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March 04, 2005

About Kodo

Kodo is a Japanese percussion ensemble that has taken the music scene by storm since its international performing debut in 1981. Deemed a "global phenomenon" by the Wall Street Journal, Kodo is a feast for the senses, fusing ancient tradition with modern expression. The hypnotic elements of the taiko (Japanese drum), tribal song and athletic choreography create a visceral experience that attracts and astounds audiences worldwide.

Since the group's formation more than 30 years ago, the troupe has been based on the isolated Sado Island, off the coast of Japan. There, Kodo members reside in a "musical commune" dedicated to intensive training and creative enhancement.

The group is comprised of 24 men and women, a 24-member staff, and several dozen apprentices and part-time workers. Apprentices spend two years living communally in a formerly abandoned schoolhouse, while selected junior members undergo another year of rigorous training with the hopes of being chosen to join the prestigious touring group.

From Carnegie Hall to the Acropolis, the group has transcended language and cultural barriers, performing its continuing "One Earth Tour" in more than 2,600 shows across 42 countries. Other appearances include the Nobel Peace Prize 100th Anniversary Concert in Oslo.

Since 1988, Kodo has joined with local towns and villages on Sado Island to hold "Earth Celebration," an international music festival, and established the Kodo Apprentice Centre to conduct cultural research programs and workshops. The group composed the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan theme song, and has been featured in the soundtrack of the Chinese epic film, Hero.

One of the show's highlights is the 800-pound O-daiko, a double-headed drum made from the trunk of an African Bubinga tree and the hide of a large cow, with each drum head measuring more than one meter in diameter. Other instruments include the Chu-daiko (middle-sized drum), the Hirado-daiko (flat-barrel drum), and traditional Japanese musical instruments such as fue and shamisen.

Kodo's performance includes pieces based on the traditional rhythms of regional Japan, pieces written by members, and original compositions from contemporary songwriters. Live performances are tightly composed and choreographed, with each note and every beat indicated on a written score.

Kodo derives its name from several sources, as the literal meaning of the Japanese characters translate into "drum" and "child," and is also a homonym for "heartbeat." Kodo adapts these concepts, striving to play the taiko with the purity of a child and with the life-giving power of the heart.

In ancient Japan, the taiko was a symbol of rural community and it was said that the limits of the village were determined by the furthest point where the taiko could be heard. It is Kodo's hope that through the "One Earth Tour" that it will bring the sounds of the taiko to people around the globe, reminding us of the global community that we all share.|3/6/05|***

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