Taiko!

Right on the next day after watching local production, I was at Esplanade for a concert. With the theme 'Treasures of Japan', Japanese shakuhachi father-son duo, Yamamoto Hozan and Yamamoto Shinzan, teamed up with Singapore Chinese Orchestra to perform Dance of the Firmament. The composer himself, Isao Matsushita, was seated a few rows in front of me. However, I failed to understand the song, and at times, was bored. It was probably too cheem for me, and the other people around me, some of whom were yawning.

The next piece Monk Jianzhen Sailing Eastward was the piece I went to the concert for. However, it wasn't the piece that I used to hear. It was a new composition, but I could kind of grasp what the song was trying to portray. I wondered if maturity brings about the ability to understand orchestral pieces. Back then when I was in orchestra myself, I knew the pieces I play because I attended so many concerts. I knew the music, when which instrument was the solo, when the music was fast, when the music was slow. It was like you know the book, but you fail to understand the story. Now ten years have passed since I last performed seriously, I read the programme notes before each piece started, and try to feel the story the composer is weaving. I feel bad that I've actually neglected the composers for so many years. Much thought must have been put into creating the music. Perhaps that Japanese composer seated near me had an influence -_-.

Anyway, the best was the final piece Hi-Ten-Yu, composed by the Japanese guy again, with the motif 'rising to heaven, played in heaven'. The highlight was the wadaiko, which is a Japanese traditional instrument often used in 'matsuri', a ritual in Japan believed to connect heaven with earth. Basically many Japanese drums of different sizes, the famed taiko performer, Eitetsu Hayashi, performed with much zest. He is a wonder to watch, and you can feel the Japanese spirit each time he hits the drum. Truly captivating and indeed as magical as he is famed. You wonder if his arms were tired from the continous playing, but his huge muscles tell you no. Just as you thought it was ending, he gives a loud Japanese shout and the whole audience was seated upright again. His performance was what brought the whole slouching audience sitting up. And of course, when the piece did end, many members of the audience was standing. I had never clapped so hard and so long at any concert. It surpassed the applause that Korean B-boyz Breakout had. It was just just just so good! And in response to the applause, he performed another piece, with his disciple this time. My gosh. His disciple had even bigger muscles! But they were really really good. Not to forget that this was after the usual encore which had the shakuhachi players! Totally impressive! It didn't matter that I was bored for most of the show, and in fact had wondered if I made a wrong choice in attending it, his performance was worthy enough. Great performance!