TaikoArts Midwest Staff
Jennifer Weir
Executive Director, TaikoArts Midwest
Artistic Director, Ensō Daiko jweir@taikoartsmidwest.org
Jennifer Weir has been passionately studying, performing, teaching, and composing Taiko for over 25 years. Ms. Weir is the founding Executive Director of TaikoArts Midwest, Artistic Director of Ensō Daiko (formerly Mu Daiko), and producer of the award winning documentary feature, Finding Her Beat. Ms. Weir is also a theater director and dramaturg with Theater Mu, and a past recipient of grants from Live Music for Dance MN, MN State Arts Board, MN Regional Arts Board, Arts International, American Composers Forum, and a Jerome MN Travel Grant. Ms. Weir is a public speaker, workshop leader, and believes in the power of taiko to make the world better.
Micah Minnema
Managing Director mminnema@taikoartsmidwest.org
As a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, and public policy, Micah Minnema has dedicated his career to fostering community engagement and supporting cultural and educational initiatives in the Twin Cities.
Prior to joining TaikoArts Midwest, Micah held the position of Senior Manager of Institutional Giving at the Science Museum of Minnesota, where he successfully secured significant funding to support the museum's capital campaign. His tenure at the Science Museum was preceded by a seven-year journey at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, and one of the highlights of his tenure was partnering with TaikoArts Midwest on HerBeat: Women Taiko Allstars.
Micah's career began with a strong foundation in development and public policy roles, including positions on Paul Wellstone's re-election campaign, Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), Milkweed Editions, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
Micah lives in St. Paul with his wife and two children, and is passionate about leveraging his expertise to make a meaningful impact. Whether working on arts, education, or environmental projects, he strives to build lasting relationships and create sustainable programs that benefit communities.
Megan Chao Smith
Associate Artistic Director of TaikoArts Midwest, Youth Program Director
mcsmith@taikoartsmidwest.org
Megan Chao Smith brings 31 years experience studying, teaching, managing and performing and producing taiko. They spent 12 years training in Japan, living there for seven, touring as a member of the group, SHIDARA. They bring grant-writing, marketing, publicity and strategic planning skills born of well-rounded experience with the long term growth of numerous taiko groups, including Odaiko New England, Sacramento Taiko Dan, Shidara of Japan, and now TaikoArts Midwest. Successful performing and production/management work include two US Hanayui tours, Shidara's yearly international touring circuit from 2006-2010, and most recently, project management and assistant production of the documentary film, Finding Her beat. Chao Smith has taught youth groups off and on since 1990, each time creating innovative programming. They now combine professional taiko experience with public and psychiatric nursing skills in The Mighty Drumming Club, TaikoArts Midwest's new youth performance and arts access program.
Jennifer Cho
Business Manager
jcho@taikoartsmidwest.org
Jennifer Cho's involvement with taiko started in 2013 when she took her first intro class with Mu Daiko. She was instantly enthralled by the power and joy of the taiko community - not only in the drums but in the people themselves. In 2017, she was honored to become a full member of Ensō Daiko and proudly played taiko until her retirement in 2022. While she no longer has the passion for performing on stage, her love for TaikoArts Midwest and its mission hasn't changed. Now she's grateful to support this organization administratively as Business Manager.
Craig Johnson
Director of Operations, Head Teacher
cjohnson@taikoartsmidwest.org
Craig began studying taiko with Mu Daiko in the spring of 2003, inspired by his first live taiko performance from the local group Kogen Taiko. By 2007 Craig was a performing member of Mu Daiko and found his passion for teaching taiko, which he pursued until taking a hiatus in 2014. In 2018 Craig returned to taiko with Ensō Daiko and Taiko Arts Midwest, once again teaching alongside performing in main stage productions and countless outreaches throughout greater Minnesota and the surrounding states. Through this time he has been able to visit Japan to train with professional taiko players and groups as well as learning from taiko legends and luminaries from Japan and North America.
Craig has played crucial roles in Midwest tours by Japanese taiko groups Shidara, Hanayui, and Yuichi Kimura with Daichi no Kai. One of his proudest accomplishments is being the Operations Manager for the Finding HerBeat residency and concert in 2020.
Craig is learning the art of barrel-stave drum making and will soon be opening a taiko drum business.
Su-Yoon Ko
Outreach Coordinator suyoonko@taikoartsmidwest.org
Su-Yoon began playing taiko after she saw Rick, Jen, Iris and others give their first performance back when it was Mu Daiko in the late 90s. After becoming a performing member, she taught intro classes and did many outreaches and residencies. After stepping away from the arts and living in Korea for 11 years, she’s delighted to have taiko back in her life and to support taiko from the other side of the stage as TAM’s Outreach Coordinator.
Chiaki O’Brien
Instructor
chiakiobrien@gmail.com
Chiaki O'Brien is originally from Japan. She moved to the US in 2004 and started taking Taiko classes in 2008 and now plays various instruments such as the taiko drums and the Japanese flute.
She has been fortunate to share her own culture by performing as well as teaching classes to all ages and abilities.
She is also a member of the Edo Bayashi Ensemble.
When she teaches, she's not only teaching how to play Taiko but also conveying the "spirit of the Japanese" as Taiko is a Japanese art form and she is Japanese.
She has been enjoying visiting new places and meeting people wherever Taiko takes her.
Emily Harada
Artistic Apprentice
eharada@taikoartsmidwest.org
Emily began taiko at 7 years old with Ho Etsu Taiko in Chicago, IL. Following her time with Somei Taiko and as a trainee for Taiko Center of the Pacific, she returned to Ho Etsu as a performing member and helped with artistic development and teaching.
In search of meaning and identity, Emily quit her athletic training job and moved to Tokyo, Japan to study under premiere taiko leader (and "Finding HERbeat" artist) Kaoly Asano of Gocoo and Tawoo Dojo. Along the way, she also started learning Ushibuka Haiya minyo and kokyu. She has recently returned from her +20 month journey and is excited to share her collective teaching and performing experience with TAM!
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Michelle Fujii, Unit Souzou, Portland, OR
Naomi Guilbert, Fubuki Daiko, Winnipeg, MB
PJ and Roy Hirabayashi, San Jose Taiko, CA
Eien Hunter-Ishikawa, Portland, OR
Shoji Kameda, On Ensemble, Los Angeles, CA
Hiroshi Koshiyama, Fubuki Daiko, Winnipeg, MB
Rick Shiomi, Minneapolis, MN
Tiffany Tamaribuchi, Sacramento Taiko Dan, CA and Portland Taiko, OR