February 15, 2008
Drums of Portland Taiko to beat at South Puget Sound Community College
On Thursday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m., South Puget Sound Community College’s Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts will resound with the drums of Portland Taiko, an award-winning Asian-American drumming ensemble.
Established in 1994, Portland Taiko weaves rhythm, melody, humor and movement into an exhilarating musical spectacle. By combining traditional and contemporary compositions and choreography, the ensemble takes music to unexplored territory, producing innovative, provocative creations.
In Japanese, taiko means drum, and the art form is used in traditional Japanese religious ceremonies, community festivals and theatre. Portland Taiko, which is the only professional Taiko company in the Pacific Northwest, was selected to participate in Continental Harmony, a national program that links communities through music.
Listen to a sample of their music at http://www.portlandtaiko.org/press/audio-video/index.html.
Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.spscc.ctc.edu/CFA or by calling 360-596-5501. Prices are $25 for general admission; $20 for seniors, state workers, military personnel with ID, and South Puget Sound faculty and staff; and $10 for students.
The event is part of the Minnaert Center’s World Stage Series, which brings speakers and performing artists from all over the globe to Olympia.