“Martin’s BBQ” by Tetsumi Hanaoka
Our “Mystery” North America tour is going along well.
To tour and hold performances requires dedicated work by so many key people behind the scenes. On this tour, one of them is Mr. Martin Lechner, our lighting director. We affectionately call him “Martin.” He is a tall like a big bear.
One performance day, I thought I could smell something good… and it turned out that Martin was cooking meat and sausages! He made hotdogs and hamburgers for us! They were so delicious, fresh off the grill!
By the way, he said that when you cook them slowly on a low heat it’s called “barbequing,” and when you cook them quickly on a high heat it’s called “grilling.” I never knew that before!
We’ll use this BBQ fuel as energy for our upcoming performances!
“Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Mystery” North America Tour
http://www.kodo.or.jp/oet/index_en.html#schedule13a
“A 15mm World” by Maya Minowa
The rehearsals for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi” are well underway.
At this performance, I will become the first-ever female Kodo performer to play Monochrome on stage.
We have to use such precision when we practice Monochrome… you could cut through the tension in the rehearsal hall with a knife.
The pianissimo parts in this composition are played in a tiny 15mm world. We have to control our drumsticks to make strokes within this minute range. Eiichi Saito says, “Don’t move your sticks up and down, just let them fall from your tanden (core/abdomen).” But this drumming technique is far more difficult than I had ever imagined. (Apparently, in the old days, Kodo members would light a candle and practice drumming like this until it had burned down completely.)
My practice for this piece is rather stoic and subtle and it makes me connect an array of nerves that I never had to think about before.
I hope you will join us for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi” next month.
▶Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N2ME9rH4E
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Mar. 19 (Thu)–20 (Fri), 2015 Yokohama, Kanagawa
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150319michi_en.html
Director: Motofumi Yamaguchi
Performers: Eiichi Saito, Tomohiro Mitome, Yuichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Kenta Nakagome, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Rai Tateishi, Maya Minowa, Ryosuke Inada, Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama (Cast subject to change)
Programme (TBC): Zoku, Jang-Gwara, Chonlima, Michi, Shamisen, Monochrome, Miyake, Sankan Shion, Yamauta, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi
“Rehearsals Begin for ‘Michi'” by Mitsunaga Matsuura
Rehearsals for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Rehearsals have begun for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi.”
The cast features three brand new junior members: Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama.
Everyone is working hard to prepare for the performances in March.
▶Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N2ME9rH4E
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Mar. 19 (Thu)–20 (Fri), 2015 Yokohama, Kanagawa
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150319michi_en.html
Director: Motofumi Yamaguchi
Performers: Eiichi Saito, Tomohiro Mitome, Yuichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Kenta Nakagome, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Rai Tateishi, Maya Minowa, Ryosuke Inada, Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama (Cast subject to change)
Programme (TBC): Zoku, Jang-Gwara, Chonlima, Michi, Shamisen, Monochrome, Miyake, Sankan Shion, Yamauta, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi
“A Breath of Fresh Air” by Mariko Omi
A new female member joined us for our current “Mystery” tour. Her name is Tomoe Miura and she is a brand new junior member.
She has only just finished her apprenticeship, but right off the bat she has been exposed to so many challenges: life overseas, jet lag, difference climates, various theaters, hotel life, and giving performances in front of actual audiences.
Her eagerness and determination provide a breath of fresh air on this tour, which inspires us and makes us take a good look at our own mindsets, too.
As we perform and rehearse the various pieces, new ideas emerge and shape the programme in new ways. You can see the individuality of each cast member developing in each piece as we progress on this tour. The “Mystery” production had its final Japan performance last year, but it is now undergoing a renaissance as we perform it on tour in North America.
“Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Mystery” North America Tour
Announcing the New 2015 Kodo Junior Members
“Year 32 (2013-2014) Apprentice Graduation Ceremony” by Michiko Chida
Year 32 (2013-2014) Apprentice Graduation Ceremony (Jan. 17, 2015)
Eight members from the Year 32 (2013-2014) class graduated from the Kodo Apprentice Centre on January 17, 2015, having completed our 22-month-long apprentice programme.
When they entered the programme, there were 12 apprentices in their class, but 5 of them left after a year and the remaining 7 members advanced to the second year of the programme. In June 2014, an apprentice from the year above them, who took time off due to an injury, returned to continue his studies. The eight of them, with unique personalities that inspired each other, worked diligently to grow as individuals.
On this final day, they expressed their gratitude for all of the encounters & experiences made possible by their time at the Apprentice Centre. They ended their apprentice life with one last performance together, as a team, showing us their sense of unity.
Now, they will set off on different paths, but I hope that what they experienced here will become a foundation, source of confidence, and something that they will treasure for the rest of their lives.
Thank you very much to all of you who loved and encouraged these young apprentices over the past two years.
“Our Visit to Asano Taiko U.S.!” by Tetsumi Hanaoka
Feb. 7, 2015
Our Visit to Asano Taiko U.S.
Today we visited “Asano Taiko U.S.” in Torrance, California, on the way from Santa Barbara to San Diego during our “Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Mystery” North America Tour.
Asano Taiko has helped us so much with our current tour. We visited their store, studio, and Kato Taiko‘s workshop next door to Asano Taiko U.S. They told us that the studio holds workshops almost every day and that the U.S. taiko population is rapidly growing, along with the level of technique. We need to keep up with them!
We will continue to do our best on this tour!
“Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Mystery” North America Tour
http://www.kodo.or.jp/oet/index_en.html#schedule13a
“Seeking Participants for My Upcoming Taiko Camp in Uto, Kumamoto!” by Yoshikazu Fujimoto
Seeking Participants for My Upcoming “Taiko Camp in Uto”
This year will mark my third “Taiko Camp in Uto” in Uto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. It is my pleasure to teach others about my own personal stance and mindset for playing o-daiko (the big drum), using the unique, traditional Uto o-daiko drums. The pieces we will work on this time differ from those I shared at the first and second camps.
So… please, please come along and join me to experience the thrill and excitement of playing o-daiko!
The venue staff and I are really looking forward to seeing you there!
Taiko Camp in Uto with Kodo’s Yoshikazu Fujimoto
Yoshikazu Fujimoto will head back to Kyushu in February to offer another energetic taiko camp in Uto City, Kumamoto, which is home to 26 keyaki o-daiko (large taiko drums made from Japanese zelkova). This three-day/two-night workshop is designed to allow people to come and experience “taiko life” through Yoshikazu’s character, rather than to learn specific skills. We hope you’ll join him there!
Feb. 20 (Fri)–22 (Sun), 2015 Uto Shimin Kaikan, Uto, Kumamoto
Instructor: Yoshikazu Fujimoto (Kodo)
Fee: 40,000 yen (Accommodations and drumsticks included)
Inquiries:”Kodo Uto Tokubetsu Koen” Staff, Uto Shimin Kaikan Tel. 0964-22-0188
Email: utobunka@nifty.com
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150222uto_en.html
Note: Workshop instruction will be in Japanese only, but everyone is welcome!
“Hina Matsuri Joshi-kai (Doll’s Festival Ladies Get-Together) Concert” by Yoko Fujimoto
Yoko here, with an announcement about my upcoming spring concert.
Hina Matsuri Joshi-kai (Doll’s Festival Ladies Get-Together) Concert
Ladies, let’s all get together and sing
To welcome the warmer days of spring!
Join me at a cozy dog cafe for a special programme full of fun. We will sing some good old songs, I will tell you some of my own dog stories, and we will have a really relaxing time together! You are welcome to bring your dog along, too. This is a get-together for ladies only (ages 12 & over). I am so excited to offer this unique concert for the first time. Please come along!
Hina Matsuri Joshi-kai (Doll’s Festival Ladies Get-Together) Concert
Date & Time: March 3 (Tue), 2015
Doors Open: 18:00 / Start:18:30
Venue: Deco’s Dog Cafe Denen Chofu http://www.hot-dog.co.jp/ (Japanese)
Venue Address: Tokyu Square Garden Site North Bldg., 2-62-1 Denen Chofu, Ota Ward, Tokyo
Prices: 4,000 yen (including one drink), 5,000 yen with a dog (incl. one drink for you and a special snack for your dog)
Capacity: 40 people
Seating Details: All free seating.
Reservations & Inquiries: yokolive.info@gmail.com (Sannya Project)
*Please include the number of tickets you would like and your daytime phone number.
*Please note that this event is for women only, ages 12 & over.
“Workshop in Berkeley” by Yosuke Oda
Feb. 4, 2015
Hello, everyone! This is Yosuke Oda. I’m in Berkeley, California, with the “Kodo One Earth Tour: Mystery” North America tour.
I was invited to lead a workshop for the members of Raijin Taiko at UC Berkeley today.
First, we all introduced ourselves and then we had time to do stretches together. Everyone shouted loudly to count “ichi, ni, san … (one, two, three…), and so did I. Then, they performed their piece Kazoku (Family) for me. They were so upbeat and their cheerful sound echoed throughout the hall. After that, I gave my own performance demo. It felt good to play taiko supported by their energy.
Just as we started to feel at ease with each other, the workshop started! The theme for this workshop was “Create your own sound.” Everyone caught on to what I taught so quickly, so we progressed at a good pace. Kate, who interpreted for me, did her best, too. Thank you, Kate!
At the end of the workshop, I asked them to play their piece Kazoku once again to show what they had learned today. They began with amazing power and volume, and the rhythm was livelier than the first time they played it. They all helped each other like a real family and it was an awesome performance.
Seeing their performance made me think how good it is to be natural. Being natural and your own sound are directly related.
At the end, we took this picture and they gave me a lot of presents, too. Thank you very much for today, Raijin Taiko! Let’s play taiko together again!
“Another Side of Mystery: Kusa-wake” by Yuta Sumiyoshi
Kusa-wake
I composed this piece for the “Amaterasu” encore performances in 2013.
According to Japanese legend, once upon a time when Amaterasu, the sun goddess, hid away in a cave, the world was plunged into darkness. Greatly troubled by this situation, all the other gods & goddesses came together to discuss what could be done. Kuwa-wake depicts this scene from the famous tale.
To express that conversation between the gods, I focused on incorporating elements such as combinations of rambling changes of rhythm and pianissimo sounds. Kusa-wake differs from other Kodo compositions to date in that it makes the most of hollow sounds as well as hearty sounds. This piece incorporates a wide, dynamic range of volume from really tiny sounds to huge, strong sounds.
There are theatrical elements to our performance of this piece in “Amaterasu,” so when we perform this piece in “Kodo One Earth Tour: Mystery,” we put those theatrical elements into our musical expression instead. However, we are very careful to maintain that feeling of having a conversation with each other while we perform it.
When we perform it on stage, we let ourselves go with the flow as the rhythms push, pull, and repeat. I hope you’ll enjoy the unique vibes and groove created by our “conversation.”
Kodo Discography | Mystery
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Kodo Online Store | Mystery [CD]
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