Loading article…
Stony Brook University’s Taiko Tides club, founded in 2001, rebuilds after COVID with DIY drums and a new campus festival performance.
Stony Brook University’s Taiko Tides student club, now about 20 members strong, resumed weekly rehearsals and prepared a Cherry Blossom Festival performance after COVID‑19 reduced its roster to four students [1].
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Club size | ~20 members |
| Founded | 2001 |
| COVID‑19 low point | 4 members |
| Recent activity | 4‑hour rehearsal for campus Cherry Blossom Festival |
When the pandemic halted in‑person practice in 2020, club advisers Eva Nagase and Joe Dvorak shifted to Zoom, guiding students to craft makeshift drums from plastic trash cans and wine barrels [1]. By the end of the first COVID‑year the club was down to four participants, but the duo’s virtual sessions kept the tradition alive and enabled a modest comeback as campus activities resumed [1].
The revived group now rehearses four hours on Friday nights, using a white‑board “playbook” to map drum placements and movements for upcoming shows [1]. Their latest effort is a Cherry Blossom Festival set on campus, featuring the demanding piece “Chichibu Yatai Bayashi,” which requires intense core strength and coordinated drumming [1]. The club also plans to showcase its work at broader university events, reinforcing taiko’s role as a cultural bridge for Asian American and Pacific Islander students [1].
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Drum size range | Small (plate‑size) to 10 ft diameter |
| DIY drum material | PVC piping, wine barrels, cowhide |
The club’s resurgence highlights how student‑led cultural groups can survive pandemic disruptions through creativity and dedicated mentorship, while continuing to provide a vital cultural outlet for Japanese‑heritage students on campus.
Coverage is mostly measured — 9 of 9 reports stay neutral.
Every Monday — the token unlocks, Fed dates & catalysts set to move crypto and markets this week. So you’re never blindsided.
Free · 3-min read · one-click unsubscribe
AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 3 outlets · Jul 1, 2026 · How we report
Historical records and archaeological evidence suggest taiko drums were introduced to Japan from China and Korea as early as the 6th century CE.
The project identified a compromise in its chain state verification mechanism that allowed unauthorized withdrawals from its Ethereum-based ERC20 Vault.
The project team has strongly advised users to withdraw their funds from all bridges deployed on the network immediately.