Five-day Spring Festival celebration: Yizai Fortress hosts grand international drum festival to ring in the New Year

Reported by You [Name Redacted] / Comprehensive Report

The 2014 Tainan Spring Festival Series, planned by Tainan City Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, will take place over five consecutive days from January 31 to February 4 (the first to fifth days of the Lunar New Year), featuring an annual large-scale international drum music festival at Yizai Fortress.


▲ Taiwan’s local Ten Drums Art Percussion Group. (Photo / Reporter You [Name Redacted])

This year’s “2014 Tainan International Drum Festival” is themed “Dragons and Horses Leaping at Yizai Fortress,” specially inviting seven performance troupes from four countries to add excitement and richness to the New Year festivities. In addition to Taiwan’s local Ten Drums Art Percussion Group and Sho-Ho Iron Drum Ensemble, the festival also features Japan’s Tentaiko, Maikaze Taiko Asuka Group, and NoBuShi Taiko Group; Singapore’s Pulse Percussion; and South Korea’s SLAP Traditional Percussion Ensemble, bringing together world-class drum ensembles for this year’s performances.

Coming from Japan, “Tentaiko” is led by HiroYuki Hayashida, a former member of “Kodo” and an authority and pioneer in Japanese odaiko drumming, whose influence on Japanese taiko is profound. “Maikaze Taiko Asuka Group” delivers a performance that blends power and beauty, having received a five-star rating from the media during their performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the UK. Japan’s “NoBuShi Taiko Group,” which is participating in Taiwan’s drum events for the seventh time this year, has won the hearts of Taiwanese audiences with its rugged and passionate performance style.

South Korea’s “SLAP Traditional Percussion Ensemble” presents traditional Korean percussion using modern playing techniques and electronic instruments. Singapore’s “Pulse Percussion” combines diverse cultures in its music, reflecting the country’s multicultural identity and spreading the music of the Malay Archipelago. Taiwan’s rising “Sho-Ho Iron Drum Ensemble,” created for the movie “Go! Boys,” is a modern percussion group that incorporates not only traditional drums but also iron drums, steel drums, motors, and car rims—unconventional percussion instruments that come together to create passionate and dynamic musical pieces.

In addition to the spectacular performances by international groups, the venue will also feature internationally renowned Tainan street snacks and Tainan’s top ten local delicacies, offering visitors not only a visual feast but also a treat for the taste buds. During the event, attendees need only purchase one admission ticket to enjoy six consecutive drum performances. The opening and closing ceremonies on the first and fifth days will feature grand ensemble performances by all seven groups. The city government sincerely invites everyone to join family members at Yizai Fortress from January 31 to February 4 (the first to fifth days of the Lunar New Year) to experience this annual international drum music extravaganza. For details on the program, please visit the Ten Drums Art Percussion Group’s Facebook fan page.