Our team currently has 13 active members! For those of you who have been to our earth-shattering-heart-pounding performances and have ever wondered things like "Who ARE these people??" or "What do they STUDY?" this is the place with all of your answers!

Ananya Mishra: President

andy

Position: The Brown Kid
Class of: 2013
Major: Physics/Philosophy
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Hobbies: Music (playing and listening), Computers, Wikipedia wandering, Being nocturnal, Running, and Taiko, of course
Is Usually Mistaken for: Caucasian, Mexican, Egyptian, Italian, or Middle-Eastern
Member since: October 2009


Originally from New Delhi, India, Ananya moved to America when he was 6. He grew up in the hot, harsh summers of Houston, so coming to Ithaca for college was a breath of fresh air. Ananya started taking piano lessons when he was seven, but his piano teacher told him, "You hit those keys so hard, better go play drums instead." Never one to follow good advice, Ananya decided instead to switch to learning the guitar, an instrument he eventually fell in love with and has been playing ever since. He also bought a drum set and taught himself how to drum in high school, which is how percussion came into his life for the first time.

He decided to audition for Yamatai after seeing them both at Club Fest and then again at Ennichi. The mind blowing intensity with which the group played and the remarkably LOUD drumming instantly made him fall in love with taiko. Since then, taiko has become one of the biggest parts of his life. He has also trained with Kaminari Taiko Dojo of Houston and constantly strives to improve his skills.


Leo Ikenaga: Musical Director

leo

Position: That Japanese Dude.
Class of: 2012
Major: Economics probably
Special Talent: Pretending to help Dan put away the equipment
Member since: Sept 2008


I started to play the piano when I was 2 and got bored of it so I quit when I was 10. I also started taking taiko drumming classes when I was in 4th grade but I quit when I was in 6th grade because I got bored of it. Then I started the cello when I was 11 but I stopped taking lessons during my senior year in high school because 1, I had college apps and 2, it was heavy. I moved on to playing the guitar at the end of 9th grade and came back to taiko drumming this year. Besides musical stuff, I am good at procrastinating, taking naps, wasting time, and being useless.






Carol Chiu: Treasurer

carol

Position: Sad Fox
Class of: 2012
Major: Mechanical Engineering, Architecture (Minor)
Hometown: Hong Kong
Hobbies: Taiko. Dancing, singing, languages, traveling, making Yamatai cashboxes with duct tape, Berlin.
Years she managed to withhold information from the webmaster: 3
Member since: Sept 2008


Early Fall of her freshman year, sitting in her Dickson dorm room, Carol was fatefully introduced to Taiko and Yamatai when she stumbled upon a video of Fight. "No way, this is too cool to exist," she said to herself. Hurriedly, she sent an email to the mysterious Taigen O ("what's his/her full last name?" she thought), the President of the club at the time, to inquire about tryouts. A whirlwind of events ensued, and before she knew it, she was playing Echo, absorbing the awesomeness that is Yamatai and gradually metamorphosing into a Yamataikoplayer herself. Her life has never been the same.

A tribute to the two webmasters, who grew fed up with Carol's lack of zeal for writing her profile: "Carol Chiu withheld information from the webmaster for 6 months and counting. After a night without sleep, the webmaster decided to exercise her Facebook-stalking skills to finally complete the Members section of the website. But since Carol is a freshman, we'll cut her some slack.

UPDATE: Carol continues to withhold information from the webmaster, and it's been over a year now. After a copious amount of Red Bull and lack of sleep, the webmaster decided to exercise his Facebook-stalking skills to satisfy his OCD. Carol is now a junior so, c'mon Carol, it's about time you made a bio."




Alice Grgas: Publicity Chair

alice

Position: World Traveler
Class of: 2012
Major: Industrial Labor Relations with a Minor in Education
Hometown: Earth
Member since: Oct 2009


Born in Japan, Alice grew up a "Navy Brat," living in 9 different locations before arriving at Cornell. She watched many Yamatai performances during her freshman year before joining as a sophomore. Aside from Yamatai, her top priority at Cornell is the "161 Things Every Cornellian Should Do" list. She is also allergic to beef. Alice was extremely lucky to find a fantastic taiko group in Geneva, Switzerland during her Spring 2011 semester abroad. She played with Wadaiko Geneve twice a week and even got the opportunity to perform with them a few times!








Gabriel Soares: Concert Coordinator/Recruitment Chair

gabriel

Position: Bachi Breaker
Class of: 2013
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Hometown: Curitiba, PR, Brazil
Hobbies: Yamatai, Soccer, Rock Climbing, Drum Set, Travel!!
Goal in Life: Travel around the world and learn my fifth language: Italian.
Member since: Oct 2009


I was born in Curitiba, Brazil on Christmas Day 1991, moved to Caracas, Venezuela when I was 2 months old and stayed there until I was nine, and then moved to Houston, TX in 2000. Somehow, after living in extremely warm places I ended up in the coldest place on earth...ITHACA.

I found out about Yamatai at their Bailey show during orientation week and I immediately knew that I had to get in!! I've been playing the drums (drum set) since 7th grade and wanted to continue playing something in college. What better way to get rid of Cornell stress than to hit on huge drums late at night? I am also obsessed with rock climbing, soccer, and am always up for a little adventure that gets the adrenaline pumping!! Yamatai has been incredibly fun despite the hard work and I am glad I joined the group. The only downside is that I get too attached to my bachi sticks and when I feel like I'm starting to get used to the way they feel in my hand, I go ahead and break them...

Grace Liu: Alumni Relations Officer

grace

Class of: 2014
Major: Natural Resources
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Current Song Obsession: Pon de Floor by Major Lazer
Member since: September 2010

I don't have any previous drumming experience, but I love to beatbox and I became obsessed after creepily watching Yamatai at the Club Fest for a really lng time. I feel really cool for being a freshman this year...:D Unlike Dan, I am a facebook fiend, and love to jump around during practices. I credit success on my bio prelim to the late night practice the night before. I have become fierce thanks to Yamatai!



Marina Kang: Secretary

marina

Class of: 2013
Major: Biology and Society
Hometown: Boston, MA
Interests: dessert, superheroes, language, creeping, the snooze button
Member since: September 2010

Once upon a time in the faraway land of Cornell, there existed a Thursday night where Marina did not have homework. Instead of partying it up in the library as usual, however, Marina was drawn to the depths of Lincoln Hall where she stumbled upon the Yamatai auditions. Marina had never touched any kind of drum before (and in fact had been gently advised to stay away from them by flute and piano teachers well acquainted with her lack of affinity for rhythm), but there was something about these drums that convinced her to stay. And luckily she did, for as soon as her fingers came in contact with the bachi, a blinding light filled the room! When Marina could at last open her eyes, she discovered that she had been transformed into a Yamatai member: her thoughts were now composed of taiko rhythms, her heart beat in time with the drums, she had acquired a new language (Dokodokodon) and, perhaps most incredible of all, her arms had muscles. It was a magical night indeed. While no other nights without homework have since been recorded in the history of Cornell, Marina continues to party in the library by day and play taiko by night.