If you like drums, you’re going to want to be at Congregation Beth Ahm this Sunday evening. The synagogue is bringing in the Soh Daiko Drummers from New York City for a concert that begins at 7 p.m.
Beth Ahm says the concert, which is co-sponsored by the Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled’s WAE (Wellness, Arts and Enrichment) Center, is open to listeners of all ages, and it is free. The synagogue is located at 56 Grove Avenue in Verona, at the corner of Personette.
Taiko drumming is said to have grown out of an ancient Japanese tradition when a village determined its borders by the furthest point from which villagers could hear the sound of the taiko, a big drum. It has evolved into an ensemble performance that brings together many drummers and percussion instruments. Soh Daiko’s presentation also features the visual element of movement and choreography, requiring the physical strength, endurance, and energy that makes taiko such an exciting performance experience.
Soh Daiko has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, the American Museum of Natural History, and Radio City Music Hall, among other venues. The group has also been featured on Public Television’s Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and with artists such as Korn, Rob Thomas, and Kanye West.
Matsuri Daiko performance photo courtesy Michael Dames
