TAIKOPROJECT was founded in 2000 in Los Angeles, California by a group of young, emerging taiko drummers. They were seeking to create a truly American style of taiko, blending traditional forms in which they were raised, with an innovative and fresh aesthetic approach to the Japanese drum. In just 14 years, they have garnered critical acclaim from all over the world and amassed an impressive resume. TAIKOPROJECT first made waves when they became the first American taiko group to win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest in 2005, beating out all the Japanese taiko groups in attendance. That same year, they were cast in the Mitsubishi Eclipse commercial, the first and only national ad campaign to prominently feature taiko. They followed that up with performances in some of America's highest profile events, including the 2009 Academy Awards and the 2011 Grammy Awards. In the last few years, TAIKOPROJECT has been featured on VH1's Do Something Awards, on three KTLA News features, The X-Factor, the iHeartRadio Music Festival, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Art Of. TAIKOPROJECT has performed and recorded with some of the world's most well-known musical artists, including Stevie Wonder, Usher, rock band 30 Seconds to Mars, Alicia Keys, A.R. Rahman, John Legend, Justin Bieber, Xzibit, Kanye West, producer Squeak E. Clean, Sean Paul, and DJ Tiesto. In April, 2012, TAIKOPROJECT was honored by the nation's pre-eminent Asian American theatre, East West Players, with their annual Visionary Award, which salutes artists who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American community through theater, film and television. "This ain't your mama's taiko, but it may be your hip, younger cousin's" - LA WEEKLY