Music @The Playhouse: TAIKOPROJECT + Gamelan Merdu Kumala at Sierra Madre Playhouse

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2. Music @The Playhouse: TAIKOPROJECT + Gamelan Merdu Kumala

Los Angeles-based TAIKOPROJECT, the first American taiko group to win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest, partners with Gamelan Merdu Kumala, a Southern California-based gamelan ensemble, for two back-to-back afternoon and evening performances at Sierra Madre Playhouse on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 4 pm and 7:30 pm. Blending cultural elements from Japan and Indonesia, the collaboration creates a musical bridge between these two rich traditions. TAIKOPROJECT, which captivates with its modern American twist on the exhilarating ancient Japanese art of taiko drumming, is celebrated for its electrifying energy, thunderous beats, and heart-pounding rhythms. The trailblazing group has been featured at the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, on numerous TV shows, and with pop stars Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, and Alicia Keys. Gamelan is the term for a traditional Indonesian ensemble featuring such percussion instruments as gongs, drums, kettles, bamboo flutes, and metallophones. As a musical ensemble, Gamelan Merdu Kumala remains respectful of the Balinese tradition of music making while also moving the artform forward, infusing its performances with rocket-fast melodies, instantaneous tempo changes, and delightful yet elegant performances.