Japanese culture brought to PdC Schools, community
Ondekoza, a Japanese drumming band, spent last week in Prairie du Chien schools, as part of a Arts Midwest World Fest partnership the school district has. This brings artists and entertainers to the district for a weeklong residency followed by a public performance. Pictured, a fearless Alexis Scherer tries her hand at the beat during a presentation at Bluff View Friday. Ondekoza played for a large community crowd on Saturday evening in the high school’s Little Theatre. (Photos by Correne Martin)
Pictured at Bluff View Friday, the middle school students stared in amazement at the athletic musicians.
Members of the five-person band Ondekoza utilized different styles and sizes of drum sticks to beat the taiko drums in their performances.
Seizan Matsuda played several Japanese bamboo woodwind instruments for the crowds who had the pleasure of viewing him and his bandmates in Ondekoza last week.
The Japanese drumming band, Ondekoza, which roughly translates to “drumming demons” offered 13 tremendously educational and entertaining workshops during their weeklong artist residency, hosted by Prairie du Chien Area School District, which contracted the residency and arranged the program schedule. Ondekoza performed for over 1,927 community members. The school districts of Prairie du Chien and Seneca along with Unity Adult Day Care and 3M had the opportunity to participate in workshops, listen, learn and experience the sounds of Japan and the spirit of “Wa(harmony)” through the use of traditional Japanese taiko drums.
Throughout the band’s 49 year history, the running, drumming members of Ondekoza have been more than just performers or entertainers. They live and train together in the mountains of rural Japan and have a rigorous daily physical (6-mile daily run) and mental training regimen. Their focus is not to merely entertain; but, to focus on expressing the entirety of their being with each strike of the drum. Ondekoza has been influential in spreading and popularizing taiko, particularly outside of Japan.
On Sunday, Feb 18, Mayor Dave Hemmer read and presented a proclamation of Ondekoza Week at the Artist Welcome Reception held at Cafe Hope, where the band first met some members from the school district and local sponsors. The band also provided a half-hour program for about 50 employees of 3M, a major sponsor at the corporate level of the Minnesota-based Arts Midwest World Fest.
The week culminated with a public concert held to a standing-room-only crowd of 271 on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Prairie du Chien High School Little Theatre. Those in attendance enjoyed the show of driving drum beats performed with incredible athleticism, magical flute interludes and, at times, playful choruses of children’s toys.
While the performance was well attended by many locals, at the reception following the performance, it was learned that families from throughout the region traveled to attend Ondekoza’s performance. A patron was overheard telling with the band that he had seen Ondekoza perform while stationed in Japan.
All in all, it was another successful artist residency for the Prairie du Chien Area.
The next artist residency will be Sofi & the Baladis from Israel, Nov. 25 through Dec. 1. The public concert will be Saturday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. in the new Prairie du Chien Arts Center located at the Prairie du Chien High School.
