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Taiko Festival XI: Koshin & Okida-Gumi celebrating 15 Years of Taiko

(Los Angeles, CA, October 14, 2006)
On October 14, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. taiko lovers, as well as world music enthusiasts, will have a unique opportunity to hear two of California’s most renowned taiko groups, Venice Koshin Taiko and Los Angeles Taiko Okida- Gumi, as they celebrate 15 years of playing taiko at Taiko Festival XI. The concert, which is to be held at Thorne Hall on the Occidental College campus, will treat the audience to an evening of diverse taiko performances featuring invited guest performers Jodaiko, Makoto Taiko and Yoki Daiko, two world premieres, and Thunder, one of the largest drums in North America.

Master Etsuo Hongo, Artistic Director of the groups, says, “This concert will fuse the traditional rhythms and feelings of Japanese taiko with the contemporary styles of North American drumming. The groups’ training and intense focus has been on capturing the Japanese feeling and sound and transcending to a high-level of performance art.”

For 15 years, Venice Koshin Taiko has been mesmerizing audiences with the rich sounds of the taiko drums. In high demand, they have performed for the premier of Microsoft’s XBOX 360, LA Marathon, Nickelodeon, Viper Room for Hunter S. Thompson, and the Auto Dealers Association. Koshin means “bright spirit” and aptly describes the vigor and enthusiasm the group exhibits both on and off stage. Koshin Taiko, the only taiko group in the U.S. that exclusively plays the okedo-daiko (drums tightened by ropes), incorporates powerful sounds and distinctive movements with concentration, discipline, and harmony. Virginia Minami, who played the Taiko lead in a Mitsubishi commercial is Associate Director of the group. She states, “We want our local audiences to appreciate this cultural treasure – its diversity, history, and spirituality.”

Under the guidance of Master Etsuo Hongo, Los Angeles Taiko Okida Gumi has been invited to perform at some of the largest taiko gatherings in the United States, including the International Taiko Festival and the North American Taiko Conference. The group, whose drums are made from oak wine barrels, has also performed at the US Sumo Open, Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita Park, and local community events. Okida-Gumi, which includes children as young as nine, seeks to raise the level of intensity and enjoyment of taiko for themselves, as well as the audience, by striving for a high level of group unity.

With its roots in the folk tradition of Japan, the taiko drum has served many purposes: priests played it to chase evil spirits and insects from the rice fields while the samurai used its powerful beat to bolster their courage and to instill fear in the enemy. Villagers would play the taiko to pray for rain, enliven festivals, and give thanks for bountiful harvests.

Taiko playing in North America began 35 years ago, growing steadily in popularity thanks to TV commercials, as well as prominent films such as Rising Sun, Hero, Charlie’s Angels, Memoirs of a Geisha, and currently has over 250 groups in the United States and Canada. This concert will bring the taiko experience to a wider audience and showcase the innovation of taiko drumming in the Southern California community.
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Taiko Festival XI
October 14, 2006
Occidental College
Thorne Hall

For all who wish to attend the concert, tickets are $25. To reserve tickets, go to taikofestival.koshintaiko.org or call (818) 995-1335.