On September 9, a press conference was held in Tokyo to announce the new structure of Kodo which is to take effect from April 2012. This reorganization initiative includes welcoming Tamasaburo Bando as Kodo's artistic director and appointing Tomohiro Mitome as the new ensemble leader. We were delighted to welcome numerous members of the press and media luminaries for this announcement.
“I will do my utmost as artistic director to share what I have learned to date with the Kodo ensemble," said Bando at this special gathering. “I want to create new performances with Kodo, both for the enjoyment of their audience, but also so that the performing art of taiko may become an established art form the likes of classical theater, an art form to be carried into the future, and transmitted around the world."
In his first public appearance as new ensemble leader, Tomohiro Mitome was asked to reflect on the past decade at Kodo. “The first time I met Tamasaburo, he advised me to concentrate on developing our younger performers," shared Mitome. “Through teaching, I in turn have learned many things. From now on, while educating next-generation members, I want to lead by example and set my sights high."
On the horizon for Kodo are the Dadan Concerts making their foreign debut in Paris at Théâtre du Châtelet in February 2012, and a domestic tour of Japan in July. After assuming the position of artistic director, Bando's first production will debut in Japan in May on a domestic tour entitled Kodo One Earth Tour 2012: Legend. Encore performances of the Amaterasu project are also being planned for 2013.
Under this new structure, Kodo will continue to endeavor to forge new paths in the performing arts and create engaging performances for audiences across the globe.
