# Stony Brook Taiko Tides club revives ancient drumming tradition

**Published:** 2026-07-01T14:48:14.373Z  
**Topic:** Taiko  
**Sentiment:** neutral  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/f3cfd3b4-21c9-4918-b6b3-74b9b70e6d06

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 |

## Rebuilding the drum circle  
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].

## New performances and cultural outreach  
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 |

## What to watch  
- Upcoming campus Cherry Blossom Festival performance (date not specified) – a test of the club’s restored capacity.  
- Any future collaborations with external taiko groups, such as Maui Taiko’s national festival appearances [2].  

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.

## Sources
1. Newsday — [Stony Brook's Taiko Tides drum club offers safe space for Asian students](https://www.newsday.com/long-island/li-life/taiko-tides-stony-brook-meyxb09h)
2. Hawaii News Now — [Maui Taiko to perform in DC at National Cherry Blossom Festival](https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/03/20/maui-taiko-perform-dc-national-cherry-blossom-festival/)
3. San Diego Union-Tribune — [La Jolla Taiko troupe brings ancient Japanese percussion to San Diego](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/02/06/la-jolla-taiko-troupe-brings-ancient-japanese-percussion-to-san-diego/)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "Stony Brook Taiko Tides club revives ancient drumming tradition", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/f3cfd3b4-21c9-4918-b6b3-74b9b70e6d06