outside Arizona who are sick of us saying, "But it's a dry heat!" This is a mid-December sunrise in Tucson. There are mountains. There is greenery. We have blue skies AND nobody is at risk of frostbite because they didn't pack gloves. (And though we always have a blast visiting our neighbors in SoCal....we also didn't have to sit through any traffic to get here 😂) So yes, we'll put up with the 110 degree summers, the excessively spiky flora and fauna, and the ongoing argument about the best taco place in town, and we hope you'll forgive us in turn for our collective delusion about the mitigating effects of low humidity. Tucson is not only the backdrop of our group, it's our stage, our home, and our community, too. We wouldn't be the same without it!

10/07/2026

Day 7: Fold

You'll notice from our photos that we don't often wear obi these days....so we pulled them out recently for a skills refresh! Knowing how to keep our obi neatly folded may seem like a minor detail, but as we gear up for the season, we are reminded that our responsibility as practitioners of this art form is to care not only about how we play, but how we present our art to others - from the history of the pieces we're performing to the costumes we wear.

10/06/2026

Day 6: Surprise Guest

Picture this: you're a taiko group scrolling through photos from your last summer recital. And at first, it's all the usual. Drums, bachi, the people you've been rehearsing and performing with for months and years. And then, out of nowhere — a model. A mystery. An icon. We don't know who she is or what we needed to do to make her look less unimpressed, but we are not above bribery in the form of post-show ear-scratches if she gives us another chance.

PC: James Tokishi

10/05/2026

Day 5: Frame

Our studio's drum-building workshop is a reminder of the many frameworks that support our practice of taiko. There's the accumulated knowledge that's been developed and shared with us by our teachers, mentors, and leaders....but we also rely on some very tangible frames, including the drum-heading rig that shapes the instruments we play on! We were honored to have the Southwest Folklife Alliance put together this beautiful video that highlights ED Karen's work in this space and with this process.

Master builder Karen Falkenstrom breaks down the step-by-step proce...

10/05/2026

Day 4: Drum Battle

Y'know what? We'll admit it: this one was hard for us. So....Here are some CG members who are *definitely* battling over the solo position in our rendition of Matsuri. No, we didn't have to take EXTREMELY SELECTIVE screenshots. No, they absolutely are NOT cheering on the next player up. It's a fight to the bitter finish for the drum and EVERYBODY IS TAKING IT EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY OKAY 😂

(The real battle is not whacking your ankles on a stand coming and going from the arc.)

10/03/2026

Day 3: Aerial View

How rare, as taiko players - with our big drums and our loud voices - to have the feeling of being small and fleeting sparks of life in a great big cosmos. And what a gift it is, to be the heartbeat of that shared moment in time. Tucson, we look forward to walking with you at the All Souls Procession Weekend this year — and for many more years to come.

Dean Kelly, a Tucson resident for over 43 years, founded the veteran-owned SkyPod Images in 2014 with a mission to deliver high-quality aerial photography to the University of Arizona. His dedication and expertise have earned him the distinction of being Tucson’s only licensed photography vendor. After retiring from a successful career in corporate banking in 2020, Dean now enjoys turning his passion into a fulfilling part-time pursuit. He’s also committed to giving back, regularly donating his aerial services to support local nonprofits.

10/02/2026

Day 2: Narimono

More cowbell! Featured in Soma, by Moko Igarashi, this bovine accessory turned instrument has clocked more miles than most of our drums. Community Group member Holly brought it to Tucson all the way from Switzerland after a visit to members at large Yuko and Yaira — spot it on stage at Tucson Meet Yourself in a few weeks!