Maimi Higuchi – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com Breaking news from the Farm since 1892 Wed, 25 Oct 2017 19:01:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://stanforddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-DailyIcon-CardinalRed.png?w=32 Maimi Higuchi – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com 32 32 204779320 Who said classical music was boring? Pt. 2 https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/23/classical-music-boring-pt-2/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/23/classical-music-boring-pt-2/#respond Tue, 23 May 2017 08:09:47 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1127890 Last time, we looked at Mauricio Kagel’s instructions on how the timpani player should dive straight into the timpani itself at the end of “Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra,” and how the conductor should fall to the floor in the closing moments of his piece “Finale.” On the other hand, John Cage instructs musicians not […]

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Who said classical music was boring? Pt. 2
Beethoven. (Eric E. Castro, Flickr)

Last time, we looked at Mauricio Kagel’s instructions on how the timpani player should dive straight into the timpani itself at the end of “Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra,” and how the conductor should fall to the floor in the closing moments of his piece “Finale.” On the other hand, John Cage instructs musicians not to play a single note throughout the entire duration of “4’33.”

This time, let’s take a look at some of the more interesting pieces from other great classical composers.

  1.     Ludwig van Beethoven, “Rage Over a Lost Penny”

Originally titled “Rondo alla ingharese quasi un capriccio” in G major, Op. 129, which translates to “Rondo in the Hungarian style, almost a caprice,” this piece is a rollicking classical piano rondo. Its late opus number leads many to think that this piece was one of Beethoven’s later works, but it was actually composed somewhere between 1795 and 1798. The piece was left unfinished, but Beethoven’s friend Anton Diabelli most likely published the piece posthumously in 1828 (Beethoven passed away the previous year).

The music is as whimsical and light as its subtitle, “Rage Over a Lost Penny.” It perfectly encapsulates his tendency to “rage” over the most trivial trifles. It’s not an easy piece to execute, with many difficult arpeggios written for the right hand. Classical piano players should give the piece a try in recitals.

  1.     Erik Satie, “Vexations”

Erik Satie was an innovative French composer in the early 20th century who often liked to break traditional forms and received acclaim in his later life. “Vexations” is a piece that can seem just as annoying as its title. The piece consists of one 80-second melody and 840 iterations of the same melody. The pianist would take 18 hours to perform the piece; it takes much strength and endurance just to finish. Only instances in which multiple pianists take turns to complete the song have been recorded; it is said that the one pianist who tried to perform “Vexations” started hallucinating and had to stop after the 595th repetition.

Other works from Satie have very strange titles, including “An Eccentric Woman,” “Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear,” “Three Elegant Waltzes of a Disgusting Dandy,” “Naked Children,” “Wizened Fetus,” “Sketch of a Fat Tree Doll and Banter,” “Things You Can See Right and Left Without Glasses” and “Fanfare for the Fat King Monkey That Always Has One Eye Open.” These titles are ironic and not reflective of the piece’s musical content. In some ways, they’re an embodiment of the saying that one should never judge a composition by its title.

  1.     Leroy Anderson’s “The Typewriter”

Leroy Anderson’s “The Typewriter” is a famous and well-loved piece. One of the main musicians in the orchestra sits down with a typewriter and actually types throughout the piece. Three sounds from the typewriter are used: the sound of the keystroke, the bell next to the typewriter and the carriage return or musical gourd, the equivalent of the “enter” key. Only two keys work on the typewriter, and according to Anderson, professional drummers play the part of the typist.

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

 

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Who said classical music was boring? https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/16/classical-music-boring/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/16/classical-music-boring/#respond Tue, 16 May 2017 07:10:37 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1127537 Recent worldwide hits come from pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic — anything, it seems, but classical. What stereotypes does classical music hold? Is it beautiful, euphonious, relaxing? Or is it boring, soporific, a genre reserved for older folks or very musically intellectual people? In fact, classical music can be quite unorthodox, funny, eye-opening. And yes, in some […]

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Who said classical music was boring?
(Imagens Portal SESCSP, Flickr)

Recent worldwide hits come from pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic — anything, it seems, but classical. What stereotypes does classical music hold? Is it beautiful, euphonious, relaxing? Or is it boring, soporific, a genre reserved for older folks or very musically intellectual people? In fact, classical music can be quite unorthodox, funny, eye-opening. And yes, in some cases, these pieces can be composed by the very same people who work with the more conventional, familiar form of classical music.

Let’s take a look at some of classical music’s weirdest offerings.

  1.     Mauricio Kagel’s “Concert for Timpani and Orchestra”

Mauricio Kagel, a well-known German Argentine composer, composed a rather hilarious piece back in 1992. His style involves introducing theatrical elements in the piece, ranging from detailed descriptions of what emotions musicians should convey on their faces to a step-by-step account of how someone in the orchestra should move. In “Concert for Timpani and Orchestra,” the timpani player uses a variety of unusual instruments, such as a bullhorn, and at one point is instructed to slap the timpani with bare hands. The funniest part, however, is the ending:

 

Who said classical music was boring?
(bellybutton-diary.com)

As Kagel notes, the timpani player stretches to full height before diving headfirst into the timpani.

In fact, Kagel’s instructions state that one timpani must be covered in paper instead of the usual cowhide and must be reserved for the final dive. The final note (the sound of the human body crashing into the timpani) is as loud as possible (fortissimo fortissimo). The musician must therefore exert this action with all of their energy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6lWTpOH3q8

Perfect.

