TAO: SEVENTEEN SAMURAI to Bring Explosive Drumming to Pepperdine University

TAO: Seventeen Samauri, which has riveted millions of spectators worldwide, brings its explosive taiko drumming and innovative choreography Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets, priced starting at $22 for adults, $20 for youth 17 and under, and $10 for full-time Pepperdine students, are available now by calling (310) 506-4522 or online at arts.pepperdine.edu. More information about TAO available at www.drum-tao.com/main/English.

The vibrant stars of TAO all live and train at a compound in the mountains of Japan, reaching the highest level of virtuosity only after years of intense study. The drummers who will perform at Pepperdine offer a youthfully modern take on an ancient art form, pounding their drums-some of which are massive-with jaw-dropping precision and power.

TAO was founded in 1993 with the goal of creating a brand of wadaiko (Japanese drumming) that would appeal to audiences worldwide. While a wadaiko boom was happening in Japan at the time, TAO recognized that this was a mere passing phenomenon that hardly emphasized the importance of real drumming skills.

In a brave move, the group decided to put down roots in the southern Kyushu region of Japan to enable it to build strength and steadily hone its skills until it would be ready to play for demanding, international audiences.

Success came in a big way in 2004, when it was the runaway hit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. TAO has since toured the world, including a special performance at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 followed by their first North American tour. After their worldwise achievements, TAO received the 6th Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner's Award and the Outstanding Cultural Contribution from Oita prefecture in Japan.

The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University provides high-quality activities for over 50,000 people from 664 zip codes annually through performances, rehearsals, museum exhibitions, and master classes. Located on Pepperdine's breathtaking Malibu campus overlooking the Pacific, the center serves as a hub for the arts, uniquely linking professional guest artists with Pepperdine students as well as patrons from surrounding Southern California communities. Facilities include the 450-seat Smothers Theatre, the 118-seat Raitt Recital Hall, the "black box" Helen E. Lindhurst Theatre, and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art.

THE DETAILS:

TAO: Seventeen Samurai

WHEN: Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA

TICKETS: (310) 506-4522 or arts.pepperdine.edu

PRICES: $22-$45 for adults; $20 for youth 17 and under; $10 for Pepperdine students

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