Japanese Ensemble Taikoza to Present Concert

Five musicians in traditional attire perform on stage, playing large Japanese taiko drums and a flute. They are illuminated by stage lights against a dark background.

��TV will host Japanese musical ensemble Taikoza as part of the university’s Artist Series at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, in Weber Chapel Auditorium.

Taikoza draws its name from the Japanese word taiko, which roughly translates to “big drum.” Under the direction of music director Marco Lienhard and drawing on Japan’s rich legacy of music and performance to develop a highly visual experience with colorful costumes and dynamic motion, Taikoza created a new sound using ancestral taiko drums and bamboo flutes. The group gives thunderous voice to traditional and new compositions through big drums, powerful rhythms and electrifying, room-thumping energy. Taikoza was formed in New York City by members of Ondekoza, the group that jumpstarted the taiko renaissance in the 1960s. Taikoza has performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall and House of Music, Osaka Festival Hall and Lincoln Center.

��ܲ��ܱ�󲹲ԲԲ�’s Artist Series seeks to encourage an aesthetic appreciation of diverse cultures as well as the artistic heritage of humankind. Performances are often linked in ways that advance intellectual engagement through master classes, lectures or content of the artistic presentation.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens and $5 for non-SU students. They can be purchased in the campus box office. Located in the Degenstein Center Theater lobby, the box office is open Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. during the academic year. It is closed on holidays and during university breaks. Tickets can also be purchased online .