Yamato Drumming Up Excitement at MIAC

Contributed

Feel the power of the Japanese drumming troupe Yamato as they return to Erie for one night only at the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst University. Their new program, Hito no Chikara: The Power of Human Strength, is their most moving performance yet.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

For more than 32 years, famed Japanese drumming troupe Yamato has performed more than 4,000 shows for close to 8 million people across the world, having made numerous stops in Erie during those decades. Back again for 2025, their new show is sure to impress.

More than just a troupe, Yamato is an entire community: the musician-athletes live together in the Asuka Village in Japan, working to create their show from start to finish. Crafting the musical compositions, sets, light design, choreography, costumes, and more, the group constructs each part of their show to present an unforgettable experience.

"Yamato believes that the drumbeat, like the heartbeat, is the very pulse of life and the epitome of the Japanese spirit," says founder and artistic director Masa Ogawa. Playing more than 30 different Japanese drums along with other traditional instruments, each performance showcases the heart of each performer, "The drummers put their thoughts and spirits into each note — our final purpose is to connect to the heart of the audience."

Titled Hito no Chikara — The Power of Human Strength, the new program examines the relationship between humans, technology, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Ogawa ponders, "Will there ever be a machine that can play Taiko with unparalleled accuracy? Will advanced algorithms make them sound human-like?"

Although machines may one day learn enough to emulate human production, the possibility of it emulating human emotion feels nearly impossible — "We do not know when the end of humanity is, but we will strike until that moment," Ogawa declares. "The sounds struck by the heart, resonating with each other, will become Hito no Chikara — The Power of Human Strength."

7:30 p.m. // Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center, 501 E. 38th St. // $30-$55 // For tickets and info: call the box office at (814) 824-3000 or visit miac.mercyhurst.edu