News
Kodo Blog Relocation (English)
Thank you for following Kodo Blog to keep up-to-date with our activities.
We have just relocated our Blog to a new web address, so please update your bookmark.
NEW URL FOR ENGLISH KODO BLOG
http://www.kodo.or.jp/en/kodo_blog_en
Stay tuned for new posts by Kodo members and staff, announcements, performance reports, photos, and more!
Hatsune Miku x Kodo Special Live Performance
Upcoming Kodo Collaboration with Virtual Singer Hatsune Miku!
“Two of Japan’s Renowned Artists Come Together for an Exciting New Collaboration!”
In the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, Japanese Broadcasting Company NHK will broaden the global spotlight on sports to also showcase Japan’s fascinating culture through their “This is NIPPON Premium Theater” series. These NHK productions will be broadcast nationwide and worldwide to share creative programs featuring an eclectic array of Japan’s preeminent artists, showcasing the dynamic spectrum of Japanese arts and culture.
In March 2017, Kodo will appear in “Hatsune Miku x Kodo Special Live,” taking to the stage with software-character-turned-virtual-singer Hatsune Miku for our first-ever collaboration. We look forward to this cutting-edge performance where traditional Japanese drums and internationally-renowned digital live-performance programming will create exciting new forms of fusion.
Hatsune Miku will perform brand new songs and a selection of her most popular numbers. She will also sing with Kodo, lending her vocals to some of our taiko compositions. We hope you’ll join us for this truly unique concert event!
This collaboration is part of the Tokyo 2020 Official Program.
Official Website: http://kodo-miku.com
This is NIPPON Premium Theater –Hatsune Miku x Kodo Special Live Performance
Mar. 4 (Sat), 5 (Sun), 2017 NHK Hall, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo
Mar. 4 (Sat) Doors Open 18:00, Start 19:00
Mar. 5 (Sun) Doors Open 12:00, Start 13:00
Price: S-seats 6,900 yen, A-seats 5,900 yen, B-seats 4,900 yen (Tax incl., same price for advance & door sales)
*Ticket holders will be given a limited-edition penlight at the venue in exchange for the “Penlight Voucher” issued with each concert ticket. Please be sure to bring both the concert ticket and “Penlight Voucher” with you to the venue.
Seating Details: All seats reserved. Please refrain from bringing preschoolers (ages 5 & under).
Ticket Sale Dates & Outlets:
Pre-Order Ticket Lottery: From 11:00am on Dec. 13 (Tue) until 11:00am on Dec. 20 (Tue), 2016
Ticket Pia Pre-Orders http://pia.jp/t/kodo-miku/ (Online, mobile phone)
General Sales: From 10:00am on Jan. 14 (Sat), 2017
Ticket Pia Online/Mobile http://w.pia.jp/t/kodo-miku/
Ticket Pia Automated Telephone Reservations Tel. 0570-02-9999 [P-code: 316-825] *Open 7 days, except during maintenance periods.
Ticket Pia Outlets: Hours vary according to store, see here for the list of outlets: Find a Ticket Pia Outlet (Japanese)
Seven Eleven Convenience Stores: Available from multi-copy machines [P-code: 316-825] *Open 7 days, except during maintenance periods.
Circle K Sunkus Convenience Stores: K Station [P-code: 316-825] *Available 5:30am–2:30am.
Inquiries: Hello Dial Tel. 03-5777-8600 (8:00–22:00, open 7 days)
Hatsune Miku
The “Hatsune Miku” voice synthesizer software was developed by Crypton Future Media. It allows users to make a female character called Hatsune Miku sing songs, simply by entering the lyrics and melody of their choice. Many creators have used Hatsune Miku to make music to share online, which has prompted a wave of interactive user activity in Japan and abroad. First gaining attention as a software character, Hatsune Miku is now popular around the world as a virtual singer with sell-out live performances and her own merchandise. In 2016, she gave performances in five major cities throughout Japan, followed by performances in North America and Taiwan. In Dec. 2016, Hatsune Miku performances will be held in Beijing and Shanghai, China.
Official Website: http://piapro.net/
Taiko Workshop & Exchange with Shiki Theatre Company
Taiko Workshop & Exchange with Shiki Theatre Company
On Oct. 30, we hosted an exchange event at Kodo Apprentice Centre for Kodo and Shiki Theatre Company. The Company came to Sado to give performances of “The Adventures of Ganba” for fifth & sixth grade elementary school students from all over the island. As soon as they arrived on Sado, they came straight here to see us!
The Kodo apprentices welcomed the Company with a performance.
Kodo’s Eiichi Saito led a taiko workshop for our guests. He told them, “Feel everyone’s hearts connect as you play taiko together.”
It looks like the members of Shiki Theatre Company really enjoyed playing taiko.
Next, they showed us a scene from “The Adventures of Ganba” that features taiko!
We all enjoyed dinner together. The apprentices made curry from scratch and filled the tables with vegetable dishes made with fresh produce they harvested themselves. Of course, they also served up Sado’s famous “Okesa Kaki” persimmons. We had such a fun meal together. Most of our apprentices are around 20 years old and so were many of the Shiki Theatre Company performers. They also had an apprenticeship period in their training, so everyone had a lot in common. Everyone enjoyed talking to each other and it was a very fruitful exchange for all involved.
The Shiki Theatre Company members have a go at playing the big drum, o-daiko.
Shiki Theatre Company will perform on Nov. 1 at Amusement Sado for the children of Sado and our apprentices will help them out with the load-in and load-out.
