The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Presents KODO 3/1-2

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is proud to present Kodo, Japanese drummers and performers from Sado Island, Japan, who will share their traditional music and dance with Pittsburgh audiences on Tuesday, March 1, and Wednesday, March 2, 2011, 7:30 p.m., at the Byham Theater. "Superlatives don't really exist to convey the primal power and bravura beauty of Kodo," applauds Chicago Tribune. These performances are part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series.

Since their 1981 debut at the Berlin Music Festival, Kodo has been esteemed worldwide as a group dedicated to the recreation of traditional Japanese performing arts. Kodo's One Earth Tour is a performance experience that is meant to transcend language and cultural boundaries and remind people of The Common bond we all share as human beings. Boston Globe raves, "Indeed, if there is such a thing as perfection in music, Kodo comes as near to it as any group in the world."

In Japanese the word kodo has several meanings: "heartbeat", the primal source of all rhythm. The sound of the great taiko (wide drum) is said to resemble a mother's heartbeat as felt in the womb. The word kodo also can mean "children of the drum," and is a reflection of the performers desire to play their drums simply, with the heart of a child.

Kodo combines traditional performances based on folk arts, compositions created by friends and mentors of Kodo and original compositions by members of Kodo. The 13 male and female performers, ages 23-59 years old, have crafted and preserved their ancient artistry of taiko drumming and use other traditional Japanese musical instruments such as fue and shamisen, traditional dance and vocals, Miya-daiko and Shime-daiko (drums whose shell consists of one solid piece of hollowed wood) and Oke-daiko (drums whose shell is constructed out of a number of separate wood planks). Time Out/UK describes Kodo as a "Dynamic, electrifying vision...Nothing will prepare you for the 1,000 lb. drum assault, the precise timing or the wall of sound. An essential experience."

About Kodo's program
The ten-piece program features three new works that will make their North American debut, as well as classic compositions from the Kodo repertoire that have earned the group an avid following across the globe. Among the new compositions, Sakaki opens the program with a male solo dance inspired by an age-old Shinto ceremony. This somber piece is the proverbial calm before the taiko storm and also acts as a kind of purification ceremony for the theater. Another new addition to the Kodo repertoire is Stride, written by artistic director Mitsuru Ishizuka and designed to make use of all of the drums in the group's arsenal. This piece speaks of the "strides" Kodo has taken to date and the journeys that lay ahead as could only be portrayed through the youthful vigor of our next-generation performers. In contrast, Kodo member Shogo Yoshii found his inspiration for Sora through the group's recent cross-genre collaborations that include contemporary dance and flamenco. This uplifting, rhythmical composition features the 3-stringed kokyu and Japanese flute, at once showcasing the influences of the music Kodo has encountered in their travels and capturing the aspirations of the group as it enters a new epoch.

Additional highlights include Monochrome, composed by modern master composer Maki Ishii. Conceived in the 70s, this timeless masterpiece instantly redefined the boundaries of the taiko as an art form, and its influence on the genre continues to be profound. A most unique Kodo composition, Jang-Gwara captures the versatility and levity of jangara cymbals as The Players weave beautifully choreographed rhythms throughout this vibrant soundscape. Also included are traditional folk arts from around Japan that Kodo has arranged for the stage, such as the universal crowd-pleasers O-daiko, Miyake, and Yatai-bayashi. Together, these multifaceted pieces create an enthralling program of taiko, song, and dance that delivers the complete Kodo experience.

Tickets ($20.75 - $42.75) for the March 1 and 2, 2010 performances of Kodo, at the Byham Theater may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets at special discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is the cultural and economic development of Pittsburgh's 14-block Cultural District through public and private support. The Trust presents and encourages diverse performing and visual arts programs within the District, and is an impetus for additional development in downtown Pittsburgh. In addition to the Trust Presents series, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, Pittsburgh Dance Council, Pittsburgh International Children's Theater and Children's Festival, CD Live, JazzLive, First Night Pittsburgh, Gallery Crawl, and Three Rivers Arts Festival, among other Cultural District and arts events. The Trust owns Theater Square and the Cabaret at Theater Square; James E Rohr Building & Arts Education Center; the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts; Byham, O'Reilly, and Harris Theaters; visual arts galleries: Wood Street Galleries, at 601 Wood Street; SPACE, at 812 Liberty Avenue and 937 Liberty: a multipurpose performance and exhibit space, among other downtown arts facilities. www.pgharts.org

 

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