San Jose Taiko by Madeline

A lot of people have this concept that drumming is the easiest of all the instruments. After all, they reason, what's so hard about hitting something with a stick in time to music supplied by the more important instruments? Having spent several years playing in the percussion section of the band, I know that this idea is ridiculous, and the performance by San Jose Taiko proved further that percussion is just as challenging as any other instrument. I was greatly impressed by the performers' discipline and endurance throughout the entire show, and I loved the way they made every movement seem both natural and perfectly choreographed. I don't think that the performers made a single stroke or took one step that had not been planned and rehearsed in advance. I loved the way they could get multiple sounds out of a single drum, and the way they blended the sounds of all the different drums to create songs that sounded great even when there were multiple rhythms competing against each other. My favorite songs were "Free Spirit," "Hayaku," and any song that incorporated the bamboo flute. I was disappointed that "Nanashi" was not performed; I would've liked to hear a song done in 7/4 time. Talking to the performers afterward was also very enjoyable; I liked learning about the costumes used and hearing about the training needed to become a taiko drummer. San Jose Taiko was a highly entertaining and energetic show, and I hope that they come back to Ames sometime soon.