Tetsuo Shimizu was born in Kyoto in 1961. He is one of the original three artists who first began with the Shumei Taiko Ensemble. Today, he is the Ensemble's Leader and his instruments are the chu-daiko, shime-daiko, and solo flute. Besides his dedication to taiko and Shinji Shumeikai, Tetsuo's interests also include the Tea Ceremony, swimming, and sports.

"I find that it is not necessary to be an attention-seeker to play taiko well. Although, when I first started out this desire to show off was very strong in me. However, the more we practiced as a group and the more concerts we gave, the more I came to realize the selflessness of practicing an art dedicated to our Creator. To attain this attitude, it is necessary to play with all one's emotions and energy -- as if one had reached the limit of what is possible."

Tetsuo Shimizu

For the full text of Tetsuo Shimizu’s thoughts on the art of taiko, click here.