Education & Awards

2002 Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Individual Artist Award, the state's highest award for performance, visual, and musical artists.

2001 Hawaii State Senate Certificate of Recognition for Accomplishments in Taiko Performance, Teaching, and International Goodwill.  

2001 Hawaii State House of Representatives Certificate of Recognition for Sterling Leadership and Contributions to the Community.

April 25, 2001 proclaimed Kenny Endo Day by the Mayor of Honolulu for Contributions to International Music and making Honolulu a center for the study of taiko.  

2001 Council of the City and County of Honolulu Certificate of Recognition for Artistic, Musical and Cultural Contributions.  

2000 American Composers Forum "Continental Harmony" Award.

1999 Master of Arts in Music (Ethnomusicology) , University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii.

1987 First non-Japanese national to receive a "natori" (stage name and master's license) in Japanese classical drumming, Hogaku Hayashi.   Known as "Mochizuki Tajiro" in Hogaku Hayashi world.   Japan.

1976 Bachelor of Arts   in Political Science with minor in Ethnomusicology, University of California at Los Angeles.

Notable Performances, Collaborations and Artist Work

Collaborative Performance with Honolulu Symphony timpanist Stuart Chafetz and the Honolulu Symphony, 2004.

Collaboration Performance with east Indian dancer, Parijat. 2004.

Clinician at first Hawaii International Taiko Convention, 2004.

Collaboration Performance with formidable Japanese classical percussionist Semba Kiyohiko, Japan America Theatre. 2004.

Concert Performance Tour of Germany, Belgium 2004.

Collaboration with jazz drummer Akira Tana.   Stanford Jazz Festival. 2003.

Guest performer with jazz fusion band Hiroshima, Playboy Jazz Festival, Hollywood Bowl. 2003.

Featured ensemble at Hawaii International Taiko Festival, Honolulu. 1999-2004.

Art of Rice Project - A collaboration of artists from Bali, India, Myanmar, Japan, China, and the United States. Performances in Bali, Hawaii, and California.   2003.

Guest soloist with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, premiering a new concerto for taiko soloist and symphony by Takeo Kudo entitled "Let Freedom Ring."   January 1999. November 2002.

Guest soloist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Hong Kong. 2002.

Space. Pulse. Image. A Silver Anniversary Concert celebrating a 25 year career in taiko drumming. Concerts in Tokyo and Hawaii. 2000.

Guest performer at Exhibition Opening, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC. 1999.

Composer of original music   for Keiko Fujii Dance Company Performance.   Osaka.   New York.   1999.

Concert - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.   September 1998.

Performance at Open House of Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C.   Sept 1998.

Resident composer for Wondrous Tales of Old Japan-a play   by David Furumoto, presented by the Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis. July-September 1998.

Collaboration with Beijin Opera Singer, Korean Pansori Singer, Japanese Noh Dancer, and US          composer - "Forgiveness," a project sponsored by the Asia Society, New York. 1998. 1999. Performances in US, Hong Kong, Asia. 1999-2000.

Concert and workshops at Stanford University's All Collegiate Taiko Invitational.   1998. 1993. 2004.

Lincoln Center Institute in New York residency. 1998.

U.S. mainland debut of the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble of Tokyo concert tour and workshops in Los Angeles, New York, Cinncinatti, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Tampa and Washington D.C.; presented by the National Association Japanese American Societies, the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Los Angeles and the John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts. Funded in part by the Japan Foundation. 1998.

Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble of Tokyo in concert "Nature Will Prevail." Nippori Sunny Hall. Tokyo. 1997.

Featured ensemble at National Taiko Conference Concert, "Taiko Jam '97" Los Angeles. 1997.

Featured artist at Opening Ceremonies of Sun and Star 1996. Dallas, Texas. 1996.

Composed original score for "Song of Rice, Song of Life," an original play by Karen Yamamoto-Hackler.   New Vision New Voices Festival, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C. 1996; Villa Montalvo/San Jose Repertory Theatre Playwrite Festival, California. California State University Los Angeles 1996, 1999.

Featured artist at "International Taiko Festival."   University of California Berkeley's Zellerbach Auditorium. 1986, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003.

Featured artist with world percussion group Cabaseke in collaboration with Amanojaku in Honolulu, Japan Taiko Festival & Tokyo concerts. 1995.

Fireworks Extravaganza,a collaboration of fireworks and taiko.   Presented by the Ala Moana Shopping Center. (Honolulu) 1995.

Featured artist with jazz musicians Dr. Billy Taylor and Jon Jang. "Crossovers" Concerts presented by the Asia Society. (New York). 1995.

Featured artist with Cabaseke, a pan-world percussion group, in a five concert tour with the Tokyo Symphony. (Japan) 1994.

Original music composed for Keiko Fujii Dance Company. (Ashiya, Japan and New York) 1994-95.

Featured artist in Sumi Tonooka's Jazz Trio.   Earshot Jazz Festival. (Seattle, WA). 1993. 1994.

"Eternal Energy," a concert presented by the Drum Museum of Tokyo in celebration of the Museum's seventh anniversary.   Concert features original compositions by Endo. Tokyo. 1994.

Artist in residence at St. Joseph's Institute for the Deaf.   (St. Louis, MO) 1993.

"New Visions" a collaboration with San Jose Taiko (San Jose, CA). 1991.

Featured artist at the Bumbershoot Festival.   (Seattle, Washington). 1991.

Featured artist at the Pearl Harbor Day 50th Anniversary Reconciliation and Peace Program.   (Honolulu) 1991.

"Ma vs. Groove," a concert presented by the Drum Museum of Tokyo. Concert features original compositions by Endo. (Tokyo, Japan) 1990.

Special guest artist in performance at the Japanese Consulate. (London) 1990.

Invited artist to Europalia Festival and the Music Federation of France Programs. Two-month performance tour of France and Belgium. 1989.

USSR and Japan Performance Exchange Tour sponsored by the Moscow USSR Culture Foundation, in cooperation with the Rakuda Corporation. 1989.

Featured artist at All Japan Taiko Festival (Matsumoto, Japan) 1988, 1989 & 1992.

Hogaku hayashi musician in Kabuki performances at the Kabuki-za and National Theaters, Tokyo, Japan. 1988-'89.

Collaborations with jazz guitarist Watanabe Kazumi and Tsugaru Shamisen Sato Michihiro. Tokyo, Hokkaido. 1987.

Collaborations with taiko performing artist Hayashi Eitetsu with butoh legendary dancer and          choreographer Maro Akaji, Japanese rock start Uzaki Ryudo, and others. 1983-1987.

1985-1987 - Concert tour, "Kenny Endo/Eitetsu Hayashi Group." Vancouver, Paris, Oakland and Los Angeles, California. 1986.  

"Spirit Sounds," concert featuring works by Kenny Endo with guests Rene McLean, Kikuchi Masashi, Paul Jackson. (Tokyo) 1987.

Featured performer for rock star Michael Jackson private performance. Osaka.   1987.

Original music composed for the Theatre of Yugen.   Work premiered at the Tsukuba   World Science Exposition.   (Tsukuba, Japan) 1986.

Invited artist to the Americas Cup Festivities. (Perth, Australia) 1986.

Guest artist with Kotosono Dance Troupe. Cairo & Alexandria, Egypt 1984.

Professional performing member of O Edo Sukeroku Taiko of Tokyo; touring to Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, the United States and Japan. 1982 - '87.

Recordings

"Jugoya" recording featuring the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble of Tokyo & Honolulu, 2000.

"Essence" recording featuring improvisation with   Endo (taiko & perc), Masayuki Koga (shakuhachi), Michiyo Koga (koto).

"Hibiki" recording featuring the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble of Tokyo, 1997.

"Fresh and Primitive" recording with Michel Seguin and Sun Drums. Collaboration of African drums and taiko. 1997.

"Eternal Energy" CD featuring the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble of Tokyo, 1994. Re-released in the U.S. in 1995, 1998 by Asian Improv Records. (AIR0021)

Soundtrack recording for Kayo Hatta's film, "Picture Bride." 1994.

Recording for pan-world percussion group, "One Tribe," Cabaseke. 1994.

Guest artist on video recording by John Kaizan Neptune & Earth Sound. 1990.

Featured soloist on educational video "Japanese Drums, Flutes and Gongs." 1989.

Featured soloist on video recordings "Spirit Sounds" and "Ancient Beginnings. (1987, 1988).

Featured soloist on "Ancient Beginnings, Drums of Japan." 1988.

Recording as performer with O Edo Sukeroku Taiko on CD and Cassette. 1987.

Soundtrack recording of Francis Ford Coppola's film, "Apocalypse Now." 1979.

Films and Television

Featured artist in Dianne Fukami's upcoming film "Taiko Spirit," 2004.

Featured artist on Hawaii Public Television's Real Life Art series, June 1998.

Appearance in Kayo Hatta's film, "Picture Bride." 1994.

Featured artist in JN Productions' "Who Will Cut Next Year's Bamboo?"   Hawaii. 1991.

Hawaii Public Television Music Education-l hour segment featuring Kenny   Endo's lecture-demonstration for the schools. 1993.

Commercial for Central Pacific Bank, Hawaii. 1992.

Commercial for NTT, Nippon Telephone & Telegraph,   Japan. 1988.

Commercial for Japanese Asahi Television, Japan. 1986.

Fuji Television Taiko-Fireworks Summer Extravanganza, Japan. 1984, 1985.

Appearance in Visual Communications' film short, "Cruisin' J-Town." 1975.