Los Angeles-based TAIKOPROJECT, the first American taiko group to win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest, partners with Gamelan Merdu Kumala, a Southern California-based gamelan ensemble, for two back-to-back afternoon and evening performances at Sierra Madre Playhouse on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 4 pm and 7:30 pm. Blending cultural elements from Japan and Indonesia, the collaboration creates a musical bridge between these two rich traditions. TAIKOPROJECT, which captivates with its modern American twist on the exhilarating ancient Japanese art of taiko drumming, is celebrated for its electrifying energy, thunderous beats, and heart-pounding rhythms. The trailblazing group has been featured at the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, on numerous TV shows, and with pop stars Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, and Alicia Keys. Gamelan is the term for a traditional Indonesian ensemble featuring such percussion instruments as gongs, drums, kettles, bamboo flutes, and metallophones. As a musical ensemble, Gamelan Merdu Kumala remains respectful of the Balinese tradition of music making while also moving the artform forward, infusing its performances with rocket-fast melodies, instantaneous tempo changes, and delightful yet elegant performances.
Sierra Madre Playhouse is at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA.
Flashes of Light (5/25/25-6/9/25)
Flashes of Light, New Musical about Inventor Nikola Tesla, Premieres at Sierra Madre Playhouse, May 25-June 9 (5/25/25-5/25/25)
Sierra Madre Playhouse Presents World Premiere of New Dance Work by Steven Atwater & Thomas Ford (5/17/25-5/17/25)
Sierra Madre Playhouse Presents Acclaimed Silent Film “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (1928) with Live Orchestra (5/10/25-5/10/25)
John Schneider: The Well-Tempered Guitar (4/26/25-4/26/25)
Internationally Acclaimed Clarinetist Joshua Rubin on “Waves in Bloom” (4/19/25-4/19/25)
Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-Winning Play “Master Class” (2/14/25-3/9/25)
Lunar New Year Series Features Musikaravan, A Dynamic String Trio (2/12/25-2/12/25)
Sierra Madre Playhouse Lunar New Year Series Features JAZZ: Eric Ching, One of L.A.’s Premiere Jazz Drummers (2/9/25-2/9/25)
Lunar New Year Series Features DANCE: "Pagdiriwang - A Celebration of Philippine Culture” Presented by Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts (2/8/25-2/8/25)
Videos
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