
Taiko Shine* is about having fun and healing from the stresses of day to day life. Taiko drumming fun brings us back to our natural selves, before all that life happened to us. For kids, it builds self-esteem, confidence, musical ability, and community. It’s for anyone recovering from any kind of trauma they have experienced. It is an excellent healing tool for our brains, body, and spirit. It is FUN! Get on the mailing list here. Planning ahead for winter? Click here!
Fall/Winter 2024/25:
Brand new?
Other Saturdays: Beginner and Drills
Mondays: Level 2 Classes
Payment Info
How to prepare
Taiko IS Sangha!
Taiko Shine’s First Recital
Next Recital is May 2, 2025
Example of a beginning class
Another example of class
Contact for drumming at family gatherings or birthday parties!
Never tried taiko?
Contact us for time and location information if you would like to jump in and join the fun. I can help get you ready to join.
Beginner Taiko Sessions
When: Saturdays. Contact us for location and time information
This is a revolving course, each week focusing on a different part of taiko and the big drumming experience. There is no first or last class, so you can come to all or some. All are designed for the beginner player, but more experienced players can get a lot out of the classes and improve their technique and form. We will play short songs and do various drills. More info on individual classes. The four weeks before the recital do get focused on recital pieces, so please ask if you would rather join after the recital.
Level 2 Taiko
When: Mondays, (6:00-7:30)
Where: Contact us for location information!
The hope for this class is to move at a slightly faster pace and learn more complex songs. We also do drills to work on sticking technique, our form, improvisation, and more.
Payment Options:
1) $15-$30 per person/per 90 minute session
2) $10/per hour. If this isn’t doable, please contact us.
(Venmo, cash, or paypal). Pre-registration is required unless it is the day before or day of – then DM me or text me so we know to bring a drum for you.
***New students please pay in advance. After your first class, cash and check are accepted, but if there are no-shows w/out a 24-hour advance notice, advance payment will be required. If you cancel within a day of class, you can use the payment toward a future class.
Looking ahead:
Our next student drumming recital (participation not required) will be May 2 for family and friends. It will take place at Murray Junior High in the gymnasium in St. Paul. Both Saturday and Monday classes will take part, and there will be a few guest drummers (my son included!).


The facilitator is Wendy G: Since the 2017 women’s march in St. Paul, I have been fixated with taiko. Like others, when I saw taiko, I knew I had to do it. I was signed up in the next week and purchased my first drum shortly afterward.
I attend workshops around the country, have been to four in Germany, and usually drum several days a week with others. This art form has changed and healed me. Originally Japanese, now people in all kinds of settings and with differing abilities play taiko around the world. For me, it is about connecting with others while moving, vocalizing, and making music. It has been a great resource for me to heal trauma, spur further emotional growth, lose weight, giggle like a child, and make new friends. It is loads of fun! Who doesn’t like making lots of noise with big sticks?
Here is an example of Taikollaborative having a blast playing Narushima by Katsuji Kondo of Japan and Mozamjam! by Shonagh and Martin Walker of Scotland or Harisen Daiko playing Yui by Roy Shimamoto.
Contact me if you would like a class from me at your treatment center, sober house, nursing home, or elsewhere. We can have fun, grow, de-stress, and heal at the same time!


Taiko is all about community: SANGHA.
S: We make a Song together.
A: When we play taiko, we are Assertive and Amazing (it’s hard to to be feel scared playing taiko).
N: We come back to our Natural selves, before life, trauma happened to us.
G: Playing taiko, we have to be as tall as Gigantic Giraffes (we gain perspective!), and we are Graceful (despite being so loud!).
H: We have Fun. Taiko is FUN!
A: We Affirm each other by yelling, encouraging, smiling (kiai in Japanese).
To me, taiko is extremely healing: it is full of power, community, spirit, support, freedom, fun, and it brings us back to our natural selves before troubles entered our lives. In the Buddhist tradition, Sangha means community or those we travel with, and community gives us strength, as does taiko and the taiko community. With taiko and community we can recovery from all kinds of trauma and troubles we carry.

Past taiko classess in St. Paul

* First known as Recovery Taiko, because the first class was sponsored by a Recovery Dharma meeting in St. Paul. It was awesome, and despite the name change, I still reach out to the recovery community!