Tag ‘Kodo Village’
“A Taste of Vietnam at EC 2016” by Ryotaro Leo Ikenaga
A Taste of Vietnam at Earth Celebration 2016
Hello, everyone. I hope you are all keeping well.
On Sado we have been rehearsing for various new productions every day. Preparations are also underway for this year’s Earth Celebration (EC).
For EC 2016, we have invited guest artists from Vietnam to join us for a concert at Kodo Village. I went to Vietnam in February on a field trip to prepare for this collaboration.
When we arrived in Hanoi, it was right around Lunar New Year.
It was bright and festive, with lanterns and Vietnamese flags everywhere.
We tried a range of local cuisine,
walked throughout the city,
and enjoyed exchange with an array of local artists.
We delighted in the various similarities and differences between our cultures.
Immersed in the local atmosphere, the week just flew by as we enjoyed local food and local music.
This trip reminded me of the importance of international exchange, visiting new places, and experiencing other cultures firsthand with local people.
I hope our Kodo Village Concert at EC 2016 will be an opportunity for us to recreate and share a taste with our audience of the local atmosphere and culture that we experienced in Vietnam.
EC 2016 has other unique performances by Kodo members on the lineup, too.
We look forward to seeing everyone on Sado Island this August for EC!
Ryotaro Leo Ikenaga
“EC 2016 Kodo Village Concert” Assistant Director
Earth Celebration 2016
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20160826ec_en.html
*Details about EC 2016 will be announced in English in late May. Tickets go on sale from June 20.
“Rehearsals with Blue Tokyo & Dazzle for –Hisho– (Soaring)” by Shogo Komatsuzaki
Kodo 35th Anniversary Commemorative Concert
Rehearsals for –Hisho– (Soaring) with Blue Tokyo & Dazzle
We held rehearsals at Kodo Village with guest artists Blue Tokyo & Dazzle for the third day finale of our upcoming Kodo 35th Anniversary Commemorative Concerts, a collaboration entitled –Hisho– (Soaring).
We performed with both Blue Tokyo and Dazzle at “Earth Celebration 2014,” so we are looking forward to taking the stage with these two groups this August again.
Reunited on Sado Island after almost two years, we spent three exciting days rehearsing together. Our three groups have clearly forged a deep bond since 2014 and each day our sound and movements melded together, becoming one. It is hard to describe the feel-good sensation of rehearsing with these ensembles.
We see them dance as we play taiko, they hear our drums as they dance. We are really excited to see what kind of “chemical reaction” the sound of our taiko and their dynamic physical expression will create on stage at Suntory Hall this summer.
I hope you will come along to join us for the finale of our Suntory Hall concerts celebrating Kodo’s 35th Anniversary. We look forward to seeing the energy created on stage leap, fly, and soar.
▲Rehearsals with director Tamasaburo Bando
See you at Suntory Hall in Tokyo on Aug. 20!
▲The Kodo members with Dazzle, Blue Tokyo, and artistic director Tamasaburo Bando after our rehearsals.
Photos: Takashi Okamoto
Kodo 35th Anniversary Commemorative Concerts
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150917kodo35th_en.html
Aug. 18 (Thu), 19 (Fri), 20 (Sat), 2016 Suntory Hall, Tokyo
Aug. 18 (Thu) First Night ‒Deai‒ (Encounters)
Featuring: Kodo, New Japan Philharmonic / Conductor: Tatsuya Shimono
Aug. 19 (Fri) Second Night ‒Spiral‒
Director: Tamasaburo Bando / Featuring: Kodo
Aug. 20 (Sat) Third Night ‒Hisho‒ (Soaring)
Director: Tamasaburo Bando / Featuring: Kodo with guest artists Blue Tokyo & Dazzle
Ticket Outlets:
- Ticket Space Tel. 03-3234-9999 (Mon–Sat 10:00–12:00, 13:00–18:00)
- Suntory Hall Ticket Center Tel. 0570-55-0017
- Ticket Pia Tel. 0570-02-9999 [P-code: 286-898] http://pia.jp/
- e+ (e plus) http://eplus.jp/
- Lawson Ticket Tel. 0570-000-407 (Operator 10:00–20:00) Tel. 0570-084-003 [L-code: 30118] http://l-tike.com/
- Seven Ticket http://7ticket.jp/ Tickets available from multi-copy machines at Seven Eleven stores nationwide.
- Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Ticket Service Tel. 03-5685-0650
Suntory Hall 30th Anniversary Commemorative Event Sponsors: Suntory Beer Limited, Onkyo & Pioneer Innovations Corporation, POLA INC.
“Kodo Village Working Bee” by Masayasu Maeda
Kodo Village Working Bee
On April 6, we all took part in the annual Kodo Village Working Bee.
We started the day with some warm-up stretches
Every spring at this event, all the Kodo members and staff meet the newly-arrived apprentices for the first time.
The first-year apprentices arrived on Sado from around Japan and overseas just two days prior. Seeing them full of hope and nerves, I was reminded of myself standing in their place two years ago. It was really moving to see.
During the working bee, we gather wood in the forest surrounding the Village and cut it into firewood to use over the next winter.
Some Kodo members have just returned from Europe and Brazil and others spent the long winter here on Sado. All of them join the staff and apprentices to work in the woods for the whole day. Kodo Village is surrounded by trees and I really felt the arrival of spring by spending the day outdoors with all the new buds and shoots.
It is hard to find the right words to explain it, but when we all work together I feel a unique sense of fulfilment from this communal life and lifestyle. It made me think of how the wind on Sado Island and the communal atmosphere at Kodo Village get infused with different “breezes” from around the world through Kodo’s travels. As I thought about this phenomenon, we carried and stacked wood…carried and stacked, carried and stacked…and by the end of the day we had created a somewhat artistic wall of firewood.
My fellow junior members and I began our new life at Kodo Village two months ago. We have fulfilling days, and other days that don’t go so well, but we all do our very best everyday.
The grass and flowers are growing so quickly.
Everything is suddenly so green.
This is my third year on Sado Island, after two years as an apprentice, and I can see that I still have plenty to learn from this environment and lifestyle.
Masayasu Maeda (Junior Member)
“Kodo Apprentice Centre Welcomes the 35th Intake Class” by Michiko Chida
Apr. 9, 2016
Kodo Apprentice Centre Welcomes the 35th Intake Class
On Apr. 4, the new first-year apprentices arrived on Sado Island. This year we welcomed ten new apprentices from Japan (Niigata, Nagano, Tokyo, Kagawa, Okinawa), the USA, and Norway.
The 35th Intake class meets at the bus stop in Kakinoura
On their first day on Sado, each year our new apprentices meet at the bus stop in Kakinoura and walk the 1.2 km up the mountain road to the Apprentice Centre. As they climb the hill, step by step, they have time to think about their family and friends back home who sent them off with messages of support, and to think about their own reasons for coming here. From the next day, this route will be a slope that they run up on their daily training for the next two years.
Welcome performance by the second-year apprentices
The new apprentices greet the members of Kodo, Kodo Cultural Foundation, president of Kitamaesen Co., Ltd., and their instructors at the Entrance Ceremony.
Two days later, the new apprentices all nervously introduced themselves to all the Kodo members and staff at Kodo Village. Then everyone got straight into a forest working bee together and the new apprentices all received warm words of welcome and encouragement from the whole Kodo group.
Today is their fifth day at the Centre and as they encounter new things everyday, I can already see they are off to a good start working as a team. I hope that each one of them keeps in mind all the people who are cheering them on as they strive towards their goals, and that they remember how happy they were to be selected to come here. I hope they will tackle their apprentice lifestyle with all their might and that each and every one of the new apprentices broadens their horizons and possibilities during the course of the year ahead.
Kodo Apprentice Centre
http://www.kodo.or.jp/apprentice/index_en.html
“Rehearsals for –Deai– (Encounters)” by Mitsuru Ishizuka
Apr. 12, 2016
Kodo 35th Anniversary Commemorative Concert
–Deai– (Encounters)
We have begun rehearsals on Sado for our upcoming “Kodo 35th Anniversary Commemorative Concerts” that will take place at Suntory Hall in Tokyo this August.
Composer Toshiro Saruya (right) with Kodo’s Masayuki Sakamoto
Composer Sunao Isaji
These past few days we welcomed two composers, Mr. Toshiro Saruya & Mr. Sunao Isaji, and conductor Mr. Tatsuya Shimono to Kodo Village to rehearse for the first concert’s orchestra collaboration entitled –Deai– (Encounters).
When we rehearse for orchestra collaborations, we have to be more attentive than usual to our rhythm and tone, and follow the detailed sheet music with absolute accuracy, and keep an eye on the conductor… so we use a lot of different nerves that we don’t usually exercise on stage. We were all frantically trying to keep up the whole time.
The composers and conductor taught us attentively, and with great detail, how to practice and express classical music, the way sound is created in these compositions, and more. Through their teaching I felt a renewed sense of wonder at the endless span, bottomless depths, and sheer enjoyment of the world of music.
It is now 40 years since the first ever performance of “Mono-Prism,” which Maki Ishii composed for especially for taiko and orchestra. This year, two new taiko and orchestra pieces have been created by two different composers and the world premiere of both works will take place at Suntory Hall this August. This is the one and only performance planned featuring these two new pieces!
After the “Deai” rehearsals, the Kodo members took a commemorative group photo with composers Toshiro Saruya & Sunao Isaji, conductor Tatsuya Shimono, electronic organ players Ms. Shimizu & Ms. Matsuda, and artistic director Tamasaburo Bando.
Kodo 35th Anniversary Commemorative Concerts
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150917kodo35th_en.html
Aug. 18 (Thu), 19 (Fri), 20 (Sat), 2016 Suntory Hall, Tokyo
Aug. 18 (Thu) First Night ‒Deai‒ (Encounters)
Featuring: Kodo, New Japan Philharmonic / Conductor: Tatsuya Shimono
Aug. 19 (Fri) Second Night ‒Spiral‒
Director: Tamasaburo Bando / Featuring: Kodo
Aug. 20 (Sat) Third Night ‒Hisho‒ (Soaring)
Director: Tamasaburo Bando / Featuring: Kodo with guest artists Blue Tokyo & Dazzle
Ticket Outlets:
- Ticket Space Tel. 03-3234-9999 (Mon–Sat 10:00–12:00, 13:00–18:00)
- Suntory Hall Ticket Center Tel. 0570-55-0017
- Ticket Pia Tel. 0570-02-9999 [P-code: 286-898] http://pia.jp/
- e+ (e plus) http://eplus.jp/
- Lawson Ticket Tel. 0570-000-407 (Operator 10:00–20:00) Tel. 0570-084-003 [L-code: 30118] http://l-tike.com/
- Seven Ticket http://7ticket.jp/ Tickets available from multi-copy machines at Seven Eleven stores nationwide.
- Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Ticket Service Tel. 03-5685-0650
Suntory Hall 30th Anniversary Commemorative Event Sponsors: Suntory Beer Limited, Onkyo & Pioneer Innovations Corporation, POLA INC.
Kodo Members Record Music for New BoBA Short Film
Kodo Members Record Music for New BoBA Short Film
“DRUMMANz (The Unexpected Happening of Stick)”
The trailer has just been released for a new short film directed by BoBA (Yohji Tanaka) called “DRUMMANz (The Unexpected Happening of Stick),” starring Flower Companyz drummer Mr. Konishi. It also features drummers Tatsuya Nakamura and Steve Eto.
▶︎Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/AO-OBMNGrWg
This short film is one of four made to shine a light on the local area surrounding Cinema Skhole in Nagoya.
The director approached Kodo and asked us to provide some music for the soundtrack, which we recorded at our rehearsal hall on Sado Island. Yuichiro Funabashi composed the music and performed it for the recording with Mitsuru Ishizuka and Masayuki Sakamoto.
Recording at Kodo Village for the soundtrack
Short Film “DRUMMANz (The Unexpected Happening of Stick)”
Director /Script Writer /Editor: BoBA (Yohji Tanaka)
Featuring: Mr. Konishi, Tatsuya Nakamura, Steve Eto, Flower Companyz, Tadahisa Fujimura, & others
Cinematographer: Rokuro Terada
Sound Engineer: Kenji Sakaue
Lighting Designer: Ken Horiguchi
Art Director: Koji Nagasawa
Music by: Flower Companyz, Kodo (Yuiichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Masayuki Sakamoto), Shleeps
“Rehearsals for ‘Kaguyahime’ on Sado” by Yui Kawamoto
Something is different about the rehearsal hall at Kodo Village this week.
An elegant, comfortable, special sound is resonating throughout the building… what can it be?
It is the sound of the Sado-based rehearsals for “Kaguyahime”!
We are currently rehearsing with conductor Michael de Roo and Gagaku (Japanese court music) ensemble Reigakusha for this month’s ballet performances that will be held in Montreal, Canada.
Here’s to the next performance season of “Kaguyahime” in Montreal! See you soon in Canada!
Kodo Appearance in Ballet Performance “Kaguyahime: The Moon Princess”
Oct. 15 (Thu)–30 (Fri), 2015 Montreal, Canada
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20151015kaguyahime_en.html
“EC Theatre ‘Wadaiko Theatre Fujimotomida 2015’ Rehearsals on Sado” by Minako Goto
Kazuaki Tomida has arrived on Sado to begin rehearsing for his performance with Yoshikazu Fujimoto at EC Theatre next month.
Upon his arrival, he began creating some items to use to decorate the theater. After discussing what elements to include, Yoshikazu Fujimoto first drew a picture and Tomida then wrote the text. The completed curtain will greet their audience on the day of the performance.
“Fujimotomida” made its debut performance last year at Tiara Koto in Tokyo. During their practice, it’s hard for me to tell where their discussion time ends and their performance practise begins…
Their earnestness is impenetrable as they rehearse. Their rehearsals are extremely serious.
Mr. Tomida says that he has chosen his favorite “Yoshikazu pieces” for this performance. With one month to the performance date, the artists are holding on to every discovery they make.
Follow Kazuaki Tomida’s blog here for more about this rehearsal: (in Japanese)
http://uchigumi.blogspot.jp/2015/07/2015.html
Tickets are on sale now!
If advanced tickets sell out, there will be no tickets available on the day of the performance, so don’t delay! Reserve your seat today!
Details: http://www.kodo.or.jp/ec/en/event/ectheatre/fujimoto/
“Kodo in June” by Tomohiro Mitome
June 1, 2015
Hello, everyone! I hope that you are well.
This is Tomohiro Mitome, leader of taiko performing arts ensemble Kodo.
June has begun. The sun’s rays are getting stronger and the forests on Sado are such a vivid green. I feel the power of Mother Nature through this intensity.
Until a few years ago, I spent spring traveling around Japan with the “Kodo One Earth Tour” performances, from the beginning of May until the end of June. When I would come back to Sado in June, I was always taken aback by the changes in nature between my departure and my return. As we passed through the dense gauntlet of trees to reach Kodo Village, I’d feel at home before we had even arrived.
Photo: Takashi Okamoto, Courtesy of Shochiku-za Theatre
Thanks to all of your support, May concluded on a high note after our successful “Amaterasu” performances at Shochiku-za Theatre in Osaka. Thank you very much to all of you who attended the performances. The previous encore performances were held two years ago, so this time even more young, new members joined the cast. I think “Amaterasu” provided them with such valuable experiences: they rose to the challenge of tackling new parts and instruments, and they were able to perform on stage with Kabuki luminary Tamasaburo Bando.
Around the same time, we held the fourth annual “Kodo Special Performances on Sado Island” near Kodo Village in the historic Shukunegi area. The cast was centered around Kodo’s distinguished members and also featured our new junior members, so there was a large age gap between the cast members (more than a generation!). These performances were a great opportunity for our junior members to learn from our senior members.
As usual, from June Kodo has planned a variety of performances in Japan including “Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Eternity” performances and “School Workshop Performances.”
From June 10 to 15, our “DADAN 2015” performances will take place at Asakusa Public Hall in Tokyo. This year is the third year for Kodo to have a series of performances at Asakusa Public Hall in June. Thanks to warm local support, Kodo’s performances in Asakusa have gradually started to take root.
“The School Workshop/Interactive Performance Team Sets Off!” by Koki Miura
June 3, 2015
The School Workshop/Interactive Performance Team Sets Off from Kodo Village!
We only just got back to Sado Island after “Amaterasu” in Osaka, but after a few days of rehearsals, we are all heading off on tour again! Next on the agenda for Kodo we have the School Workshop/Interactive Performances, “Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Eternity” around Japan, and “DADAN 2015” in Asakusa, Tokyo. The School Workshop/Interactive Performance team has set off first.
Safe travels, everyone!
▲Here’s a photo of us waving them off, taken from one of the departing cars.