  1.     Mauricio Kagel’s “Finale”

“Finale” was composed for a concert celebrating Kagel’s 50 years of life and was written for an indoor ensemble. A 20 minute piece, “Finale” starts off in truly classical form, but the theatrics creep in five minutes before the piece ends. Composer Kagel’s notes on the music sheet for “Finale” state very clearly:

“The conductor suddenly stiffens, as though he/she is experiencing convulsions. The right arm goes up, the shoulder rises. The left hand loosens the necktie and lightly massages the chest. The conductor grabs the music stand, then falls, the head falling towards the floor behind the conductor. As a result, the music stand should fall as well.”

The violin player steps in as a substitute conductor for the rest of the piece while the conductor lies prone on the floor.

  1.     John Cage’s “4’33”

John Cage, another avant-garde composer, wrote “4’33”, a famous piece that is often accompanied by classical instruments, such as a piano or a string orchestra.

There is no time limit, minimum or maximum, to this piece. The title only happened to be “4’33” because the first performance of the song lasted four minutes and 33 seconds. There are three movements in this song, but no notes or sound. The whole song is completely silent.

The thought behind this piece is not so much for it to be “empty” or devoid of notes, but to foster an appreciation of sound, such as the noise of people moving around in their seats or the sound of nature outside the concert hall. During “4’33,” these noises are not just ambient but are actually an integral part of the piece.

It does look odd, however. The performer (or performers) sits down, stays silent, then exits the stage when the piece is over.

Perhaps Cage sought to challenge our perception of music, modern or classical. We often think of music as a piece the composer deliberately planned out, in note form, or in a format that requires intentionally created sound. However, “4’33” integrates inadvertently created noise and merges them as modern music.

 

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Linda Uyechi and Steve Sano discuss Taiko at Stanford and around the world https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/07/interview-uyechi-sano-2/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/07/interview-uyechi-sano-2/#respond Mon, 08 May 2017 06:10:50 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1127089 Linda Uyechi and Steve Sano, the faculty supervisors of Stanford Taiko, discuss taiko’s growing influence at Stanford and around the world. For part one of this interview, click here. Part II: The Stanford Daily (TSD): How has your perspective of taiko changed throughout your career? Has it remained constant? Linda Uyechi (LU): I don’t think it has changed. I still […]

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Linda Uyechi and Steve Sano, the faculty supervisors of Stanford Taiko, discuss taiko’s growing influence at Stanford and around the world. For part one of this interview, click here.

Part II:

The Stanford Daily (TSD): How has your perspective of taiko changed throughout your career? Has it remained constant?

Linda Uyechi (LU): I don’t think it has changed. I still believe that it’s an art form rooted in the Japanese American community here in North America and that it is a powerful art form anyone can play. We’ve been really fortunate to help drive some of the growth in the organizational part of taiko, not just the art. We’ve learned more and more about the generosity of the people who actually started the first groups here in North America because [we’ve gone from] three groups to over 500 now in North America. In the last couple of years, I’ve learned even more about the spread of taiko in Europe. I’ve been fortunate to go to the European Taiko Conference (ETC). Last February was the inaugural… People from Europe, as far as northern Sweden and as far down as Spain and Italy — [there were] 60 of them representing 17 countries. It’s ridiculous. And then, more recently, just last month, I met taiko players from Brazil and learned about taiko playing in South America. I think, if anything has changed for me, it has been a deeper awareness of taiko as an art form and a continued interest in learning about it.

TSD: How about Stanford Taiko? How has it changed throughout the years?

LU: When we started in early ‘90s, Kenny Endo [a famous American musician and taiko master] called us something like inaka, or country. We were like country kids, and we were. We were not very sophisticated. Membership-wise, it has changed a lot because it’s also rooted in the Japanese American community at Stanford. When we first started it was like 80 to 90 percent Japanese American. And look at it today — three [people of Japanese descent]. It has gotten very diverse.

Artistically, it has grown tremendously. We started out by playing in White Plaza. Artistically, Stanford Taiko has grown leaps and bounds. The group played at the Taiko Jam [a North American conference] — which was a real honor back in 2005 — for national audiences… Stanford Taiko used to practice in the Asian American center, and it was because we were fighting for space and time, so that’s a huge change from when the group first started… When we first started, we had no idea we were a part of a bigger taiko community… There has been a lot of touring — how many countries have we hit? Thailand, Japan, the U.K. It’s a lot. Spring Concert evolved too; first it was outdoors, then it was in Dink, then eventually we were able to move it, with the Music Department, to Bing. Big changes, when you think about it!

Steve Sano (SS): I think it’s followed an evolutionary path that’s very typical of many musical organizations in terms of increased structure. In the beginning, you know, we didn’t do auditions — you asked your friends. Then there became a structure for how you audition [and] for how the group is governed. All of that kind of grows as the group evolves. So it becomes more codified, and more jobs get identified as the group undertakes different activities. So I think in terms of organizational sophistication, that’s a very natural evolutionary progression. Artistically, it’s kind of parallel with what’s going on with North American taiko in that there’s increased sophistication to what the group does. If you looked at performance videos over the years, especially compared to the really early ones … oh my.

