Ethnomusicologist Deborah Wong will read excerpts from her new book, Louder and Faster: Pain, Joy, and the Body Politic in Asian American Taiko, at several University of California campuses during the winter quarter.


Louder and Faster addresses the phenomenon of Asian American taiko, the thundering, athletic drumming tradition that originated in Japan. Immersed in the taiko scene for twenty years, Wong has witnessed cultural and demographic changes and the exponential growth and expansion of taiko, particularly in Southern California. Through her participatory ethnographic work, she reveals a complicated story embedded in memories of the Japanese American incarceration and legacies of imperialism, Asian American identity and politics, and a desire to be seen and heard.

Louder and Faster is an open access title and is available for immediate download through the Luminos OA platform.

Upcoming Events

  • Friday, January 17 – 1 PM: Author reading at UCLA, Department of Ethnomusicology, Schoenberg Music Building, Ethnomusicology Lab – Room B544
  • Tuesday, February 18 – 3 PM: Author reading at UCSB, Department of Music
  • Tuesday, March 3 – 4 PM: Author reading at UCSD, Department of Music
FacebookTwitterTumblrLinkedInEmail