Music @The Playhouse: TAIKOPROJECT + Gamelan Merdu Kumala

Presented by Sierra Madre Playhouse

Sierra Madre Playhouse Presents Music @The Playhouse: TAIKOPROJECT + Gamelan Merdu Kumala

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.

Date:
Venue:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Organization:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Genres:
World Music
Categories:
Live Event
City: Sierra Madre
Price Range:
$12-$35
Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
626-355-4318
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Performers

TAIKOPROJECT taiko
Gamelan Merdu Kumala gamelan ensemble

Sierra Madre Playhouse

Sierra Madre Playhouse

87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
United States

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Sierra Madre Playhouse, a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a rich history spanning a century, energizes audiences and the community with distinctive theatrical productions and captivating live performances. 

 

Hailed as a “jewel” (Pasadena Weekly) and “a landmark theater” (ABC7 Los Angeles), it has garnered tremendous accolades for its varied repertoire and thought-provoking education and outreach programs curated with social impact in mind. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, “This is theater from the heart.” As one of San Gabriel Valley’s only performing arts center presenting a broad spectrum of performance genres, including theater, music, dance, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions featuring eminent local and national professional artists, the treasured artistic beacon draws audiences from across the Southland. 

 

The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close and personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics' Choice honors. In 2023, Rep. Judy Chu named the Sierra Madre Playhouse as a leading ‘Nonprofit of the Year’ in the San Gabriel Valley. The playhouse was given the honor during the 2023 Congressional Leadership of the Year Awards, which recognizes the leadership and volunteerism in the cities making up California’s 28th Congressional District. It is nestled into a historic building on the inviting Main Street of Sierra Madre, a charming village in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. 

 

Retaining its distinctive movie theater façade and instantly recognizable marquee, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theatre to the artistic institution that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the region’s rich cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all while celebrating the rich tapestry of the American experience and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding.