Tag ‘Shogo Komatsuzaki’
“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 Goes to Bali” by Shogo Komatsuzaki
Nov. 24, 2015
Japan was getting ready for winter when we boarded the plane for Bali and the heat that greeted us here was way beyond what I had imagined. Our first performance is Negara went well and we have just arrived in Denpasar. The staff in Negara gave us such a warm welcome and I was so grateful everyday while we were there.
In Bali, my five senses are bustling with sensations I have never experienced before, but it is somehow nostalgic here and the nature and people remind me of Japan. The roots of our cultures feel very close even though they are somewhat different in form.
Suar Agung really set the Shiroyama Concerts on fire at Earth Celebration in August. It is hard to find the right words just yet to describe our first performance in Bali, but I can say that when their groove surrounded us on stage, we felt that they had turned the heat up even further…
We are counteracting their heat with a powerful freshness, like the wind on Sado Island, which we hope will resonate with Suar Agung and the audiences.
“School Workshop Performances in Yonezawa!” by Shogo Komatsuzaki
June 10, 2015
School Workshop Performances in Yonezawa, Yamagata
This week the One Earth Tour cast has split into two teams: one is in Asakusa giving “DADAN 2015” performances, and one is in Yonezawa giving “School Workshop Performances.” The DADAN performances feature a powerful, all-male cast drumming for 90 minutes non-stop. It’s the rainy season now in Japan so it’s quite muggy, but I’m sure all this energetic drumming will invigorate the audiences.
I am in Yonezawa with the School Workshop Performance team. We are giving upbeat performances at elementary schools.
I am really happy that Kodo has the chance to share the sound of taiko with audiences of all ages all over Japan and around the world. Also, our School Performances give us a chance to interact with so many children, so we get to help inspire future generations. I value everyday that I get to spend interacting with them and always do my best.
“Our Morning Departure from Sado Island” by Shogo Komatsuzaki
Jan. 25, 2015
Sado Island sunrises are so beautiful.
The freezing cold air stinging my nose, quiet waves, birds chirping, the scent of the mountains…
I will remember these sensations, sights, and sounds, and take them with me on the road.
All over the world, people experience nature in the same way, using with all their senses.
We have a young cast for this tour and we will do our very best, make each day count, and work hard in the hope that our audiences can sense nature, Sado Island, and Japan, through our performances.
Off we go!
North America, see you soon!
Our farewell from Kodo Village (Taken aboard the Kodo bus)
“Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Mystery” North America Tour
Popular New “Eternity” Tour Merchandise!
Brand new t-shirts and tenugui towels featuring “Kodo One Earth Tour 2014: Eternity”-inspired motifs are on sale now at our performance venues in Japan.
Left: Masayuki Sakamoto & Mariko Omi model the new “Eternity” t-shirts.
Right: Shogo Komatsuzaki shows the new “Eternity” tenugui towel. Traditional Japanese tenugui are thin cotton towels which are great as a sports towel, bandana, or even wall hanging.
*Also available from the Kodo Online Store
[T-shirt] Kodo Tour T-shirt “Eternity”
http://www.kodo.or.jp/store/38.html
[Tenugui Towel] “Eternity”
http://www.kodo.or.jp/store/24_1455.html
For orders in English, please contact the Store by email.
Kodo Online Store (Japanese) http://www.kodo.or.jp/store/
Kodo Online Store (English) http://kodo.shop.multilingualcart.com/
Email: store.eng@kodo.or.jp
“‘Mystery’ Performance in Iwaki” by Shogo Komatsuzaki
On October 4, we performed in my hometown of Iwaki, Fukushima. It was my first time to perform in Iwaki as a Kodo member. Thanks to the support of the venue, Iwaki Performing Arts Center Alios, the audience there had gathered from all over Fukushima Prefecture. It was a beautiful day and my heart was filled with happiness.
No matter how much I think about it, all I can think to say is “Thank you” to all of the people who helped us with this performance. Even though people in Fukushima are still having a hard time, they manage to turn their tough experiences into strength and they smile a lot. They reminded me that I get my own strength from them too, everywhere I go, all the time, with each step I take.
I hope this performance will become a link between Iwaki and Kodo. I will continue to do my best, in the hopes of coming back to perform in Iwaki soon.
“Coming Soon: ‘Mystery’ in Fukushima!” by Shogo Komatsuzaki
(Left) Appearance on “Fukushima Super J Channel” (Fukushima Broadcasting)
(Right) Live appearance on DATE FM’s “Crescendo”
Yuta, Kosuke and I appeared on DATE FM’s “Crescendo,” “Fukushima Super J Channel” (Fukushima Broadcasting), and Fukushima FM’s “Iwaki Alios Art Juke Box” to publicize our “Mystery” performances in Iwaki, Fukushima, on Oct. 4 and in Sendai, Miyagi, on Oct. 7.
Iwaki is my hometown. This will be my first time to perform there. I will do my best to make the Iwaki locals feel much closer to Kodo. I hope many people will come.
We will be on Fukushima FM radio at around 6:05 pm on Oct. 3. (Time/date subject to change. Interview in Japanese, naturally.)
Fukushima FM Radio’s “Iwaki Alios Art Juke Box”
“Asakusa” by Shogo Komatsuzaki
Asakusa
The scent of Japanese traditions from the good old days and craftsmen at work never fades in Asakusa. Brimming with life, pumping with a never-ending flow of people, it’s like a festival every day in this town. Last year when I came to perform in Asakusa for the first time, I felt a kind of culture shock in this constantly-bustling downtown hub.
The main shopping street in Asakusa that leads up to Senso-ji Temple is jam-packed with people every day, so it made me wonder why this town is so lively and why it attracts so many people. I think it’s thanks to the strong, passionate hearts of the locals of Asakusa, who take pride in the town’s cultural heritage, traditional arts and local specialty goods and both uphold and hand down those traditions with versatility.
The people of Asakusa have tremendous confidence and pride in their town and they are constantly thinking and passionately talking about the future of Asakusa. By meeting these people, I reaffirmed that people’s hearts uphold traditions, connect people, and bring people together. I felt really grateful to learn that it’s people like this welcoming Kodo to Asakusa. I really want many others to feel those hopes for the future of Asakusa through Kodo’s performances here.
This year is the second time for Kodo to hold consecutive performances here, and I think that “Mystery,” with its nostalgic atmosphere, truly suits the feel of the Asakusa township. Our performance is live, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how Asakusa and “Mystery” will come together and how the performances will be received by our audiences. We will do our utmost to let you experience a “Mystery” that is unique to Asakusa, so please come along!
On a more personal note, I love Asakusa’s Senso-ji Temple and shopping street by night. You might hear the sound of “Mystery” around here from this weekend…