Global Musics Ensembles II

Concert
Ethnomusicology
March 27, 2025
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Walter Hall

80 Queens Park

Free

PROGRAM

 

Japanese Taiko Drumming Ensemble

 

Iwai (Celebrate)

Kiyoshi Nagata

 

Fuyu no Michi

Shuichi Hidano

 

Renshu Daiko

Seiichi Tanaka

 

Gezan Bayashi

traditional

 

Sanmyaku Daiko

Kiyoshi Nagata

 

Ogi Matsuri Daiko

Yoshikazu Fujimoto

 

Yatai Bayashi

traditional

 

African Drumming & Dancing Ensemble

 

Kyekyekule

 

Bambaya

Zigi

Gota

 

Kpanlogo


JAPANESE TAIKO DRUMMING ENSEMBLE

Course Director: Kiyoshi Gary Nagata
Course TA: Grace MacCaskill
Guest performers: Akemi Akachi, Keven He

Dipo Adeola
Elyssa Arde
Ruixuan Chen
Yuling Chen
Korin Inoue
Jake Lamb
Pablo Marin-Marquez
Danielle Millet
Julian Przybyslawski
Rita Ren
Yana Shamis
Tristan Stryjnik
Hayden Thomas
Tze Wai Jeanne Tsui
Katie Wang
Josh Yeo
Charles Zhu
Jeffrey Zhu


AFRICAN DRUMMING & DANCING ENSEMBLE

Course Director: Kwasi Dunyo
Course TA: Grace MacCaskill

Bentley Will
Brathwaite Kimberly
Chen Yuling
Gibson Josh
Guo Jia Huan
Joel Goldwin Hanson
Malandrino Adriana
Millet Dan
Salas Narvaez Jorge
Siddhantakar Rhea
Sun Harry
Wang Adam
Wang Katie
Wang Zai
Xiao Fiona
Zhang Emily
Zhang Xinya


PROGRAM NOTES

 

Japanese Taiko Drumming Ensemble

Iwai composed, by Kiyoshi Nagata

Iwai or ‘celebrate’ in Japanese, is an upbeat piece depicting the lively scene of a Japanese festival (matsuri).  The drummers shout “Yoisho” which is a call of encouragement when the portable shrine is paraded around the festival.

Renshu Daiko, composed by Seiichi Tanaka

Renshū Daiko literally means ‘practice song’. Played in rounds, this piece incorporates many traditional patterns and techniques found in Japanese taiko music.

Fuyu no Michi (Winter Road), composed by Shuichi Hidano

This is a modern composition by virtuoso taiko player Shuichi Hidano. In this piece, two groups of performers duel each other with interweaving rhythms.

Gezan Bayashi, traditional 

At the time of the autumn equinox, the people of Aomori visit Iwaki Shrine at the foot of sacred Mt. Iwaki to worship. On the last day, they undertake their annual pilgrimage to the summit, carrying colourful banners and wearing white robes. They make two ascents: one at night to see the sunrise and the second in daylight. After the purification ritual, the pilgrims descend the mountain accompanied by Japanese drums, hand cymbals and flutes.

Gezan Bayashi, literally means music for descending the mountains. The origins of the pilgrimage, also known as Oyama-sankei, dates back to the Genroku era (17th-18th century). 

Sanmyaku Daiko, composed by Kiyoshi Nagata

Literally meaning ‘Mountain Range’, this piece envisions three groups of drummers from a distance, calling back and forth to each other from the mountaintops.

Ogi Matsuri Daiko, composed by Yoshikazu Fujimoto

Ogi is a small port town located on the southern part of Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture. The local villagers play this piece during Ogi Matsuri (festival) every August on taiko attached to large mobile carts.

Yatai Bayashi, traditional

Every year on December 3rd in Saitama Prefecture in an area known as Chichibu, an all night festival is held which features richly decorated two-story carts (Yatai) pulled from village to village.  The people hauling the Yatai are urged on by the beating of the taiko, concealed within the first story of the carts.

 

African Drumming & Dancing Ensemble

Kyekyekule

A very popular radio and TV program for children in Ghana. Will be used as warm up for the students.

Bambaya

A social or recreational dance from Northern Region of Ghana.

Zigi

A social or recreational dance originated from the Volta Region of Ghana.

Gota

A social or recreational dance originated from the Volta Region of Ghana.

Kpanlogo

A social or recreational dance originated from the Ga people of Ghana they live in and around the capital Accra