LU: (laughs)

SS: It’d be embarrassing now for the group to do what it used to do in public. So I think the musical sophistication, writing composition, production values — I mean performing at Bing is really different than performing in that grassy area next to Kimball Dining, which doesn’t exist anymore.

LU: Oh that’s right!

SS: No lights, no tech. What happens if it rains? It’s completely different. This whole idea of: “When it’s tech day, make sure the lighting director is in lighting booth at 2 o’clock to write all the lighting cues, the 109 cues for your show,” it used to be different. This other thing is the types of gigs the group does. Now, school shows, international touring, corporate gigs, those things didn’t exist years ago.

TSD: What’s the most enjoyable or “worth it” aspect about taiko?

LU: Taiko is a [fun] lifestyle. PJ Hirabayashi said “taiko is a lifestyle,” so I think it’s the community we’ve become a part of. It’s been a huge part of our lives and it’s because it’s our community.

SS: Well, I’m not a [taiko] player, so…

TSD: Do you have any fun memories?

SS: I mean, I played for one summer. That’s kind of it. I think for me, personally, the most rewarding and gratifying thing is seeing Stanford Taiko members go out into the world and either staying in touch with taiko for their own playing or becoming leaders in the field. When you think of the impact that those people have had on the greater community, it’s pretty awesome, and that’s something special.

TSD: Who are your heroes when it comes to taiko? Who are your sources of inspiration?

LU: Oh my. Our pioneers. I think, of those, PJ was actually one of my teachers, because I did go to work at San Jose Taiko for a couple of years… Roy, too — so all the pioneers: PJ and Roy Hirabayashi, Jeannie Mercer, Russel Baba has been heavily influential — he was one who inspired the ITI (Intercollegiate Taiko Invitational), Kenny Endo was kind enough when Steve cold-called him to come participate with us, and he’s been a great proponent of Stanford Taiko. Alan Okada… Johnny Mori, we could go on and on, but all those pioneers of taiko are amazing. Personally, as far as having the spent the most hours in the studio, I think it was PJ and Roy because I worked in San Jose Taiko with them.

TSD: If you were to introduce a complete beginner to taiko, what would you recommend?

LU: We start with the history of it! So it would be, you know, talking about the start of taiko in North America. But we also go back to Osuwa Daiko and Daihachi Oguchi-Sensei and Oedo Sukeroku and Kodo, and all of those people. Of course, in North America, our influence has been more direct.

TSD: What about listening to taiko music?

LU: You gotta go experience it! You gotta go see taiko, and feel it and experience it!

Her eyes light up. It’s one of those moments she so strongly believes in: Ahe stares at me, at once solemn but and enthusiastic, as if taiko music is something palpable. And it might just be. For those who experience taiko, it’s an art, a choreographed performance, a symbol of empowerment, a lifestyle and an unforgettable, life-changing experience.

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu

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Interview: Linda Uyechi and Steve Sano on North American taiko https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/03/nterview-linda-uyechi-and-steve-sano/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/05/03/nterview-linda-uyechi-and-steve-sano/#respond Wed, 03 May 2017 07:46:32 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1126921   Linda Uyechi and Steve Sano, the faculty supervisors of Stanford Taiko, discuss all things taiko (Japanese/Japanese-American drumming) and how far the ensemble has come. Part I: Linda and Steve introduce taiko (and dating tips!) Linda welcomes me with a hug, and we walk into a serene, small courtyard in Braun Music Center teeming with […]

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Interview: Linda Uyechi and Steve Sano on North American taiko
Stanford Taiko performing in 2015. (CATALINA RAMIREZ-SAENZ/The Stanford Daily)

Linda Uyechi and Steve Sano, the faculty supervisors of Stanford Taiko, discuss all things taiko (Japanese/Japanese-American drumming) and how far the ensemble has come.

Part I: Linda and Steve introduce taiko (and dating tips!)

Linda welcomes me with a hug, and we walk into a serene, small courtyard in Braun Music Center teeming with bright green flora. It’s an apt location that encapsulates what I thought was a metaphor for Stanford Taiko itself – a place for deep introspection and relaxation, a bright albeit small community full of life and vibrant energy. Her husband Steve – the other key half of Stanford Taiko’s leading faculty – joins us shortly. Their playful banter and conversation bounce all over the place.

 

The Stanford Daily (TSD): What is taiko, and what does taiko mean to you?

 Linda Uyechi (LU): Taiko is ensemble Japanese drumming. It’s a relatively new form, a new art form in Japan, because it started in the late ’50s, and in North America it was in the ’60s. So what does it mean to me? It means a lot to me … it has a lot to do with the Japanese-American community, it has a lot to do with Japanese-American identity. From my perspective, because when I started playing [in the early ’90s], that’s when I saw it and realized, it’s an incredibly powerful art form and it’s also empowering to play, especially for Asian-American women.

Steve Sano (SS): There’s always the response that taiko just means “drum.” But here in North America, I think in musical vernacular, it is the art form of taiko, and in that case, it means this art form of ensemble taiko, or kumi-daiko, which is how it is referred to here most often. So that is an ensemble staged performance. Staged doesn’t necessarily mean formally in a theater stage, but actually a choreographed, planned performance of art, as opposed to a festival or ritual.

