About Us

Our Founders

Dr. Miho Takekawa

Steel Rain 253 was another passion project that emerged out of the inspiration Miho instills in all her students. Originally named the PLU Alumni Steel Band, many of Miho’s past students dreamt of continuing their interest and skills on the steel pan. She made their dreams come true and started a group just for alumni who did not want to say goodbye to the steel pan so soon. After a few years of successful gigs in our community, our alumni and community members were ready to up the ante, and with Miho’s guidance, Steel Rain was born.

“Dr. Miho Takekawa was raised in Tokyo and currently resides in Seattle. She teaches at Pacific Lutheran University, where she heads the percussion studio and directs the school’s Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band. She also teaches mallet classes at Pierce College. During the 2010-2011 school year, she was an interim professor of percussion at the University of Washington School of Music. Miho privately teaches immigrants’ children music.

Miho began piano at age three and took up percussion at thirteen, ultimately graduating from Tokyo’s prestigious Kunitachi School of Music. She earned both Master’s and Doctoral degrees in percussion performance from the University of Washington School of Music in Seattle, where she was awarded the coveted Boeing Scholarship, among other honors.

She is a sought-after performer in many styles of music, working with groups ranging from classical music (such as the Seattle Modern Orchestra) to Mexican banda music to steel band and West African drumming. She performs with Diego Coy Musica Colombiana, Pan Duo, and many other groups, and is a founding member of the Miho & Diego Duo. Significant awards include a Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship and grants from King County 4Culture. In addition to her own performance career, Miho directed the North Rainbow Steel Drum Group (Sapporo, Japan) and served as an arranger for the Hirosaki University Steel Pan Group.” – https://mihodiego.com/miho/

Dr. Gregory Youtz

During Gregory’s time at PLU, he taught a course called Music & Culture – this class was the first time many of us ever even heard of, learned about, or played the steel pan. This excitement around this beautiful music tradition expanded to the student steel pan ensemble, a study abroad trip to Trinidad and Tobago, and a well-established connection with the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine). When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it caused ensembles at PLU to stop rehearsing, all except one – the Steel Pan Ensemble! Because of this, many of our founding members grew very close despite the hardships and distance everyone was experiencing. The small tradition that began at PLU and continued through these hardships, reflects the steel pan’s journey itself and the lesson it has to share – “Come hell or high water, they made music” (Dr. Gregory Youtz). Despite every challenge, the pan emerged victorious as did our program here in our little corner of the world thanks to Dr. Gregory Youtz.

“Born in 1956 in Beirut, Lebanon, Gregory Youtz received his B.M. in composition from the University of Washington in 1980 and his D.M.A. in composition from the University of Michigan in 1987. His principal teachers have included Leslie Bassett, William Bergsma, William Bolcom and William Albright.

His compositions include works for orchestra, band, choir, voice and chamber ensembles, and he is currently at work on a second opera: Cai Yan Fiery Jade based on a libretto by Chinese poet Zhang Er 张耳. Youtz’ wind ensemble music is performed regularly throughout North America, Europe and Japan. In 2008, The Five Changes: Concerto for Percussion and Winds was performed at Carnegie hall by the Oregon State University Wind Ensemble, and in 2010 The Monkey King for wind ensemble was performed by the Shanghai Wind Orchestra at the 2010 Shanghai World Exposition.

Beyond his lifelong interest in local Native American cultures, Youtz has done research in China and Trinidad and Tobago and enjoys drawing conceptual and musical ideas from those rich traditions as well. Dr. Youtz retired from PLU in May 2023.” https://www.plu.edu/music/staff/greg-youtz/

Our Members

Steel Rain is uplifted by so many wonderful musicians who dedicate time outside of their work and personal lives to make music in a meaningful way. Though we operate under rotating personnel, each and every member of Steel Rain is committed to our cause. Thank you to all of our past, present, and future members: