Tag ‘Ryoko Iwamoto’
“Collaborations with Suar Agung in Bali” by Ryoko Iwamoto
Nov. 23, 2015
Collaborations with Suar Agung in Bali
Kodo and Suar Agung have enjoyed exchange and collaborations together since 1984 in Japan and this year marks our first collaborations with them in Bali, Indonesia. Our performance in Negara, where Suar Agung is based, welcomed an audience of around 600 people. Many of them were local families and there were also Japanese people who live in Bali and from other islands in Indonesia.
The first half of the concert featured Suar Agung and Indonesian dance. Seeing the dancers dance down the stairs of the temple was so exotic! Some of the moves were humorous, too, so I enjoyed seeing their wide array of expressions.
Kodo performed in the second half and we also received a lot of cheers and applause. The audience in Bali hummed along to our music, smiled, and really showed us that they were enjoying our performance. Their obvious pleasure made the Kodo members smile so much on stage.
On Nov. 24 we have another performance in Denpasar. It will be over 30 degrees there. We will do our very best!
Nov. 22 (Mon) & 24 (Tue), 2015 “Project Connect Asia with Traditional Performing Arts” Kodo & Suar Agung Collaboration (Bali, Indonesia)
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20151122bali_en.html
“Countdown to ‘Mono-Prism’ Live on Stage” by Ryoko Iwamoto
Apr. 10, 2015
Countdown to ‘Mono-Prism’ Live on Stage
After four days of intensive rehearsals, today is the day for our first 2015 performance of Mono-Prism. It is such a rare opportunity for both our performers and staff to collaborate with an orchestra, so we are all taking in as much of the experience as we can possibly absorb.
During these rehearsals, the orchestra performers asked the Kodo members a wide range of questions about Kodo and taiko, such as what Kodo does for its daily training and how we tune our taiko drums. The Kodo members also asked the percussionists about their handmade stick stands, and they showed a great deal of interest in the various genres of instruments on stage. The orchestra and Japanese drums really do create a unique realm when they perform this piece.
We are all waiting for you here at the theater!
With the Maestro after the rehearsals on April 8.
The Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra truck and Kodo truck also got on very well
2015年4月10日（金）、11日（土）大阪フィルハーモニー交響楽団との共演（大阪・大阪市）
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150410osakaphil_en.html
Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra on Twitter (Japanese)
https://twitter.com/Osaka_phil/status/585045986835202048
“Ebisu Daikoku” by Ryoko Iwamoto
Ebisu Daikoku
“Ebisu Daikoku” is a new unit that brings together former “The Blue Hearts” drummer Tetsuya Kajiwara and Kodo’s Yosuke Oda. Their pulsating performance is making its way to Shibuya, Tokyo, this weekend.
Mr. Kajiwara came to Sado Island for from days, from Feb. 23 to 26, to prepare for the performance. I will show you some pictures from their rehearsals.
They created a storm of sound, rhythm, and beats in the large hall as they rehearsed. They demonstrate that there are far more possibilities than you’d think when it comes to drums and taiko. I am sorry that I cannot do their explosive sound justice in pictures.
Please come to Shibuya to feel their sound in person.
See you on March 8 for “Ebisu Daikoku” live!
Ryoko Iwamoto (former Kodo apprentice, staff member since Feb. 2015)
Mar. 8 (Sun), 2015 Yosuke Oda “Ebisu Daikoku” Performance (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo)
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20150308ebisudaikoku_en.html