Bio
Kristy Aki Oshiro (they / them) is a queer, trans and non-binary, 4th generation Japanese Okinawan-American professional taiko artist based in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. They started playing taiko at age 9 in Kona, Hawai’i with Kona Daifukuji Taiko and was an instructor and touring ensemble member of Portland Taiko from 2001-2007 while getting their bachelor’s degree in Music Performance in Percussion at Portland State University. Kristy was also an instructor and youth programs director at Sacramento Taiko Dan from 2007-2014.
Kristy is currently the founder and Artistic Director of the Tsubaki Ensemble, SOKO Taiko, and Queer Taiko, Creative Director of Placer Ume Taiko, instructor for San Mateo Buddhist Temple Taiko, a touring member of Taikoza, and has performed and given taiko workshops across the US and in Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and Colombia.
Contact for group performances, private events, corporate team building, school assemblies, touring, collaborations, residencies, workshops, private lessons, original compositions, rearrangement work, and artistic consultation.