Taiko Legacy 20
December 17, 2023 | 2:00 PM
Edlis Neeson Theater at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Asian Improv aRts Midwest’s most anticipated event of the year Taiko Legacy is celebrating two decades of one of the largest taiko concerts in the midwest built on the efforts of community activism in Asian American and Japanese American performing arts across the country. Led by Chicago’s renowned taiko group, Tsukasa Taiko presents a conceptually diverse and dynamic musical performance full of original arrangements that pay homage to ozashiki (geisha chamber music), ohayashi (classical/folk/theater music), and matsuri taiko (festival taiko music).
Long standing partner Grandmaster Chizuru Kineya and Chicago Grandmaster Yoshinojo Fujima joins Tsukasa Taiko with new guests; koto and shamisen performer Yoko “Reikano” Kimura, Japanese classical dancer Kanshichinao Fujima from Japan.
For tickets click HERE
REDUCTION 9
December 16, 2023 | 7:00 PM
Edlis Neeson Theater at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Asian Improv aRts Midwest returns to the Edlis Neeson Theater at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago for the ninth iteration of Reduction; a theatrical presentation with a goal to construct a bridge between tradition and modernity in a single performance and define the contemporary Asian American and Japanese American musical experience. Accentuating the potential and artistry of refined subdued taiko performance, Reduction presents an influx of free fluid improvisational compositions amongst the steady melodies and rhythms of traditional Japanese instrumentation.
Tsukasa Taiko will be joined by a returning lineup of Grandmaster Chizuru Kineya from Tokyo, local Grandmaster Yoshinojo Fujima, Melody Takata and members of GenRyu Arts from San Francisco; alongside creative music legends Hamid Drake, Nicole Mitchell, and Michael Zerang. This year Reduction invites two new guests: New York based koto player Yoko “Reikano” Kimura and classical dancer Kanshichinao Fujima from Japan.
For tickets click HERE
Taiko Legacy 20 / Reduction 9 is a program of Asian Improv aRts Midwest (AIRMW) and is supported in part by general operating support received from the Illinois Arts Council Agency; the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Alphawood Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), the Walder Foundation, Joyce Foundation, and the National Endowment of Arts.