Makoto Taiko will present its 15th anniversary concert, “Kizuna,” on Saturday, June 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Occidental College’s Thorne Hall, 1600 Campus Rd., Los Angeles.
Makoto Taiko strives to elevate the spirit in the performers and the audience through playing traditional Japanese drums. The group’s drumming serves as a bridge across different cultures and encourages global understanding that transcends language and words. Makoto Taiko performs under the instruction of Koji Nakamura, former leader for 20 years of the Shumei Taiko Ensemble in Japan, and 2007 Grammy Award winner as a featured artist on Paul Winter’s CD “Crestone.”
Shamisen artist Mike Penny will join as a special guest. He is known for his unique style of shamisen playing, which fuses |Eastern and Western musical contexts. He studied under sensei Toyoaki Fukushi in Japan.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at http://makototaiko.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, visit www.makototaiko.org or email info@makototaiko.org.