Burlington Taiko to perform in Bethel

BETHEL — The stages of the Greater Bethel Area will rumble with the thunderous power of taiko drums when then Mahoosuc Arts Council presents the Burlington Taiko Group October 23 and 24 for four performances.

The presentations of this ancient art from – known as a feast for the senses - will be featured during the 2012-2013 the Gould Performing Arts Series, the Telstar Performing Arts Series and the Mahoosuc Arts Elementary Performing Arts Series which will serve over 1,300 K-12 students, as well as the general public.

The performance for the general public will be at 7 p.m. on October 23, at the Bingham Auditorium, 45 Church Street in Bethel.

Japanese for “big drum,” taiko is a relatively modern revival of ancient drumming traditions. The drums were originally developed in India where they were used in religious ceremonies to represent the voice of Buddha. Moving across China and Korea with the spread of Buddhism, taiko arrived in Japan around 500 AD.

Taiko quickly became an integral part of Japanese culture; priests played taiko to dispel evil spirits and drive insect from the rice fields; Samurai employed taiko to instill fear in the enemy and courage in themselves; villagers used taiko in their prayers for rain, in festivals and in thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.

Over time, many areas developed unique choreography and rhythms celebrating festivals or recreations of historic events.

In modern times, taiko has emerged as a performing art. Groups such as Osuwa Daiko, led by Grandmaster Daihachi Oguchi, and Sukeroku Taiko of Tokyo pioneered the way in the early 1950s, collecting the local festival rhythms and transforming them into stage performance pieces.

Groups such as Ondekoza (founded in 1969) and Kodo (established in 1981) began astonishing world audiences, showcasing an almost superhuman style of taiko fostered by living a disciplined communal life dedicated exclusively to taiko.

Tickets are $15. For more information, visit www.mahoosucarts.org or call 824-3575.