Godaiko and Raion Taiko Bring Big Beats to Petoskey

Jan. 29, 2016

Taiko drumming, which uses Japanese drums, or Wadaiko, to make rhythmic sounds, has mythological origins in Japanese folklore and, in actuality, has been around since the sixth century. The use of the drums has shifted back and forth throughout history, from communication and military uses to the more performance-based and social purposes they fulfill today.

The Great Lakes Taiko Center in Novi, Mich., is bringing Taiko drumming Up North for a show in Petoskey and their stylistic interpretation of Taiko expands this traditional music even further. Brian Sole is artistic director for the Godaiko and Raion Taiko Drummers and is also administrative director/instructor at the Great Lakes Taiko Center.

SOUND EVOLUTION

“Traditionally, Taiko drumming was not really a form of entertainment,” Sole said. “It was used for practical and religious purposes. After World War II, Taiko began to evolve into a form of stage entertainment, with traditional styles re-imagined for stage presentation.”

It’s also used in Gagaku, a classical music tradition performed at temples and shrines, as well as at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, and at a wide range of local festivals across Japan.

Some of the music Sole’s troupe of drummers performs today has its roots in these traditional Taiko styles, “but the majority of it is modern and was written within the last 20 years,” he said.

RHYTHM NOTATION

The modernized style of Taiko playing utilizes several drums and performers at the same time, for a big bombast of sound. It’s impressive both for the musicians’ skill in working with the drums and their audio dynamics, and for the sheer volume of the rhythms. The way that the music is communicated between musicians has changed, as well.

“The songs used to be passed down through vocalizations of the rhythms called Kuchi Showa,” Sole explained. “But these days, Taiko music is often notated using Western notation.”

Sole is an expert in Taiko both past and present. He formed the Raion Taiko group with his wife in East Lansing in 2005, and opened the Great Lakes Taiko Center in January of 2010.

DEDICATED DRUMMERS

“Our main goal at the center is to share the joy of Japanese Taiko drumming with as many people as possible,” he said.

The center’s belief is that Taiko is best appreciated through participation, so their main activity is offering classes where anyone “from the age of 3 to 103” can learn to play the Taiko drums.

There are also two groups of performing Taiko drum musicians that originate from the center: Godaiko with 12 members and Raion Taiko with 5.

The Godaiko group is by invitation, focusing on students who have demonstrated a high level of skill and dedication, while Raion Taiko membership is determined through an audition process. Both groups perform at all manner of live events, from formal concerts to educational assemblies.

“For our program in Petoskey, 11 performers — some from each group — will perform jointly,” he said.

UNFORGETTABLE ART

Nothing, Sole was quick to point out, is truly like the sound or the sense of a Taiko drum performance.

“It is an art form that cannot be fully appreciated outside of a live show,” he said. “Many people, especially in Japan, will find that something about the sound of the drums reaches deep into their being, evoking strong emotions.”

Godaiko and Raion Taiko’s upcoming Petoskey program of both tradition-inspired and modern Taiko music will give you the chance to find out for yourself.

“Come and feel the deep tones of our Odaiko, made from a single tree trunk, and the sharp and crisp beat of the Shime Daiko,” Sole encouraged. “Japanese Taiko drumming is a truly unforgettable experience.”

Petoskey’s Crooked Tree Arts Center will present Godaiko and Raion Taiko in concert at the Petoskey Middle School at 7:30pm on Saturday, Feb. 6. Special ticket pricing for this show only is $15/ adults and $5/students. For tickets and more information, visit crookedtree.org.