Feel the reverberations of heaven and earth in harmony.

Our 2021 North America tour was postponed due to the pandemic, so we have been looking forward to sharing this program with you all for a long time. Thank you for your patience and encouragement. We hope this performance will uplift you and bring you joy.

In Japanese, the word “Kodo” holds a double meaning. It can be translated as “heartbeat,” the primal source of all rhythm. However, our group’s name is written with different characters, which mean “drum” and “child.” This reflects Kodo’s desire to play the drums with the simple heart of a child. To commemorate our 40th anniversary in 2021, we created two new touring productions based on our name: “Tsuzumi” takes its name and theme from the drum character, and “Warabe” from the child element.

Tsuzumi, the first work, opens with a very special piece in our ensemble’s history that is seldom performed on tour—Dyu-Ha. The late Maki Ishii, a modern composer who was introduced to Kodo by conductor Seiji Ozawa, presented this piece to Kodo as a gift to congratulate our ensemble on its debut in 1981. We will perform Dyu-Ha on this tour for the first time in North America since 1989. Today’s programme also features Ishii’s masterpiece Monochrome and other Kodo signature pieces such as O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi, and Zoku, coupled with new compositions. Join us as we trace our group’s origins back to the beginning, to reflect on our history and reaffirm what has shaped Kodo today.

Conjured and honed on Sado,
Kodo’s sound is like no other.

Kodo One Earth Tour: Tsuzumi.
For its theme, we chose the place where it all began half a century ago: our home of Sado Island. When we reflect on the past, we understand the present.
This work has become a cornerstone for Kodo’s next innovative chapter.
The reverberations of taiko awaken the power of heaven and earth. Conjured and honed on Sado, Kodo’s sound is like no other.
I hope you’ll come and feel the soul-stirring depths of its resonance firsthand at the theater.

Yuichiro Funabashi, Director

Director

Yuichiro Funabashi

Cast*

Eiichi Saito, Jun Jidai, Koki Miura, Ryotaro Leo Ikenaga, Reo Kitabayashi, Mizuki Yoneyama, Yuta Kimura, Yuki Hirata, Taiyo Onoda, Kei Sadanari, Moe Niiyama, Jumpei Nonaka, Hana Ogawa (Junior Member)
*Subject to change without notice.

Programme

Features Dyu-Ha, Monochrome, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi, Zoku, new compositions, and more.