Draft:Ahiru Daiko

Ahiru ("Duck") Daiko is the student-led taiko ensemble group based at University of Oregon (UO) in Eugene, Oregon. Since their establishment in 2010, Ahiru Daiko is a noncompetitive, collegiate group that welcomes a variety of players from all backgrounds and playing experience. Founded by Meredith Chan, Andrea Asai, and Moira Gion, Ahiru Daiko continues to provide a space for students to play taiko, as well as a community on campus for those of Asian American identity. Ahiru Daiko is known on UO's campus through their performances at IntroDUCKtion and at events hosted by other student organizations on campus.

History
In the fall of 2010, University of Oregon (UO) students, Meredith Chan, Andrea Asai, and Moira Gion founded the collegiate taiko group at UO. They called this group Ahiru Daiko. "Ahiru," meaning duck in Japanese, was a nod to the UO's mascot. Having grown up playing taiko, for Meredith, Andrea, and Moira, taiko was a big part of their lives. Upon coming to UO, they realized there was a lack of a collegiate group, which left them feeling disappointed. Inspired by their exposure to collegiate taiko groups through social media and friends, they wanted that experience at their own university.

During an intensive summer program for Portland Taiko in their hometown, Meredith, a rising junior, and Moira, a rising freshman, came up with the idea of starting a collegiate taiko group at UO. They enlisted Andrea, whom Meredith met in Eugene Taiko, the local community taiko group, to help create Ahiru Daiko. Andrea, a rising sophomore from the Los Angeles area, was all for the idea. Together, the three of them founded the club according to university rules and guidelines. Through Ahiru Daiko, they aimed to create a community where people could play taiko with their peers and meet others with similar interests. Their goals were to raise awareness of taiko on UO's campus and to grow the taiko community in Oregon, connecting it with the larger taiko presence in California.

In the beginning, there were many challenges with logistics, student policies, equipment, and funding. However, they received significant support from campus faculty and the local community. Eugene Taiko lent them drums and additional equipment, and Meredith's UO advisor, Reagan Le, connected the group with the campus minister Warren Light, who provided them practice space at the Wesley Center, located next to the campus bookstore. Misa Joo, a member of Eugene Taiko, was instrumental in supporting the group, helping them get involved in the community, supporting their performances, and finding them practice spaces. Initially, Ahiru Daiko held practices in Misa's living room. Misa also lent the group two drums from her personal collection to use until the group was able to earn enough through community performances to purchase their own. In 2012, after receiving funding from the university, the group built two chu daiko, medium-sized taiko, from wine barrels. Today, those drums are still in use even while  Ahiru Daiko's drum collection has grown.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
Following the graduation of all three co-founders, there were concerns about Ahiru Daiko surviving the high turnover rate of student groups and the need to always recruit new members. Through the strong foundation laid by Meredith, Andrea, and Moira, the group was able to persist. However, in 2020, Ahiru Daiko faced a real possibility of disbanding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which left the group unable to recruit. As a result, membership dwindled as members graduated. By 2021, the group was down to only one senior member who was set to graduate soon.

With the help of alumni, Juno Mayer and Rebecca Lee, the group managed to stay afloat. Sorcha O'Conner, the graduating senior at the time, played a crucial role in keeping the group active, while also helping to recruit more members. Today, Ahiru Daiko is stronger than ever with more than 20 members. From the verge of almost disappearing to going on to host the 30th annual Intercollegiate Taiko Invitational (ITI), Ahiru Daiko is a testament to the resilience and enduring passion of it members and taiko as a whole.

Performance
While performances vary year to year, Ahiru Daiko is frequently invited to perform at a variety of events hosted by other student organizations on campus, such as UO's Asian and Pacific American Student Union (APASU) and the Japanese Student Association (JSA). Additionally, they are a regular feature at the university's annual freshman orientation event, known as IntroDUCKtion. Beyond campus, Ahiru Daiko is actively engaged with the local Asian American community in Eugene. They are frequently invited to perform at various community events, with a notable appearance at the Asian Celebration held during the summer.

In the past, Ahiru Daiko has made the annual journey to California for the Intercollegiate Taiko Invitational (ITI), a significant event started in 1995 that brings together collegiate groups from various universities – mainly along the West Coast to celebrate and share their passion for taiko. ITI provides a platform for participants to learn from both professional taiko practitioners and each other, showcase their skills, and engage in cultural exchange. The event typically includes workshops, performances, and collaborative sessions led by taiko professionals. Ahiru Daiko marked a historic milestone in the Spring of 2024 as it hosted the first ITI outside of California.

Repertoire
Ahiru Daiko's repertoire consists of works borrowed from other groups along with one original composition. Their repertoire initially began with Renshu and Matsuri. Both pieces, attributed to Seiichi Tanaka of San Francisco Taiko Dojo, are open-source, allowing Ahiru Daiko to play and create their own arrangements of those pieces. Another seminal piece is Hachijo by Ondekoza, which was brought to the group by Andrea Asai. Over the years their repertoire has expanded to include Korekara by Michelle Fujii and Walter Clarke, Omiyage by Shoji Kameda, Homen Daiko (traditional harvest song), Buchi Awase (a traditional festival piece from Kainan Shrine), and Dokokara by Yuta Kato. Asobi, a signature piece of the group, is currently Ahiru Daiko's only original composition piece.