Kodō Conjures A Powerful Performance at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Kodō Conjures A Powerful Performance at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Starting off, not with a bang, but with a methodic CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACk-CLACk-CLAck-CLack-Clack-clack of hyōshigi(Japanese wooden instrument similar to claves), Kodō opens with this calm before the storming boom of taiko drumming thundering throughout the theater during their opening piece Dyu-Ha(composed by Maki Ishii, 1981).

Showing the power they can conjure, the peace they can command is put on display with their piece Kono Mine no(composed by Yoko Fujimoto, 2003). Accompanied by woodwind instruments, one of the newest members to join Kodō, Moe Niiyama lulls the audience into a trance with her vocals in this mood-setting piece.

Following the auspicious performances so far, Hitohi(composed by Masayasu Maeda, a dance arranged by Koki Miura, 2019) changes up the pace as a theatrical piece with Koki Miura himself center stage.

Moving forward still, Hayate(composed by Ryotaro Leo Ikenaga, 2020) charges the air with electricity. With the composer Ikenaga himself keeping like a dynamic metronome, he blends a very powerful sound with the rest of the performers without making his own performance outshine any of the others. With a wide stance and booming swings, Hana Ogawa and the other members show an insane amount of strength and stability during this high-energy piece.

And speaking of high energy, Zoku(composed by Leonard Eto, 1989) envelops the entire stage for a wonderful piece full of rapid and synced performances between all of the members. Mizuki Yoneyama takes charge in the middle of the group generating a technical yet playful style with her ability and contagious smile. What a way to bring us into intermission!

Monochrome(composed by Maki Ishii, 1976) opens up the second half of the evening with Eiichi Saito leading a hypnotic call-and-response type of back-and-forth with the other members that erupts into a furious display of power yet again.

Not to be constrained to just having beautiful vocals, in Uchoten(composed by Yuki Hirata, 2019), Moe Niiyama features her ability to shine on the drums as well, utilizing a top and bottom drumming technique using a single hand with blinding speed and precision. Yuki Hirata follows this up on the hand cymbals with skills like they were straight out of level 99 of Tetris! And speaking of skills, Jumpei Nonaka keeps it going with a contained flow during the solo performances and a ripping power when his turn to shine arrives.

Closing out the night is Yatai-bayashi (traditional taiko piece, arranged by Kodō). Seemingly unending stamina and physical prowess exude from every member on stage. Taking a traditional piece and making it seem grounded yet elevated all at once, Kodō places their full ability and skill on stage for an ending that had the entire theater on their feet for an astounding ovation.

This is just one of the few stellar performances that you can expect to see in the Southwest as the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will be featuring a lineup in 2023 that will explore many different mediums of art and entertainment. Be sure to visit their official website for more information on their upcoming events and how you can attend. For more information on Kodo, visit their official website.