Yamato, The Drummers of Japan

Matsuri - Fiesta

A massive Nagado-Daiko drum sends non-amplified shock waves through the theater as both a cultural and spiritual tone connects the performers with the audience. Yamato presents Taiko drumming as wild excessive physical theater, with a mix of athleticism and showbiz. Special-effects lighting fascinates the eye, ears and especially with the titanic Odaiko drum, the heart.

Performances are infused with the idea that the drumbeat, like the heartbeat, is the very pulse of life. That pulse grows to a thunder as Yamato's taiko drummers put their souls into playing the traditional Wadaiko drums that range from the tiny hand-held Uchiwa Daiko to the giant Odaiko, made from a 400-year-old tree. Yamato is group of men and women who have rejuvenated the ancient Japanese tradition of Taiko drumming that fuses percussion, choreography and humor into an exhilarating concert. The group draws their inspiration from the ancestral Japanese beliefs about the power of the drum.

The Lenfest Committee dedicates this performance in loving memory of Joan O'Mara, W&L Professor of
East Asian Studies and former director of the East Asian Studies Program.