Media Library
Video
Library of Congress interview with PJ & Roy Hirabayashi (2017)
A conversation with PJ and Roy Hirabayashi, creative director and co-founder emeriti of the performing ensemble San Jose Taiko.
Cornerstone of the Arts award recipients PJ & Roy Hirabayashi (2016)
San Jose Taiko co-founder, Roy Hirabayashi and Artistic Director Emeritus, PJ Hirabayashi were awarded with the 2016 Cornerstone of the Arts award on October 7, 2016.
American Leadership Forum John W. Gardner Awards - Roy Hirabayashi (2015)
San Jose Taiko co-Founder, Roy Hirabayashi, was recognized by the American Leadership Forum - Silicon Valley, becoming the first performing artist to be presented with the John W. Gardner Leadership Award.
Taiko and Activism Interview with PJ & Roy Hirabayashi (2020)
The history of taiko has an undeniable and intrinsic connection to activism in the United States and Canada. As a part of RE-IMAGINING A NEW WORLD: Building Practices of Awareness, Activism and Anti-Racism as a Taiko Community, Michelle Fujii interviews Roy & PJ Hirabayashi.
PJ Hirabayashi | Learning From Embodied Intelligence and Authentic Power PJ Hirabayashi (2016)
The body shapes the way we think, says PJ Hirabayashi, who discovered, through Taiko drumming, a voice for self expression and a powerful channel for energy. In this talk, Hirabayashi outlines TaikoPeace—a movement dedicated to helping others unleash creativity and awaken their own true voice in “disruptive and powerful ways.”
"Ripples" of Ei Ja Nai Ka, highlights of Ei Ja Nai Ka performances around the world.
Compilation video showcasing many of the places where Ei Ja Nai Ka has been performed around the world. Ei Ja Nai Ka, composed by PJ Hirabayashi with song/lyrics by Yoko Fujimoto, is dedicated with deep gratitude to the hard work of Japanese-American immigrants and all essential workers.
Podcast
National Endowment for the Arts Podcast
2011 National Heritage Fellows
PJ and Roy Hirabayashi talk about the importance of taiko (Japanese word for drum) as a traditional art form in the Asian American community.
Music
Songs by Roy Hirabayashi
Free Spirit
NanaShi
Spirit of Adventure
Songs by PJ & Roy Hirabayashi
Celebration
Kodama: Echoes of the Soul (San Jose Taiko, 1993)
Mo Ichido: One More Time (San Jose Taiko and Sokai Audio, 1996)
Rhythm Journey (San Jose Taiko, 2005)
Reports, Articles, and News
Communities of Change Project (2022)
PJ and Roy were invited to be interviewed for Communities of Change: Traditional Arts as Enduring Social Practice in California’s Bay Area. This project was commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
PJ & Roy are featured on page 18-19
Remembering E.O. 9066: San Jose Taiko on Musical and Historical Resonances (2017)
PJ and Roy Hirabayashi share their thoughts on Day of Remembrance.
By Sojin Kim
Smithsonian Folk Life Festival: On The Move (2017)
PJ and Roy Hirabayashi, Japanese American taiko players and pioneers, reflect on the impact of taiko.
By Sojin Kim
Photographs
Please send requests for promotional photographs to our inbox.