The Taiko Effect: Drums of Change (A Review)
What’s the best sound you can use to acquaint the Philippines with Japanese culture—the melody of a J-pop song? Filipino lyrics accompanied by the koto? Or the high notes of a woodwind instrument along with the heart-pounding beats of the Taiko drum? The answer: All of the above!
Taiko refers to a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments, “broad” being the key word. The Taiko Effect: Drums of Change was certainly broad, as it featured many aspects of the Japanese culture. With performances from the Mt. Fuji Symphony Orchestra and Arahan & Hasegawa Karate, the guests dining at Banzai: The Great Teppanyaki Theater last April 10th and the audience at CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo last April 11th and 12th were not only entertained, but learned a thing or two about Japan as well.
The Taiko Effect at Banzai
On April 10, 2015, the diners and guests of the Banzai Restaurant at SM Mall of Asia were given a sneak peek of what The Taiko Effect is about. Select members of the orchestra and the karate group wowed the crowd with their amazing musicality and cool moves.
The performers in action
After a brief introduction and the show itself, everyone was then invited to watch the main event held at CCP last Saturday and Sunday.
The Taiko Effect at CCP
Aisaku Yokogawa and Yu Miyoshi combine the best of Japanese and Filipino music.
The show on April 11th started with a performance by Aisaku Yokogawa of a Japanese song translated into Filipino. Afterwards, Yu Miyoshi was introduced to play the koto, a traditional Japanese string instrument. After playing Ikaw, a Filipino pop song, he played some traditional Japanese music with Mariko Saito on the flute.
Hasegawa Karate against the Taiko Effect backdrop
Of course, the main event was the Taiko. The performers impressed the audience with a comprehensive show of what you can do with drums—from soft, slow beats to hard, fast and loud thumps. The drums themselves have different sounds, with low, high and medium tones. Accompanied by the sharp scales of the bamboo flute, it was natural to be immersed in the atmosphere that felt definitively Japanese.
The high pitch of the flute adds a story to the exciting beats of the Taiko.
One audience member put the experience very interestingly after the show saying, “That really put me in the mood for some sushi!”
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Article by Ida Irigo
Photos by Reiko Iwamoto and Yuji Maeda
