Masami Miyazaki – Kodo Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble https://www.kodo.or.jp Exploring the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese drum, the taiko, Kodo is forging new directions for a vibrant living art-form. Fri, 20 Oct 2017 23:27:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.10 https://www.kodo.or.jp/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cropped-24a12099884b9d4a66ba885267151e16-1-32x32.png Masami Miyazaki – Kodo Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble https://www.kodo.or.jp 32 32 “Apprentice Interactive Performance at Sado Special Support School” by Masami Miyazaki https://www.kodo.or.jp/en/kodo_blog_en/staff_en/6003 Fri, 20 Oct 2017 06:12:20 +0000 http://www.kodo.or.jp/?p=6003 Kodo apprentices are even busier than usual in the fall. Alongside their usual training, they have to harvest their rice crop, pick persimmons and ship them to Kodo supporters, take part in local festivals, staff the annual live-in workshop “Kodo Juku,” and present Interactive Performances. This year the apprentices gave five of these performances at schools on Sado Island. Today, I would like to tell you about the rather unique “Exchange Concert” they gave at Sado Special Support School on Sep. 28.


For this performance, the apprentices designed a workshop segment to let the students have some fun making music with them. When they started planning this part at the Apprentice Centre, the apprentices split into two groups and talked about their strategies, figuring out which instruments to use and how to go about using their time.

They raised concerns about problem areas and rethought and reworked their concepts over and over again. Then, at last, the content of the workshop started to take shape.

On the day of the concert, the students and apprentices all enjoyed performing together.

In the classrooms, the students performed for the apprentices and everyone got to know each other through self introductions and by spending time chatting together.

The Apprentice Interactive Performances are a valuable opportunity for the Kodo apprentices to perform in front of an audience during their training. They are a good chance for the apprentices to thoroughly consider what it means to appear on a stage, what they need to do to convey their sound and feelings, and what they want to express when they perform.

We are currently accepting applications for the Kodo Apprentice Centre 2018 intake.
Applications close on Nov. 10, 2017.
 
See here for details: https://www.kodo.or.jp/en/apr_en
 
 
]]> “Niigata Prefecture Deputy Governor Visits Sado Island Taiko Centre” by Masami Miyazaki https://www.kodo.or.jp/en/kodo_blog_en/5248 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 05:13:27 +0000 http://www.kodo.or.jp/?p=5248 On August 30, 2017, Niigata Prefecture Deputy Governor Mr. Hiroshi Masuda visited us at Sado Island Taiko Centre.


Tomohiro Mitome welcomed Deputy Governor Masuda with a performance on our “au naturel” Kodo-crafted taiko, Yamaimo-kun (a.k.a. Spuddy), and then we invited our special guest to have a go playing the big drum.


When we talked to the deputy governor about the “EXADON” programme, which combines taiko drumming with healthcare to help prevent the onset of dementia in senior citizens, he remarked, “I think that will make everyone feel well.” Deputy Governor Masuda took a look through the Rokusuke Ei exhibition upstairs and he was enthusiastic to hear our staff tell him all about it. We look forward to seeing him again and we hope he will bring his family with him next time.

Sado Island Taiko Centre (Tatakokan)

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