Kodo brings culture to Auditorium

Kodo played its thunderous drums Friday at the IU Auditorium.

The event was filled with people excited to hear the Eastern drums from Sado Island, Japan.

Kodo performed with an Eastern-feeling synchronicity, solely using percussion. The performers used taiko drums of all shapes and
sizes.

“I think percussions are interesting to listen to because they don’t have any notes,” IU student Grace Cotton said.

Before the performance, Kodo Tour Manager Jun Akimoto had a pre-show talk that was open to the public. He explained the roots of Kodo and the history and discipline it takes to be a taiko drummer and performer of Kodo. The word “kodo” means “heartbeat” or “children of the drum.” The performers of Kodo dedicate their lives to the purity and tradition of the taiko drum.

According to Akimoto, in order for a person to perform for Kodo they must move away from their friends and family and move to the island of Sado.

The performers spend a third of the year overseas, a third touring in Japan and a third resting and preparing new material on Sado Island.

All this is done in an effort to introduce new people to an old tradition and to keep a traditional art form alive.

The performers exhibited on stage the three concepts they use in their lives, which are “living, learning and creating.”

“It sounds cool, and it’s cultural,” IU student Elizabeth Davis said. “It was established in religion, and they incorporate dancing. All of it is a part of a lifestyle.”

Each song and performance was different and had its own pattern. Some of the performances had big explosive movements and patterns while others used more precise, intricate slow-motion movements, as if taken from a film.

“It’s integrated with the right cultural flavor,” IU student Tyler Hammons said. “It breaks a lot of the norm at the IU Auditorium.”

The performance showcased a variety of drums, but while performers were playing the smaller drums, the biggest drum stood on stage, taunting the audience.

As the audience was introduced song after song to different taiko drums, the biggest taiko drum of all took center stage in the second act. When it was finally played, the resounding beat seemed to impact the audience as the show ended. 02/27/11 >> go there

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