 

Linda Uyechi is a former member of Stanford Taiko and San Jose Taiko. She trained under pioneers who spread North American taiko, including San Jose Taiko’s Artistic Director Emeritus P.J. Hirabayashi and Executive Director Emeritus Roy Hirabayashi. She currently serves as an instructor for the upcoming Introductory Seminar “Perspectives in North American Taiko,” a mentor for Stanford Taiko performers and a former board member of the Taiko Community Alliance (TCA), an organization that brings all North American taiko groups together.

Steve Sano, the co-advisor for Stanford Taiko, is also the director of the Choral Music Program, an instructor of the same IntroSem and the conductor of the Stanford Symphony Chorus. He oversees the logistical aspects of Stanford Taiko, including tours overseas. Both identify strongly with their Asian-American ties.

 

TSD: What initially drew you to taiko?

LU: I saw it; it looked powerful, it looked fun!

TSD: When did you first see it?

LU: That’s a good question. My first impression is that I saw it at an outdoor event, it was probably San Jose Taiko that I saw – I have no recollection of anything specific, but the one point I do remember seeing is the first time I saw Kodo at a concert here at MemAud. So that was – I forget what year that was – it was after 1985 … ’86, you know, late ’80s, so I saw Yoshikazu Yoshimoto in his fundoshi [traditional Japanese attire] playing odaiko [big drum]. And that was it. I was like, “I gotta do that!” But before that, truthfully, the answer is, before that I’d seen taiko in the Bay Area [I just don’t remember when].

TSD: What about you, Steve? What got you interested in taiko?

SS: Linda! [Laughter]

LU: Really!?

SS: Well, we were both grad students together and she was involved in it.

LU: Oh yeah!

SS: We just started dating. And it was like, you know that thing when you start dating, it’s like you get interested in what the person you’re dating does.

LU: Or you just lose them, right? [Laughter]

 

From the wide-eyed look I get when Linda talks about Kodo, an internationally renowned traditional taiko performing arts group, to the nostalgia behind talking about SJT, it becomes clear that taiko is not just a “drum.” To both Linda and Steve, drumming is a deeply personal and essential part of their lives.

 

Part two of this interview will be published later this week.

Stanford Taiko’s spring show will be held on Saturday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Bing Concert Hall. Tickets are available online at live.stanford.edu.

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Pen-Pineapple-Pen — what’s up with that? https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/20/pen-pineapple-pen/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/20/pen-pineapple-pen/#respond Tue, 21 Feb 2017 06:57:09 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1123314 A man dressed in a yellow, gaudy, animal-printed outfit leaps around singing “PEN PINEAPPLE APPLE PEN,” matched with techno music. It’s hard to forget. It’s also hard to know why it became so popular at all. “PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen),” a 45-second Youtube video that broke the Guinness World Record for shortest song to enter the Billboard […]

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Pen-Pineapple-Pen — what's up with that?
A screenshot from “Pen-Pineapple-Pen.” (Pikotaro Official Channel, YouTube)

A man dressed in a yellow, gaudy, animal-printed outfit leaps around singing “PEN PINEAPPLE APPLE PEN,” matched with techno music. It’s hard to forget. It’s also hard to know why it became so popular at all.

“PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen),” a 45-second Youtube video that broke the Guinness World Record for shortest song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 charts in Japan and the US, quickly became a global trend in late 2016. Its music video has now been viewed over 110 million times. But why did it go viral?

None other than popstar Justin Bieber, whose own fame was kickstarted from Youtube, helped the song’s quick rise to the top. His simple tweet “My favorite video on the internet,” coupled with “PPAP’s” music video, was liked over 100,000 times and undoubtedly contributed to “PPAP’s” popularity.

The Japanese artist, Daimaou Kosaka, who created the fictional character and singer Pikotaro, is a comedian and DJ. Pikotaro attributes much of the song’s rise to Justin Bieber and says that he wants to continue to make fun videos.

What started as a $950 self-produced, self-edited project expanded to professional commercials for Fanta and Docomo and many appearances on popular television channels, including Kohaku, the famous Japanese singing competition that takes place every New Year’s Eve. (Not to mention frequent onscreen and offscreen speculation about the man behind Pikotaro.) It’s also creating positive influences, in that groups parodying “PPAP,” such as those supporting lung-cancer patients, have received more attention and awareness.

But what was it that appealed to the first few viewers of the music video?

“PPAP” seems to include all the aspects of a viral video — repetitive, simple and funny. Pikotaro’s small dance is easy to follow, enough for even small children to replicate and post on Youtube in response. His lyrics “I have a pen. I have an apple. Apple pen!” may not make a lick of logical sense, but they are repetitive enough to dance to, and the main melody is repeated so many times that it’s no wonder “PPAP” is an earworm.

His costume only adds to what may have initially appealed to the Japanese community. His bright attire resembles what yakuza (Japanese gangsters) might wear. This intimidating impression is further solidified in the first few seconds of the video, when Pikotaro stares down at the camera (he’s six foot one), unsmiling. But as soon as the song starts, Pikotaro is a different man. He sways and bops to the music and dances around like he’s having the time of his life.

Pikotaro’s infectious smiles and cute little dances with hands and feet stand in stark contrast with his gangster-like clothes. The irony between what a Japanese viewer would expect and what he/she actually sees only emphasizes to the humor the artist-DJ-comedian aimed for. Add nonsensical English lyrics and catchy techno music thanks to Kosaka’s DJ experience, and the result is a tweet-worthy, conversation-starting viral song.

Whatever the reason for “PPAP’s” viral fame, Pikotaro’s one motive remains true and resonates with anyone who watched the video — to make fun videos and brighten your day. While the artist admits that he has yet to make a single yen off of the actual song, his work will nonetheless fulfill its purpose of fun, and audiences worldwide can now look forward to his future career in comedy and music.

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu

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Rock, pop and soul: Three great artists we lost in 2016 https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/07/artists-lost-2016/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/07/artists-lost-2016/#respond Wed, 08 Feb 2017 02:30:14 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1122211 Last year, we had to say goodbye to many musical icons, but they will forever remain in the hearts of their loyal fans. Look no further for a brief informational overview of three great artists (and an excuse to listen to great music, too)! David Bowie passed away in New York on Jan. 10, 2016 […]

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Last year, we had to say goodbye to many musical icons, but they will forever remain in the hearts of their loyal fans. Look no further for a brief informational overview of three great artists (and an excuse to listen to great music, too)!

David Bowie passed away in New York on Jan. 10, 2016 from cancer at the age of 69. Bowie’s first big hit came from “Space Oddity,” which BBC sampled when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. His heavy metal and hard rock album “The Man Who Sold the World,” released in 1970, made yet another hit, but not before he drastically changed his look and envisioned a science fiction character two years later in “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.”

In 1975, “Fame,” co-written with Carlos Alomar and John Lennon, was a No. 1 single hit in the U.S., and in 1980, from the album “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps),” “Ashes to Ashes” was a darker, art rock evolution from “Space Oddity” and hit No. 1 in the U.K. once more. Bowie’s ever-changing form and innovation in music and film made a large impact across multiple genres. I recommend last year’s “Blackstar” (2016) released on his birthday, just two days before his death.

Another great musical artist known for eclectic, diverse works was George Michael. George Michael passed away in his home in England on Dec. 25, Christmas Day, due to heart failure. He was 53.

Michael was one-half of the famous duo Wham!, which first got its break with the 1984 hit “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.” Wham! experienced yet another international hit with “Last Christmas” two years later.

Michael gradually moved away from a mainly pop genre to include more R&B, soul, jazz and funk aspects of music. Public acts of generosity include donating sales from “Last Christmas” and “Everything She Wants” (along with singing in a group performance of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”), which went to the charity Band-Aid for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, profits from “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” with Elton John went to helping the Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and AIDS patients through London Lighthouse. But the music icon was also known for his private philanthropic acts, such as anonymous donations to charities. His documentary film, “Freedom,” will air in March. To remember George Michael, or to simply listen to good music, I would recommend listening to “Faith” (1987).

Sharon Jones passed away aged 60 on Nov. 18 due to pancreatic cancer in New York. Jones was scouted by the Dap-Kings, an R&B band that soon became popular under its first album “Dap Dippin’,” as Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.

The Dap Kings played on Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” album in 2006 and after the release of albums “Naturally” in 2005, “100 Days, 100 Nights” in 2007, and “I Learned the Hard Way” in 2010. It was during this time that the band became increasingly popular as a revival of soul, R&B and funk. For a revival of Sharon Jones, I recommend “Give the People What They Want” (2014) and “Miss Sharon Jones!” (2016).

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimi ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Kodo: Japanese drumming brought to Berkeley https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/06/kodo-berkeley/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/06/kodo-berkeley/#respond Mon, 06 Feb 2017 09:57:07 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1122455 The audience sits in complete darkness. A silver spotlight shines on a lone taiko drum. As a drum stick shakes imperceptibly, a hand firmly comes down onto a surface. A low thump reverberates through the eerie silence. Another. Yet another. Somewhere, a soft tune from a fue, a Japanese flute, fills the concert hall. Ranging […]

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Kodo: Japanese drumming brought to Berkeley
Kodo’s iconic taiko drum. (Brian Adler, Wikimedia Commons)

The audience sits in complete darkness. A silver spotlight shines on a lone taiko drum. As a drum stick shakes imperceptibly, a hand firmly comes down onto a surface. A low thump reverberates through the eerie silence. Another. Yet another. Somewhere, a soft tune from a fue, a Japanese flute, fills the concert hall.

Ranging from happy, light-hearted beats accompanied by fue, like “Irodori,” to dramatic, intense songs like “O-daiko,” Kodo, a popular Japanese taiko team, brought a frenzied energy to Berkeley on Jan. 28 and 29.

Yet Kodo was not always Kodo; it used to be part of Ondekoza, another taiko team known for its intense practices and preference for running marathons right before performances. Ondekoza called Sado Island its home: a beautiful island known to be a popular historical destination for people banished off the main island of Japan. The result was a treasure trove of rich cultural traditions that would largely define Japanese culture, such as traditional Japanese “noh” theater. By 1981, Kodo branched off and settled in Kodo village. Its location in Sado Island was very peaceful and quiet — a place to stimulate creativity in the natural world.

Kodo’s performance in Berkeley veered on the side of traditional Japanese music, but the talent and creativity from Sado Island are undeniable. The drummers wore familiar traditional outfits, happi, resembling a very short, light kimono. Yet Kodo has a surprisingly innovative repertoire coming up in the near future, including a March collaboration with the popular virtual singer and teenage vocaloid Hatsune Miku, using state-of-the-art technology to target and connect with a younger audience. How will cutting-edge technology merge with traditional art forms? Kodo seems to be ready to explore a new, still rare genre.

