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Yamato drumming explodes with sound

PHOTOS BY CHRIS RANDLE & ISAO OGAWA & HIROSHI SEO Yamato: The Drummers of Japan will perform Jan. 30 at Penn State.

STATE COLLEGE — Japan’s Yamato drum ensemble challenges the possibilities of Taiko drumming. The energetic group of men and women percussionists captivates audiences of all ages with its blend of serious musicianship, theatrical staging, intense physicality, and comical excursions.

Yamato will make its fourth appearance at Penn State’s Eisenhower Auditorium on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. with its newest program, “Chousensha — The Challengers.” The show takes inspiration from the performers’ feelings about their lives and challenging their limits. It also offers an anthem of encouragement to viewers as they persevere with their own challenges.

“Even the most urbane 21st-century sophisticate, whose veins flow with frothy latte and whose thumbs are adept only at swiping screens, cannot fail to respond to the exhilarating sounds created by Yamato,” a reviewer for London’s The Stage wrote about “The Challengers.”

Ticket information is available by calling 814-863-0255 or 800-ARTS-TIX or visiting www.cpa.psu.edu.

The show is presented by the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State, which is also presenting a Taiko drum workshop at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28 in the lobby of Eisenhower Auditorium.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS RANDLE & ISAO OGAWA & HIROSHI SEO Yamato: The Drummers of Japan will perform Jan. 30 at Penn State.

The one-hour workshop is free and open to members of the public of all ages. No experience is necessary. No registration is required to participate and learn about the art of Japanese drumming. The workshop features a variety of hands-on activities and is offered in partnership with the Penn State Taiko Club.

This presentation is part of the Center for the Performing Arts Diversity and Inclusion Collaborative.

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