Taikoza Musicians Perform in Japanese Tradition on Nov. 12

10/20/2009 

The Taikoza drum group will offer the thunderous rhythms of ancestral Japanese Taiko drums and the magical sounds of bamboo flutes during a concert on Thursday, Nov. 12, at SUNY Cortland.

Presented by the College’s Campus Artist and Lecture Series (CALS), the internationally acclaimed performers will begin at 7 p.m. in the Dowd Fine Arts Center Theatre.

Admission is $3 for SUNY Cortland students and $5 general admission. Children 10 and under will be admitted free. Tickets may be obtained through the Campus Activities and Corey Union Office, Corey Union Room 406, or at the door one hour prior to the performance. For more information, call (607) 753-5574.

Founded in 1995 by Marco Lienhard, a native of Switzerland who was a professional taiko player in Japan, this professional Japanese traditional music and dance group has dazzled audiences worldwide with its electrifying performances.

“Taikoza has created an original and high-energy sound that transcends national boundaries,” noted a reviewer from Arts for Learning, an organization that promotes the arts for best practices in education.

Featuring performances on a six-foot-long ancestral Taiko drum, the program artfully blends its bold and vibrant sound with colorful dances and soulful melodies played on bamboo flutes. Traditional costumes and dynamic motion are geared to entertain audiences of all ages. The group has appeared on television programs including the History Channel’s “History vs. Hollywood” and ESPN’s “The Battle of the Giants.”

Taikoza participates in community Asian Festivals throughout the East Coast. Past events have included Cherry Blossom Festivals at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York, N.Y., and Washington, D.C., as well as the Beale Street Festival in Memphis, Tenn. The group has performed at corporate events, colleges, high schools and grammar schools in the U.S. Members conduct educational and participatory workshops for schools in the New York area for various cultural organizations such as Young Audiences, Arts Connection, Lincoln Center Institute and Symphony Space. Taikoza has toured in Europe, Japan, Canada and Mexico.

Taikoza appears by arrangement with MCM Arts & Entertainment. The event is supported by the student activity fee, Auxiliary Services Corporation and the Cortland College Foundation. For more information about Taikoza, visit the band’s Web site at www.taikoza.com. For information about this or other CALS events, visit the CALS 2009-10 Web site at www2.cortland.edu/events/cals.