All of a sudden, the room is filled with a bright, searing light. The audience tries to blink it out, completely startled from the sudden change. But it’s too late for audience members to adjust their eyes now — all of the taiko drummers have come on stage, completely in sync and moving together in a chaotic harmony.

A dynamic spirit flows among the drummers, surging back and forth. Taikos different in shape are at one, producing sounds far more powerful than any individual taiko could. The performance seems like one sound — high and low, quiet and loud — one harmonious, almost magical spirit working away in a synergistic collaboration.

The performance has no words. It doesn’t need them. Even without words, the essence of the storytelling is still there. The audience is filled with a silent awe, as viewers’ minds frantically think and fantasize about drumming, or the meaning behind it. What’s left after the performance is a sense of calm energy and inner contentment. A true spectacle.

Kodo’s mission statement reads as follows: “Under the theme ‘One Earth,’ Kodo brings the sound of the taiko to all corners of the globe as our music and message resonates with myriad cultures and ways of life.”

The group strives to spread its vision of harmony among people and with nature, beyond any borders, in a way that is galvanized by and transcends music. It is a message it works for every day in its practices and performances, and it is a timely thought we should all consider as we head into the new year.

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Examining Ed Sheeran’s two new singles: ‘Castle On the Hill’ and ‘Shape of You’ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/01/22/ed-sheeran/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/01/22/ed-sheeran/#respond Mon, 23 Jan 2017 06:40:53 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1121674 Ed Sheeran is back. The famous pop expert and musician took a hiatus in 2015, after five years of continuous touring, recording and traveling internationally. After a few Tweets hinting at a third album titled “÷” (“Divide”), on Jan. 5, he dropped two songs: “Castle On the Hill” and “Shape of You.” “Castle On the […]

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Ed Sheeran is back. The famous pop expert and musician took a hiatus in 2015, after five years of continuous touring, recording and traveling internationally. After a few Tweets hinting at a third album titled “÷” (“Divide”), on Jan. 5, he dropped two songs: “Castle On the Hill” and “Shape of You.”

“Castle On the Hill” and “Shape Of You” are two very different songs, genre-wise. While the latter is one of those pop songs song that would be blasted repeatedly at dance parties and over radios, “Castle On the Hill” takes on a country air, perfect for a road trip.

“Castle On The Hill” takes place in a beautiful countryside. The introduction is a quiet, very twangy, country-like tune powered by a steady thrumming of beats. First-person lyrics like “we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill” situate us in Sheeran’s own childhood, growing up in the countryside of Framlingham, Suffolk. The titular castle is most likely inspired by Framlingham Castle, near where Sheeran grew up. The first tender verse revolves around Ed Sheeran as a 6-year-old, who “tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass [he] rolled down,” suggesting an idyllic scenery in tune with the country.  The quiet verses contrast with the chorus, which kicks off with a crash, the low hums and booms of drums and guitar chords increasing in intensity. When Ed Sheeran returns permanently to the present and remembers his grown-up friends who have parted ways but still remain dear to his heart, the song falls into a hush again, continuing into the final chorus and underscoring the nostalgia in Sheeran’s raw voice.

“Shape Of You,” on the other hand, is a faster-paced pop song centered on the sensation of falling in love.  While “Castle On the Hill” tells more of a story, “Shape Of You” delves into a wild bar-dance with a partner, encouraged by Sheeran’s quicker tempo. With a more prominent guitar leading the way, the repetitive lyrics “I’m in love with your body/Come on, be my baby, come on” are impossible to forget. The whole song sounds like the upcoming earworm of 2017.

Ed Sheeran has released two very different kinds of music, and “Castle On the Hill” and “Shape Of You” are both beautiful, musical works in their own way – the former a mellow, sweet ode to growing up, the latter catchy dance fun. Sheeran’s eagerly awaited album is off to a powerful start.

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Film score review: Welcome to the diverse world of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/12/08/film-score-review-welcome-to-the-diverse-world-of-fantastic-beasts/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/12/08/film-score-review-welcome-to-the-diverse-world-of-fantastic-beasts/#respond Fri, 09 Dec 2016 05:18:31 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1120810 The Stanford Daily got a further look into the soundtrack of the new Harry Potter spinoff “Fantastic Beasts.” No worries though — this music review will refrain from revealing any major spoilers! Alohomora into the mysterious world of magical New York in the 1920s. We trail along with Newt Scamander, a British wizard played by Eddie […]

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The Stanford Daily got a further look into the soundtrack of the new Harry Potter spinoff “Fantastic Beasts.” No worries though — this music review will refrain from revealing any major spoilers!

Alohomora into the mysterious world of magical New York in the 1920s. We trail along with Newt Scamander, a British wizard played by Eddie Redmayne, whose whirlwind of a journey starts off when his magical animals one day escape into the alleyways of New York.

