KyoDaiko was founded in 2005. The group was originally led by Kristopher Rudzinski, who studied with Marco Lienhard of Taikoza in New York. KyoDaiko’s membership comes from a wide variety of backgrounds, and continues to grow with new students and continuing players. Members attend regular classes throughout the year and participate in workshops with master teachers from around the world.

Our members are volunteers who perform for love of the art and the energy that the great drums bring us. We perform regularly at a variety of events: from school and community festivals, to Phillies baseball games, Japanese festivals (like D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival), to more unusual gigs like roller derbies and dragon boat regattas.

In The Press

April 14, 2024- Fox29 News, Philadelphia, Highlights of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival in Fairmount Park, featuring KyoDaiko’s first performance with the koto, played by guest performer, Mirai Yasuyama

January 2024: Fox43 News, Hershey, PA, features the Lunar New Year Celebration at Hershey Chocolate World

March 26, 2023 – Story in One United Lancaster about the Japanese Sakura festival at Franklin and Marshall College, with KyoDaiko as featured performers.

April 13, 2019 – KYW Newsradio’s Hadas Kuznits got audience reactions to KyoDaiko’s performance at Morris Arboretum’s Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival.

January 18, 2019 – PHL17’s Kelsey Fabian finds out what’s in store for the UPenn Museum’s Lunar New Year celebration and gets a chance to try playing taiko drums!

April 5, 2017 – CBS3 Philly’s Vittoria Woodill covered the kick off of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, and got a lesson on how to play taiko from KyoDaiko!

Supported by the Philadelphia Cultural fund
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