Kodo to immerse Bloomington in culture

For any human, the beat of the heart signifies you are alive. For Kodo, the beat of the drum is a big part of life.

Kodo will be bringing its rhythm and drums to the IU Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

“It’s not only about the music, but the athleticism and physical artistry,” said IU Auditorium Events Coordinator Maria Talbert. “People will experience music from another land. It’s very exciting.”

Kodo has had a long tradition with Bloomington, first appearing here in 1989 and later appearing in Bloomington during the 1990s and in 2007.

Hailing from the Sado Island, Japan, the artists of Kodo believe in three things — living, learning and creating. This belief is a major part of life in Sado, tour manager Jun Akimoto said.

“We live in communal lifestyles,” Akimoto said. “This is very useful and it works very well for practicing and performing onstage. This is key, that we spend so much time together, we know each other well. This is how we live.”

The company has no leader or conductor, Akimoto said. Instead the company works in unison and knows how to play and complement each other together. The unison onstage is a reflection of their lives in Sado.

The men and women of Kodo live together, work together and learn together. This form of communal living is bled into their work onstage.

Akimoto said in order for people to become members of Kodo, they must first audition, interview and become an apprentice. Afterward they move away from their family and friends and are isolated on Sado Island for two years to learn about their craft and the people they play with. Only after three years of training and living in Sado can a person
become a performer of Kodo.

“This is going to be a cultural experience,” publicist for Kodo Brittany Lambertus said.
The show is also a part of ArtsWeek, which has the theme of arts and education this year.

Aside from the show, Kodo will have a preshow talk at 6:30 p.m. at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Bridgwaters Lounge. The event is open to the public.

“Kodo is an old-fashioned group,” Akimoto said. “What people will get is pure vibrant sound, and the simple movement of performers and the simple beauty of human beings.” 02/23/11 >> go there

Click Here to go back.