Brian Sole grew up in Walled Lake, Michigan. Studied German Literature and Education at Wheaton College
After graduating in 1997, Brian spent time living, working and learning in Germany, Japan, and finally in Michigan. Brian has taught German, Japanese and English as a Foreign Language at all different age levels. Brian began formal taiko studies in August of 2007 at Asano Taiko. He is now a member of three Asano groups under the instruction of Mizue Yamada of Hono Taiko. Brian has also completed two courses in Kaga Taiko style drumming, a style unique to southern Ishikawa, and continues to study this traditional form in Komatsu.
Mayumi Maezawa Sole grew up in Kanazawa, Japan. At 16, she spent a year as an exchange student in Australia. She graduated from high school in Salem, Oregon and went on to study piano performance at George Fox and Pacific University, graduating from Pacific in 1998. In 2000, she began studying music therapy at Michigan State University. Mayumi has worked as a translator, a piano teacher and Japanese tutor.
Mayumi began studying taiko at Asano Taiko in 1998. In 1999, she accompanied Wadaiko Yamato on their four-month "Spirits Tour" of Europe and Israel as a translator and tour assistant. After 7 years, Mayumi began studying taiko again, with Brian, at Asano in 2007. She is now part of two Asano groups under the guidance of Mizue Yamada and Chieko Kinoshita of Hono Taiko. She has also completed two courses in Kaga Taiko style drumming, and continues to study Kaga Taiko in Komatsu. She has also completed an intermediate course offered by the Ishikawa Taiko Renmei (石川太鼓連盟) and has been studying Japanese flute and shamisen as well.