We recently connected with Kenny Endo and have shared our conversation below.
Kenny, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Music has always been a major part of my life. Early in my career, I played Western percussion (primarily drum set). In college, I discovered taiko (Japanese drumming) at an event featuring the San Francisco Taiko Dojo. I immediately knew that would become my passion and life’s work. The stirring sound of taiko along with the sharp movements and infectious spirit had me hooked.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
In 1975, I joined Kinnara Taiko based at Senshin Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles. It was my introduction to Buddhism and a community of people involved in the Asian American social and political movement.
After graduating from UCLA in 1976, I moved to San Francisco to study with Tanaka Sensei of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo (the first taiko group established outside of Japan in 1968).
Choosing this path inspired me to study in Japan in traditional music forms such as hogaku hayashi (Classical Japanese drumming) and Edo Bayashi (Tokyo festival music). Intending to stay in Japan for a year, I ended up staying there for ten years (1980-1990) playing with several kumi daiko groups (modern style of group drumming): Osuwa Daiko and O Edo Sukeroku Taiko. In 1986, I received a natori (stage name and license to teach) in hogaku hayashi. My stage name for this classical style of drumming is Tajiro Mochizuki.
In 1990, I was accepted to the University of Hawaii Music Department to study ethnomusicology through a scholarship from the East West Center. This led to a Masters Degree and the establishment of a school for taiko in Honolulu, Taiko Center of the Pacific.
I continue to perform, compose, and teach taiko locally and internationally and will celebrate 50 years of playing taiko in 2025.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Having a career in music meant developing a rigorous regimen of practice, creating new music, and maintaining the traditions I was trained in. Although I’m never totally satisfied with my own abilities, I feel fortunate to have forged my own path and have somehow survived in the performing arts for 50 years.
The discipline involved in this career eventually brings freedom and the satisfaction of making a career in an art form for which I’m forever grateful.
Being able to travel around the world and collaborate with artists of many genres reinforces my belief that people are the same everywhere. It seems that governments are fighting with each other but people everywhere want and strive for peace. This shared humanity overshadows regional conflicts.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
When I was beginning my career, a great artist told me, “you’re never as good as they say you are; and you’re never as bad as they say you are. If you remember that and persevere with discipline, you’ll survive and thrive”.
I believe that peace and harmony are not simply idealistic concepts but a real possibility for the earth which will take hard work and much effort.
In the end, the purpose of creative arts is to improve the individual and thus improve society. These larger goals must always take precedence.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kennyendo.com
- Facebook: [email protected]
- Linkedin: Kenny Endo
- Youtube: Kenny Endo
Image Credits
(I will submit more photos asap
1. Personal photo- Toyo Miyatake
2. Shadow photo- Darian Wong
3. In performance- Marcia
4..Taiko set- Kenny Endo
5. Performing in Tokyo- Unosuke Miyamoto