Thank you for visiting us, Shiki Theatre Company! We are looking forward to seeing your performance! Break a leg!
Shiki Theatre Company with Eiichi Saito and the Kodo apprentices.
Kodo Featured in Nov. 2016 Issue of “Dance Magazine”
Kodo Featured in Nov. 2016 Issue of “Dance Magazine”
If you’re in Japan, keep an eye out for the November issue of “Dance Magazine.” It has a special feature on Kodo’s 35th Anniversary Concert “Hisho” (Soaring) with Blue Tokyo & Dazzle. It’s on sale now!
Photos: Masayuki Sakamoto (above) and Yuichiro Funabashi at Kodo Village holding the Nov. 2016 issue of Dance Magazine. They just got back from Korea.
“Dance Magazine” Nov. 2016 Issue
http://www.shinshokan.co.jp/dance/index_dance.html
Kodo 35th Anniversary Commemorative Concert “Third Night ‘Hisho’–Soaring–”
Packed with a diverse array of powerful performances, the first act of Hisho features Kodo performing the compositions of Tamasaburo Bando. For the second act, Bando directs Kodo as they collaborate with two unique dance ensembles: the male rhythmic gymnastics troupe Blue Tokyo, and the street dance performance group Dazzle.
Film “The Ondekoza” to Screen at The 73rd Venice International Film Festival
Tai Kato Film ‘The Ondekoza’ to Screen at The 73rd Venice International Film Festival
The 1979 film about Kodo’s antecedent group Sado no Kuni Ondekoza, entitled “The Ondekoza,” has been selected as one of two films from Japan to screen in the Classic Category of the 2016 Venice International Film Festival from Aug. 31 through Sep. 10. The other film from Japan is Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai.”
http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/news/22-07.html
Photo courtesy of Web Cinemas by Shochiku
This screening commemorates the 100th birthday of director Tai Kato. The film will also be shown in Japan from Nov. 19 through 27 at Tokyo Filmex. Further screenings are also being planned.
Mr. Robert Lepage Visits Kodo Village
Mr. Robert Lepage Visits Kodo Village
We had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. Robert Lepage to Kodo Village the other day. He is an actor and stage director who is renowned for his creative work directing productions such as Cirque du Soleil’s KA and TOTEM.
Taiko Experience at Sado Island Taiko Centre
Many of Kodo’s performers and staff are big fans of his work, and we are very happy to hear that he has been a fan of Kodo for many years as well!
We are truly thankful for this lovely encounter.
In the Dining Hall at Kodo Village on June 30, 2016 (From left: Yui Kawamoto, Takao Aoki, Mr. Robert Lepage, Mr. Christian Garon, Atsushi Sugano)
United States of America Ambassador to Japan Attends “Spirited Summer” Performance
United States of America Ambassador to Japan Attends “Spirited Summer” Performance in Asakusa
Ambassador Kennedy (center) with guests from the US Embassy In Tokyo join the Kodo members on stage after the performance at Asakusa Public Hall on July 1, 2016
Over the weekend, the United States of America Ambassador to Japan, Her Excellency Ms., Caroline Kennedy, attended our “Spirited Summer” performance in Asakusa, Tokyo.
She visited us at Kodo Village last week, so it was wonderful to see her two weekends in a row. It was such an honor to see that she had enjoyed our concert.
Ambassador Kennedy, thank you very much for coming along!
Photo: Takashi Okamoto
Kodo Special Performance in Asakusa “Spirited Summer”
July 1 (Fri)–3 (Sun), 2016 Asakusa Public Hall, Taito Ward, Tokyo
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20160701asakusa_en.html
United States of America Ambassador to Japan Visits Kodo Village
United States of America Ambassador to Japan Visits Kodo Village
The United States of America Ambassador to Japan, Her Excellency Ms. Caroline Kennedy, came to Sado Island this past weekend to take part in an outdoor sports event called “Sea to Summit.” While she was on Sado, she made time in her schedule to visit us at Kodo Village.
Most of the Kodo members are currently away on tour or for special projects, so it was Kodo member Yoshie Abe and all 19 of the current Kodo apprentices who were on stand-by to warmly welcome Ambassador Kennedy to the Kodo rehearsal hall.
The apprentices gave a very energetic performance for Ambassador Kennedy, who then took part in a taiko experience session and tried her hand at a wide range of drums. Lastly, everyone played a piece together and then we showed Ambassador Kennedy around Kodo Village.
Kodo enjoys touring in the USA every two years and it is such an honor for us to spend time in Japan with diplomats from the USA, too.
Ambassador Kennedy, thank you very much for coming to visit us. We had a wonderful time with you at Kodo Village. We look forward to visiting the USA on tour again next year.
Announcing the New 2016 Kodo Junior Members
New 2016 Kodo Junior Members
Five recent Kodo Apprentice Centre graduates have just become Kodo junior members. They are Koharu Ido, Issei Kohira, Masayasu Maeda, Koji Miyagi, and Kodai Yoshida. We thank you in advance for your support of their activities.
*The decision about Yuri Sakamoto is pending and will be made in March 2016.
(From left) Masayasu Maeda, Issei Kohira, Koharu Ido, Koji Miyagi, & Kodai Yoshida at Kodo Village on Jan. 19, 2016
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Thank you very much for your kind support throughout 2015 and to date.
In 2016, Kodo celebrates its 35th anniversary.
Moving forward, we will endeavor to present better performances than ever before.
Thank you in advance for your continued support.
We wish you all a very happy and healthy new year.
Kodo
Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble