Yumi Tamashiro trained as a pianist but was “converted” to percussion, drawn by the allure of teaching high school drumline.  And it was her undergraduate 20th century music history class that turned her on to contemporary music. Soon after participating in a masterclass with So Percussion, a group based in Brooklyn, NY, she fell in love.

Ms. Tamashiro has performed at the Banff Center of Arts, Chapman University in CA, Princeton University, and Symphony Space in NY. She has performed with a range of projects including For the Forest, an event organized by Arts for Peace in support of the 2011 International Year of Forests, and Make Music New York 2011, a festival of free concerts in public spaces.  Yumi has also recently worked with Kevin Baldwin for his Album Release Project (2011) and PARIS CD Project (2010) with the Tactus Ensemble. 

Her repertoire includes works by Elliot Carter, Steve Reich, Jacob Druckman, Karlheintz Stockhausen, Andy Akiho, Roshanne Etezady, Michio Kitazume. Yumi recently performed a world premier of Universe II by Kevin Baldwin in Banff, Alberta. 

Since her recent move to New York City, Yumi has become a member of many ensembles: Glass Tower Collective, “Le Marteau” Ensemble (name still in progress), and Tactus Ensemble.  With Glass Tower, a NYC percussion quartet, Yumi is commissionint a new work from composer Jason Treuting.  Ms. Tamashiro is a founding member of the “Le Marteau” Ensemble and is working on a consortium commission project with Ian Rosenbaum, to premier a multi-movement work for marimba and string quartet.