Aki Takahashi is a Japanese singer, taiko drummer and shamisen player. She is the founder and artistic director of “ten ten”, a Japanese folk music ensemble based in Toronto. She became a member of Nagata Shachu in 2003 and is the ensemble’s associate artistic director. In addition to performing traditional folk songs, Aki creates her own original compositions and choreographs to accompany her music. She has performed with numerous artists from a variety of other cultural backgrounds and traditions. She is also a member of the improvising Element Choir, and has worked on numerous projects with UrbanVessel directed by composer Juliet Palmer.