Now that we know more about the film itself after its release and behind the scenes footage, the song “There are Witches Among Us/the Bank/the Niffler” makes a lot more sense to Harry Potter fans — and any avid moviegoer. This Niffler, a rodent-like creature from the film, is so far proving to be one of the most popular characters and beasts among the Wizarding fan community for its cute, small, platypus-like figure. This song is essentially a character portrayal of the Niffler, depicting it not through paintings or through 3D animation but through a lovely symphony of sounds. The Niffler’s anthem begins with an eerie chorus of female voices, merged with harps and classic violin, but never overloads itself on the intimidating aspect. Maintaining a positive atmosphere, it soon drops into a mischievous tone and sounds exactly like a Niffler’s footsteps, accompanied by soft trumpets and bassoons. In this sequence, the Niffler tiptoes into jewelry shops and banks, hoping to go unnoticed by Newt, a hushed suspense perfectly captured by the extremely light violin tune. Of course, Newt, ever the vigilant one, soon catches sight of the Niffler attempting to store glittery objects in its pouch. The ensuing struggle of Newt vs. the little Niffler is played for pure laughs, musically reflected by the building up of drums and strings, quickly countered by fun chimes. A perfect blend of a comedic chase and dramatic action.

“The Erumpent” is based on a magical African creature that looks much like a rhinoceros, and the eponymous creature fits right into its character song. The Erumpent theme — gravely different from the Niffler tune — sounds as though it came straight out of the “Jungle Book” with its myriad spinning notes and rests. “The Erumpent” combines a happier, lighter atmosphere with an occasional dramatic style through its hint of trombones and a steady, fast-paced drum beat. There is bound to be quick action in capturing all the escaped beasts, but this brief piece nevertheless manages to pin down its animal.

What about the characters themselves? Do they get their own pieces as well? The composer, James Newton Howard, has in fact written pieces for J.K. Rowling’s detailed characters.

The “Kowalski Rag” kicks off with a melody line very similar to “Night at the Museum”’s famous theme song. Indeed, Jacob Kowalski, a No-Maj (humans who cannot wield magic; non-wizards/non-witches), and Ben Stiller’s character from “Night at the Museum” are both innocent people suddenly dragged into an unknown world. These similarities in characters are reflected in the music itself. Trumpets and light cymbals mark a steady beat in “Kowalski Rag,” before the piece immediately quiets and transforms into a jazzy, blues-like tune reminiscent of 1920s New York. Kowalski is a man from the ’20s, and this era will be extremely important for “Fantastic Beasts” viewers to grasp the concept of the divide between magical people and no-Majs.

This music review cannot go without mentioning the “Blind Pig!”, the name of the speakeasy Newt and the others visit, where a female goblin sings the beautiful lyrics written by J.K. Rowling. Coupled with the artist Emmi’s sultry voice and J.K. Rowling’s references to beasts, it’s a relaxing, magical song. Note that, although beasts such as Hippogriffs are also mentioned in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” during the Yule Ball, a rock band sings this in a highly upbeat, intense song — a clear indication times and tastes have changed. “Blind Pig” has a very jazzy feel, and the whole scene in the speakeasy evokes a strong “Great Gatsby” vibe. (Fun fact — the music from the two films were produced by the same studio.)

“A Man and a Beast” is undoubtedly a complex music piece. The piece starts with a light-hearted tune played by a lone clarinet and flute to a full string orchestra and chorus. It soon transitions to a dramatic, serious music piece with a full string orchestra coupled with a chorus. But something sounds familiar — in fact, it’s the same melody line, mixed in with a hint of the main theme song! This main line is played repeatedly, but with different instruments, it sounds like an entirely new piece each time. From a happy, bumbling tune to a musical atmosphere that sounds like it belongs in an action movie with clanging bells and orchestra, “A Man and a Beast” is a diverse piece that is caught in between the feel of “The Philosopher’s Stone” and “Deathly Hallows.” It concludes by diving straight into a jazzy tune and modification of the exact same melody using a piano, saxophone and maracas, again reminiscent of 20s NYC. Incorporating the main theme of “Fantastic Beasts,” “A Man and His Beasts” is a song dedicated to Newt himself. Perhaps it portrays his multi-faceted character, between a happy adventurer and a heroic figure, hence the positive tune and the action hero sound — but with the same melody line over and over again. Perhaps with the main melody, he’s essentially the same person and upholds the same values, and yet he has a whole range of sides (and instruments!) we’re about to experience and look into.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is one wild journey and does a wonderful job of setting the story up in New York before transitioning into the sequel. We can’t wait to see where the story takes us next.

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Preview: Music from ‘Fantastic Beasts’ casts an unforgettable spell https://stanforddaily.com/2016/11/16/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-preview/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/11/16/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-preview/#respond Wed, 16 Nov 2016 19:25:03 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1119971 “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” — THE movie we’ve all been waiting for. Set in in the 1920s, it follows the adventures of a magical wizard named Newt Scamander around New York. Newt Scamander is an English magizoologist, specializing in studying magical animals (and catching them). Newt also happens to be the author who wrote […]

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“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” — THE movie we’ve all been waiting for. Set in in the 1920s, it follows the adventures of a magical wizard named Newt Scamander around New York. Newt Scamander is an English magizoologist, specializing in studying magical animals (and catching them). Newt also happens to be the author who wrote the textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which Harry Potter would read at Hogwarts 70 years later. Fortunately, the studios have been kind enough to provide sneak peeks into both the film and the music, the former of which will be released on Nov. 17, the latter one day later. It’s time to mark your calendars, if you haven’t done so already. If anything, the music is already evidence that “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” will be nothing short of an epic adventure.

