The modern Taiko troupe brings their Hinotori – The Wings of Phoenix show to Kingston on April 14

When their 2022 tour was cut short by pandemic closures, Japan's world renowned Taiko drummers, Yamato, continued training and creating together. 「火の鳥」Hinotori – The Wings of Phoenix celebrates the troupe’s strength and resilience over its 30-year history, having reached nearly 8 million people globally over 4,000 performances. On Friday, April 14, Grand OnStage presents the Yamato drummers' performance of Hinotori – The Wings of Phoenix at the Kingston Grand Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.

A thoroughly enjoyable and exciting show…it moves between visually stunning, musically interesting, powerful and humorous. It’s an outstanding show that the entire family will love. ~ Addicted Toronto

“We want to be creative,” says Yamato Founder and Artistic Director, Masa Ogawa. Yamato's musician-athletes—both women and men—work and live together as a community, creating their own musical compositions, theatre productions, sets, lighting design, choreography, performance techniques, costumes, makeup, stage settings and props. They even make their own bachi sticks used to play the traditional Japanese instruments, beginning each show by hitting a Wadaiko drum weighing half a ton, made from a single piece of wood from a 400-year-old tree. Yamato was founded by Masa Ogawa in 1993 in Nara, said to be the birthplace of Japanese culture. Presently based in Asuka Village, the Yamato drummers travel the world with Japan’s traditional Wadaiko drums. “Yamato believes that the drumbeat, like the heartbeat, is the very pulse of life and the epitome of the Japanese spirit,” says Ogawa. “Yamato uses creativity to convert Wadaiko into a performing art that can reverberate in Japan, Asia, and the rest of the world.”

Yamato uses creativity to convert Wadaiko into a performing art that can reverberate in Japan, Asia, and the rest of the world. ~ Masa Ogawa, Founder and Artistic Director

Since their formation, Yamato has been committed to preserving and respecting the Taiko tradition, while infusing originality and innovation into the ancient practice. Notably, Yamato broke from Taiko’s long-standing patriarchy and has always included women in the troupe. And while the members train rigorously, Yamato imbues each performance with joy and a sense of fun, breaking from the stereotypical stoicism associated with this ancient art form. [embed]https://youtu.be/mqRvwrXwrCw[/embed] Posted: May 3, 2023 Originally Published: Mar 31, 2023