Tag ‘Kodo Village’
“Project Funded! Thank You All for Your Generous Support!” by Hirofumi Uenoyama
Project Funded！
Thank You All for Your Generous Support!
We are pleased to announce that our crowdfunding project to help share the story of Kodo’s first 30 years and before, “Inochi Moyashite Tatakeyo,” with libraries all over Japan was successfully funded.
https://readyfor.jp/projects/inochi_moyashite_tatakeyo
Takao Aoki, President of Kitamaesen Co., Ltd.
I asked Takao Aoki, president of Kodo’s management company, Kitamaesen Co., Ltd., to choose some episodes from the book to share with you all. The book is only available in Japanese, so in English, we will share some of the main points through the photos below.
“Early in 1987, we got the shocking news that Kodo’s leader, Toshio Kawauchi (who we all called ‘Hancho’) had died in an accident in the Philippines. I took over the management of the group suddenly and every time I wasn’t sure what to do, I asked myself: What would Hancho do in this situation?”
“We forged ahead to realize Hancho’s vision of building a base on Sado Island for Kodo with a main building, living quarters, and rehearsal hall. Kodo needed a place to put down roots while traveling the world, to maintain balance between touring and home. I decided that it was important to carry out this vision, even if it was one step at a time.”
“This photo was taken in August 1988 at the concert we held at the opening of Kodo Village. In 1992, we built our rehearsal hall on the foundations seen in the foreground below the concert stage.”
Mr. Aoki took over the reigns from Kodo’s first managing director, Toshio Kawauchi (Hancho), and has been steering Kodo forward ever since, one step at a time.
Kodo Group Portrait, New Year 2015
Mr. Aoki says, “I want Kodo to exist in 100 years from now, in 200 years from now… and at the heart of Kodo, there will always be people who play taiko earnestly. That is something we will always hold dear.”
■Online Fundraising Final Total for “Inochi Moyashite, Tatakeyo.” Project (as of May. 16)
711,000 yen (Goal: 500,000 yen) = 142% funded
We raised more than our goal, which means we can share more books with more libraries around Japan!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT, EVERYONE!
“Inochi Moyashite, Tatakeyo.” Project
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150316readyfor_en.html
“Inochi Moyashite, Tatakeyo.” Project (Japanese)
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150316readyfor_ja.html
“Off to Osaka for ‘Amaterasu’!” by Tetsumi Hanaoka
Apr. 28, 2015
My view from the bus as we were waved off from Kodo Village.
We set off from Kodo Village today to head to Osaka for the “Amaterasu” performances, which begin on May 3 at Osaka Shochiku-za Theatre.
We will be giving performances there for almost a month, so please come along. We’ll be waiting for you!
May 2015 “Amaterasu” (Osaka)
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150503amaterasu_en.html
“Rehearsals for Kodo Interactive Performance in Bunkyo” by Kenta Nakagome
Here are some pictures from our rehearsals prior to the Kodo Interactive Performance held in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, on March 7.
Many thanks to everyone who came to see our performance!
Kodo Interactive Performances Schedule
http://www.kodo.or.jp/oet/index_en.html#schedule14b
“The Road to ‘Michi’–Part 3″ by Mitsunaga Matsuura
As the performers rehearse, it feels like each beat creates a “pellet” of sound.
The rehearsal hall is filled with sound pellets, fired from every instrument.
▶YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N2ME9rH4E
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Mar. 19 (Thu)–20 (Fri), 2015 Yokohama, Kanagawa
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150319michi_en.html
Director: Motofumi Yamaguchi
Performers (TBC): Eiichi Saito, Tomohiro Mitome, Yuichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Kenta Nakagome, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Rai Tateishi, Maya Minowa, Ryosuke Inada, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama
Programme (TBC): Zoku, Jang-Gwara, Chonlima, Michi, Shamisen, Monochrome, Miyake, Sankan Shion, Yamauta, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi
“The Road to ‘Michi’–Part 2” by Mitsunaga Matsuura
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
This programme is filled with moments to let each individual shine, showcasing their own uniquely honed skills.
▶Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N2ME9rH4E
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Mar. 19 (Thu)–20 (Fri), 2015 Yokohama, Kanagawa
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150319michi_en.html
Director: Motofumi Yamaguchi
Performers: Eiichi Saito, Tomohiro Mitome, Yuichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Kenta Nakagome, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Rai Tateishi, Maya Minowa, Ryosuke Inada, Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama (Cast subject to change)
Programme (TBC): Zoku, Jang-Gwara, Chonlima, Michi, Shamisen, Monochrome, Miyake, Sankan Shion, Yamauta, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi
“The Road to ‘Michi’–Part 1” by Mitsunaga Matsuura
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Even though these are such familiar pieces, they filled the rehearsal hall with a wave of fresh air.
▶Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N2ME9rH4E
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Mar. 19 (Thu)–20 (Fri), 2015 Yokohama, Kanagawa
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150319michi_en.html
Director: Motofumi Yamaguchi
Performers: Eiichi Saito, Tomohiro Mitome, Yuichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Kenta Nakagome, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Rai Tateishi, Maya Minowa, Ryosuke Inada, Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama (Cast subject to change)
Programme (TBC): Zoku, Jang-Gwara, Chonlima, Michi, Shamisen, Monochrome, Miyake, Sankan Shion, Yamauta, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi
“A 15mm World” by Maya Minowa
The rehearsals for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi” are well underway.
At this performance, I will become the first-ever female Kodo performer to play Monochrome on stage.
We have to use such precision when we practice Monochrome… you could cut through the tension in the rehearsal hall with a knife.
The pianissimo parts in this composition are played in a tiny 15mm world. We have to control our drumsticks to make strokes within this minute range. Eiichi Saito says, “Don’t move your sticks up and down, just let them fall from your tanden (core/abdomen).” But this drumming technique is far more difficult than I had ever imagined. (Apparently, in the old days, Kodo members would light a candle and practice drumming like this until it had burned down completely.)
My practice for this piece is rather stoic and subtle and it makes me connect an array of nerves that I never had to think about before.
I hope you will join us for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi” next month.
▶Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N2ME9rH4E
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Mar. 19 (Thu)–20 (Fri), 2015 Yokohama, Kanagawa
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150319michi_en.html
Director: Motofumi Yamaguchi
Performers: Eiichi Saito, Tomohiro Mitome, Yuichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Kenta Nakagome, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Rai Tateishi, Maya Minowa, Ryosuke Inada, Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama (Cast subject to change)
Programme (TBC): Zoku, Jang-Gwara, Chonlima, Michi, Shamisen, Monochrome, Miyake, Sankan Shion, Yamauta, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi
“Rehearsals Begin for ‘Michi'” by Mitsunaga Matsuura
Rehearsals for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Rehearsals have begun for Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi.”
The cast features three brand new junior members: Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama.
Everyone is working hard to prepare for the performances in March.
▶Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1N2ME9rH4E
Kodo 2015 Special Concert “Michi”
Mar. 19 (Thu)–20 (Fri), 2015 Yokohama, Kanagawa
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150319michi_en.html
Director: Motofumi Yamaguchi
Performers: Eiichi Saito, Tomohiro Mitome, Yuichiro Funabashi, Mitsuru Ishizuka, Kenta Nakagome, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Rai Tateishi, Maya Minowa, Ryosuke Inada, Yuki Kajiro, Masaya Koike and Mizuki Yoneyama (Cast subject to change)
Programme (TBC): Zoku, Jang-Gwara, Chonlima, Michi, Shamisen, Monochrome, Miyake, Sankan Shion, Yamauta, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi
“Another Side of ‘Mystery'” by Otodaiku
The “Kodo One Earth Tour 2015: Mystery” North America Tour is about to begin. This production premiered in Japan in December 2013 and it has just set off on its first tour abroad. We are really looking forward to seeing how the audiences in the USA and Canada react to this new programme.
Last year, we released the music from “Mystery” as an album, which captures the work in another unique light. The composers created new arrangements of their stage pieces especially for the album, which we then recorded at Kodo Village.
Each performer took great care to pack each and every sound with feeling. We hope you will enjoy the album, as a fresh look at the music from this “One Earth Tour” stage performance.
“Mystery” is available from Kodo performance venues, Kodo Online Store, iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon MP3.
【Listen to Track Samples Online】Discography | Mystery
【Purchase Download Version】iTunes, Amazon MP3, CD Baby
【Purchase CD】Kodo Online Store
【”Kodo One Earth Tour: Mystery” Preview】YouTube
Community Development Course Trainee Report: “Dondoyaki at Kodo Village”
Jan. 15 Dondoyaki (New Year Bonfire) at Kodo Village
There was a Dondoyaki* event at Kodo Village on January 15.
Before dark it was raining, but when Kenta Nakagome cheerfully shouted out “Seh-no!,” the rain stopped and we all started singing a Dondo-yaki song as the bonfire was set alight.
I had never heard this song before.
Dondoyaki is a traditional Japanese event. The Kodo members burn their broken bachi (drumsticks), worn-out fans and bamboo dance props… so the essence of performing arts infuses the flames, taking that lifeforce up into the night sky in the smoke.
After the event, we, the Community Development Course trainees, were on duty watching the fire go out. As I watched the ashes in the dark, and weakened, gentle flames, I could hear many sounds as it crackled and burned.
By Misaki Nakamura, 2014-2015 Community Development Course trainee
*Translator’s Note: Dondoyaki Explanation from Kodo eNews Issue 3
Every year on January 15th, Kodo Village holds its own Dondoyaki, a traditional Japanese fire ceremony to farewell the New Year gods back to the heavens. New Year decorations and good luck charms and amulets from the past year are burned in the fire, a tepee-like structure made of bamboo, thatching hay, and straw. At Kodo, players burn the drumsticks they can no longer use in this fire. It is said that the deity of the New Year goes back home with the smoke of Dondoyaki,, so we like to send the heart and soul forged in the drumsticks along with it. Mochi (pounded rice cakes) from the week before is also toasted over the fire and eaten to bring good health in the year ahead.