The composer of the film, James Newton Howard, is no novice. Howard is credited with composing other successful film theme songs for hit movies like “The Hunger Games” series, “Batman Begins,” “The Bourne Legacy” and “King Kong.” This time, he focuses on New York in the ’20s as the background for “Fantastic Beasts.” The ’20s, with the Jazz Age and Prohibition, had a lot going on, both in the No-Maj population  (also known as Muggles — what Americans call non-magical people) and the wizarding world. The music has a lot going on, too. Here’s what we know from the preview:

Ah, the beginning of the new theme song. The classic “Hedwig’s Theme,” or as we all know it, “that Harry Potter song.” It reminds listeners of where all this came from, the origin of the first Harry Potter book or film they ever read or watched. It’s also a reminder that the wizarding world is back.

What of the silence and dark, the low drumbeats that follow soon after? With a sudden menacing tone, there is certainly an aura of danger here, and given the few scenes of Newt in court, we can guess that it might be about his animals among the presence of No-Maj.

The theme song quickly transitions to a mischievous tone, evocative of the fantastic song (and movie!) sequence “Fireworks,” when Fred and George Weasley decide to prank Professor Umbridge with fireworks during exam time. The same bells, pace and even melody lines are used — is Newt up to some mischief in New York? Given the snippets of the movie in which Newt must recover his escaped magical animals, it certainly seems to be the case.

The final notes of the main theme song end with what sounds almost exactly like the music played during “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” in which Dumbledore’s Army (Harry Potter and his friends) succeed at their own little rebellious club and perform Defense Against the Dark Arts spells, namely the Patronus spell. This optimistic tune reminds us of the happy times in all of the Potter flicks. Does this imply a happy ending for “Fantastic Beasts,” too? We hope so!

Howard’s second song, “The Bank/The Niffler,” takes on a mysterious quality, one sometimes even downright eerie with its background chorus and quiet piano. However, while it seems like a tribute to John Williams’ work in more ways than one, it also adopts its own style. With a slightly electronic and classical vibe, “The Bank/The Niffler” is a quirky song that guides you through Diagon Alley, where no wall is completely straight and no angle is completely perpendicular — a topsy-turvy world. It should be, too — the niffler is a strange, overenthusiastic creature that loves glittery objects, including gold. Will this affect the way it disrupts the bank, also full of gold? We’ll see! Initially fast-paced, it has a clumsy melody, too — the kind of cartoonish music you hear at amusement parks for children that makes you wonder: What has Newt done this time?

The clumsy yet lovable character of Newt Scamander and the theme of New York in the 1920s are perfectly encapsulated in the happy yet dramatic tones of the whole musical sequence. This music is enough to hint at Harry Potter, but it welcomes you to an entirely different world in the United States — and promises you the journey of a lifetime.

Welcome back to the wizarding world!

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Exploding Fireworks: Why Stanford Taiko’s final audition performance blew everyone away https://stanforddaily.com/2016/10/23/stanford-taiko-audition-performance/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/10/23/stanford-taiko-audition-performance/#respond Mon, 24 Oct 2016 06:04:42 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1118430 A hushed silence fills the late night air, replacing the sounds of people cheering and cracking jokes. Everyone wonders what’s next. But no one dares to speak. Or breathe. An excited yell erupts from the taiko team, a drumming group whose style originated in Japan. Another yell follows. Yet another, until the air is filled […]

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A hushed silence fills the late night air, replacing the sounds of people cheering and cracking jokes. Everyone wonders what’s next. But no one dares to speak. Or breathe.

An excited yell erupts from the taiko team, a drumming group whose style originated in Japan. Another yell follows. Yet another, until the air is filled with sounds of shakers, drums, triumphant cries and dancing. People sway to the beat.

The song Stanford’s taiko team played tonight is called “Hanabi,” the Japanese word for “fireworks.” True to its name, the song includes sporadic, strong hits sounding exactly like the low booms of fireworks exploding high. The project on which the taiko team embarked is easier said than done: Rearrange Stanford Taiko’s traditional song, “Hanabi.” Stanford Taiko’s audition performance night is also a final test for the players trying out for the team; they will know whether they made the team or not the next day. Nerves run high.

There are a lot of different interpretations of one song, different takes and rearrangements of the same music depending on the person or the team. One team makes its primary theme a firework display that starts as a fizzle and ends in a large climax; another makes its top priority to weave in nonverbal communication through arm movement. One team builds a song entirely on a swing beat; another relies on suspenseful moments of silence. The taiko players go with whatever feels personal or creative. 

As soon as the performance is over, the players huddle around. What was previously filled with smiles and brimming energy is now replaced with panting. Blisters and sores cover their hands, signs of long hours of dedication. They tell me they put in 10+ hours last week. But they play because they love the art of taiko, and they play because they are in the moment – an almost spiritual moment that is palpable and reaches the audience in a way recorded videos will never capture. Smiles and eye-contact, yells and dancing, are all part of one performance. In this performance, they are no longer university students – they are storytellers conveying the energetic ambience filling the festive air with fireworks.

Every taiko team sounds and feels different, but Stanford Taiko especially gives the impression of a close, friendly community. Japanese-Americans, native Japanese and those with absolutely no prior exposure to Japanese culture all work together as one team. From those with no musical background to those who played in the Stanford orchestra, hobbies are eclectic and nationalities are diverse. And no wonder: Taiko is not one thing. Taiko is a mixture of spatial movement, whether it be dance or martial arts, sound or spirit. It is a genre of its own that hovers between a musical group and a team sport. Ultimately, the only true requirement is energy and a sense of fun.

 

Contact Maimi Higuchi at maimih ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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