Alan Okada

A muralist and graphic designer, Alan went on to a 34-year long career in Corporate and Community Affairs at Citibank and Citigroup, including serving as Vice President of the Citi Foundation managing corporate philanthropy in more than 80 countries.

Alan and his wife Mieko first played taiko to accompany Obon celebrations in New York, Seabrook, NJ and Washington, DC during the mid-1970’s, and became founding members of Soh Daiko in 1979. Soh Daiko was the first taiko group on the east coast of the United States and, at that time, one of only 12 taiko groups outside of Japan.

Soh Daiko has performed for community festivals and celebrations in support of Asian American organizations and causes for more than 40 years. In addition to hundreds of community performances and workshops, the group has performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, and has been featured on television on Sesame Street and MTV Unplugged.

Alan served on the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) advisory committee for the first eight North American Taiko Conferences and on the advisory group for the Japanese American National Museum’s Big Drum exhibit. He served as a founding member of the North American Taiko Community Alliance (TCA) board of directors and is a member of the TCA Advisory Council.