Aki Takahashi

Aki Takahashi is a traditional Japanese shamisen player and folk singer. She studied folk music in Kyoto and has performed both shamisen and vocals at a wide range of venues and events. Since moving to Canada, Aki has expanded her practice to include taiko drumming, deepening her pursuit of Japanese musical traditions.

She is currently the Associate Artistic Director of Nagata Shachu, Canada’s pre-eminent taiko ensemble, and also creates her own original compositions. Aki is the founder of the Japanese folk ensemble ten ten and has collaborated with numerous artists across diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions.