Savannah Music Festival: Kodō, Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble celebrate 40th anniversary
Kodō, the internationally renowned taiko drum ensemble from Sado Island in Japan, are (belatedly) celebrating their 40th anniversary by presenting a new dynamic work of seismic percussion at the 2023 Savannah Music Festival.
Kodō made their debut in 1981 at the Berlin Festival and have since performed over 6,500 shows in every continent. In its four decades, Kodō has been devoted to sharing taiko with the world under the theme “One Earth” by spending a third of the year touring internationally, a third touring Japan, and a third rehearsing and composing new material.
Kodō’s main focus is on taiko drums with as many as 30-50 taiko used in a standard performance (and some weighing as much as 882 lbs.), but they also incorporate other traditional Japanese instruments likefue (bamboo flute), shamisen (Japanese banjo), koto (harp), and narimono (metal percussion instruments).
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As Kodō has evolved and trained new members it has struck a balance of traditional, contemporary, and experimental approaches to taiko music.
“Kodō's compositions and performances are made up of three main elements,” explained Reo Kitabayashi, one of Kodō’s drummers. “The first are pieces based upon traditional folk arts, learned from local people throughout Japan. Our intention is not simply to replicate, but, in rearranging them for the stage, attempt to capture their universal spirit and energy as they filter through our bodies.
“The second element of our performance is made up of compositions of friends and mentors of Kodo.
“The third element consists of original compositions by Kodō members themselves, who have used their exposure to the rhythms and sounds of the many people and places they have been lucky enough to visit as grist for their own creations. Therefore, I believe that each element is well-balanced within each of our touring productions.”
Kodō currently has 37 performers ranging from 20 to 72 years of age, with 27 men and 10 women.
“My time with Kodō has only been a small part of Kodō's history, but I think our female presence on stage has evolved to a point where they are as featured on drums and center stage as any other Kodō performer,” said Kitabayashi. “We shine individually as ourselves, and are committed to creating the best out of our performances each day.”
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For their Savannah Music Festival appearance, Kodō will present their first commemorative work, "Tsuzumi," a series of pieces that include a new composition, “Warabe,” which was written for their 40th anniversary. Kodo will also perform “Dyu-Ha,” one of their earliest pieces, for the first time in 15 years during this tour.
“Dyu-Ha” was written for Kodō by the late composer Maki Ishii, who was introduced to Kodō by legendary conductor Seiji Ozawa. Ishii presented “Dyu-Ha” as a gift to the ensemble to congratulate them on their 1981 debut.
“We started practicing this piece with the current members by relying on the score, archival videos, and sound sources,” said Kitabayashi. “We now enjoy each day's performance without being over-enthusiastic, so that we can dominate the ‘pause’ and ‘space’ that can only be comprehended through our breaths and atmosphere, not just what’s on our score.
“In this tour, I am double-cast as the center performer in this piece along with Yuki Hirata, so I am enjoying the change in atmosphere of the songs as we play them. We hope you will be able to see two different patterns if possible.”
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The younger members of Kodō will be featured in primal pieces such as “Monochrome,” “O-daiko,” “Yatai Bayashi,” and “Zoku,” while presenting new pieces created on their home of Sado Island and “passing down [their] legacy to future generations.”
Kodō’s base of operations, Sado Island, is an important part of Kodo’s identity and helps shape the sounds the ensemble produces.
“The beautiful nature and warmth of people on Sado Island, sometimes even the harsh snowstorms, all make up who I am today,” said Kitabayashi. “I believe that Kodō is a group that consists of people who are also shaped through this island in many different ways. By living in the flow of nature, I realize that my senses are sharpened by the changes of the seasons and smells. Sado is a place of departure and return, and is an important place that connects me to the world.”
Kodō’s spirit of “One Earth” includes numerous adventurous collaborations with symphonies, artists, composers, musicians, and even techno artists like Kevin Saunderson, and singer-songwriters like Rufus Wainwright.
“The artists we have collaborated with so far have been wonderful and each time I become a fan of them,” said Kitabayashi. “I am looking forward to our next collaboration with the vocaloid, Hatsune Miku this June!”
IF YOU GO
What: Savannah Music Festival: Kodō: Tsuzumi
When: 8 p.m. March 25
Where: Lucas Theatre for the Arts, 32 Abercorn St.
Cost: $35-70
Info: savannahmusicfestival.org
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: 2023 Savannah Music Festival: Kodō, Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble
