Meet the UTE Content Team!
Updated: Mar 6
Check out this incredible team of taiko professionals heading up the Utah Taiko Experience!
UTE Content Team
Pulling off something like UTE takes an incredible group of hard-working, dedicated, pioneering, fun, amazing people, and that's exactly the kind of people we have on our content team. In addition to Shoji, Yuta & Razz, we have 3 more taiko professionals that will be leading taiko content and activities at UTE, and we are positive you're absolutely going to love them! You can read more about each of our team members below.
Shoji Kameda - Los Angles, CA
Shoji is a Grammy nominated musician, composer and producer. He started playing taiko at the age of 8 and has played continuously since. Collaborations with international artists have taken Shoji all over Europe as well as to Malaysia, French Guiana, Mongolia and Bali.
His compositions for taiko are performed around the world, and he is continually in demand for workshops and master classes. Shoji has partnered with Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten to create “kaDON” a new online venture that will provide high quality instruction and repertoire for taiko and fue.
Yuta Kato - Los Angeles, CA
Yuta was born and raised in California to a Japanese-only speaking family. Introduced to taiko by Kagami-Kai, a local rice-pouding group, he decided to further his studies with San Francisco Taiko Dojo at the age of 10.
From 2007- 2011, he resided in Japan to study under masters of various traditional Japanese music. Upon returning to the US, he was Coordinator for the 2011 North American Taiko Conference, one of the largest gathering of taiko players from around the globe.
Yuta is also a sought after taiko instructor and has been invited to teach throughout the world. His most recent post was the principal and instructor for LATI (Los Angeles Taiko Institute) housed at Asano Taiko US. He performs as a member of UnitOne (Torrance, CA).
Rannoch Purcell - Ulm, Germany
Rannoch "Razz" Purcell is a taiko drummer & musician, known for his contributions to the taiko community both in Europe and the United States. He is the director of Taiko Zentrum Deutschland (TZD), a taiko school and events center dedicated to teaching and promoting this amazing art form.
In 2007, Razz built the first accredited high school taiko program in the USA - Crespi Carmelite Celt Taiko. He moved to Germany 2011 where he founded TZD. Through TZD Razz teaches, performs and creates unique taiko community events like Taikopalooza and UTE. Through his work as a performer, teacher, and event organizer, Razz helps to foster a vibrant and diverse global taiko community.
Diana Wu - San Diego, CA
Diana Wu is the director of Naruwan Taiko in San Diego, California. She discovered taiko in 2001 while studying at the University of California, San Diego, and has since become a dedicated taiko performer and educator. Wu has trained with renowned taiko masters in Hawaii and Japan, and has performed with various taiko groups throughout the US and internationally. She is known for her dynamic performances and commitment to teaching and sharing the art of taiko
Martin Doyle - Glasgow, Scotland
Martin has been drumming for over 30 years, first as a kit drummer in various Metal bands around the Glasgow area, and has been playing Taiko for the last 13 years.
He first discovered Taiko in 2010, whilst completing an Honours Degree in Popular Music Performance at Perth UHI. After graduating with First Class Honours, he became a full-time member of a professional Taiko Ensemble, touring and performing with them for over five years.
In January 2016, he co-founded Tsuchigumo Daiko alongside his partner Shonagh, as a means to develop and express his own Taiko voice, influenced by a wide range of teachers, styles, and groups, and underpinned by a love of drumming, music, rhythm, and physical fitness.
Shonagh Walker - Glasgow, Scotland
Shonagh began playing Taiko as a teenager in an extra-curricular school group at Cleveden Secondary School in Glasgow.
After leaving school, she joined a local Taiko Dojo and was a member there for over eleven years. During this time she toured the UK and abroad extensively as a lead player, progressing to become a Taiko instructor and workshop leader.
Shonagh co-founded Tsuchigumo Daiko in 2016, through which she expresses her love of Taiko and movement, whilst balancing her drumming life with her professional life as a scientist.
Looking Forward
For those of you attending UTE this year, we can't wait to see you in Manti, Utah! If you are still thinking about registering, we still have a handful of spots left, but they are going quickly, so register soon! Remember you can pay half now and half later through kaDON's great payment option!
Wishing you all a great Spring filled with hope and all things positive :)
Big hugs,
Razz