WE PLAY AS ONE,

TO UNITE THE

HEARTS OF ALL

OMNY Taiko is a vibrant, tight-knit community drumming group striving to share the art of taiko drumming with people and communities across the New York City area through inclusive, accessible performances, classes, and workshops.

As a form of rhythmic and artistic expression, taiko allows individuals to convey emotion and energy, and to connect with others through music. OMNY Taiko emphasizes the communal aspect of ensemble drumming:

  • bringing people together to create music as a group

  • fostering a sense of community and belonging

  • providing opportunities for collaboration and teamwork

One of our primary goals is to become emblematic of the energy of New York City, reflecting the story of a seed born on the concrete streets and blossoming into a vibrant community with the strength and tenacity of a city that never sleeps.

What is Taiko?

Taiko (太鼓, literally “big drum”) is a type of Japanese percussion played for over 1,000 years. Traditionally, taiko were used in religious ceremonies, festivals, and as theatrical accompaniment. Kumi-daiko, or ensemble drumming, was created in the 1950s. In kumi-daiko, many drummers play different-sized drums to create complex rhythms and stylized performances. This style of taiko drumming has become extremely popular and taiko groups have formed all across the world.

One Miracle in New York

OMNY, which stands for “One Miracle in New York,” was founded by Shumei, a Japanese spiritual organization, in 2006 as an initiative to engage Shumei youth. Starting a taiko group in New York City initially seemed unrealistic for many reasons, including the high cost of drums and the lack of an affordable practice space. However, a small miracle occurred—a couple generously allowed us to practice in their garage. There, we hit tires, fashioned into makeshift “drums,” to practice the songs taught to us by our teacher, Taiko Master Koji Nakamura Sensei, during his visits to the East Coast. Through perseverance and the generosity of the community, more miracles occurred—we were eventually able to purchase several drums and rent practice space in a school auditorium in Lower Manhattan, OMNY Taiko was born!

In 2009, under the direction of leaders Linda and Tony Tan, OMNY Taiko expanded from a Shumei youth initiative into an independent community taiko group. We began to offer introductory classes and recruited many new performing members from diverse backgrounds. We added new pieces to our repertoire and experimented with more complex arrangements and even composition. OMNY also began highly productive collaborations with Takajum Indian Dance Academy, classical music ensemble The Silk Worms, and shakuhachi player Marco Burmester. Linda and Tony stepped down from leadership in 2016, and the group is now led by Artistic Director Crystal Lau, with support from JJ DelSerra, Clare Wilson, and Jill Hopfield.

OMNY has performed extensively throughout the greater New York area. See a list of our events here!

We hope the sound of taiko drumming will resonate within your heart as it does within ours.

Thanks to your support throughout the years,
we are able to provide low-cost and free workshops and performances for the community.
We are so grateful to be able to share our passion with you.

Our Volunteers

We couldn’t have made it this far without the people who have volunteered and supported us since our inception. Our first drums were loaned to us by the Catskills Foundation and our first practice space was a garage loaned to us by a couple living in Brooklyn. Thanks to the generosity of so many people, we now have our own drums and our own practice space! There are countless people who have volunteered their time and energy to help us grow over the years, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Our Players

What started as three kids and a car tire “drum” has grown into a full group with many members of all ages and backgrounds. Our members, past and present, have truly become a family.

The Community

We have received an unbelievable amount of support and love from those who have attended our concerts, workshops, and classes. You are the reason we keep striving and moving forward. It is the greatest honor and joy for us to be able to share our music and passion with the world.