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Shifting Sand

The beach comes to the inner west of Sydney

Presented by Taikoz
in association with CarriageWorks

The beach is place of great contrasts.
Light, movement, reflection, texture.
Sound…. It takes control of our emotion the moment we perceive its beauty.
Mornings are fresh, reflective and still.
The whole day can be seen at dawn.
Winters so cold and blustery, sometimes still and soft.
Summer is festival time – Matsuri!
The wind is gusty and the waves pump,
Sometimes a fatal, raging fury.

-- GRAHAM HILGENDORF

Shifting Sand is a new work conceived and composed by TaikOz member Graham Hilgendorf. Inspired by the beach and the ocean, Shifting Sand is a powerful evocation of the ocean’s many faces.

From the delicate play of light on the surface of the sea to the raging fury of winter storms, TaikOz’s ethereal bamboo flutes, thunderous taiko drumming and dynamic movement and dance seeks to capture the beauty, majesty and force of the ocean.

‘Taiko’ is the Japanese word for ‘drum’ and TaikOz is Australia’s leading taiko drumming group. However, a TaikOz performance is more than just the beating of drums: it incorporates a complete world of drumming, song and dance that on the one hand harks back to ancient Buddhist and Shinto rituals and on the other, is a reflection of contemporary musical life, irrespective of nationality. While once a uniquely Japanese art form, its transformation into an international language is a recent phenomenon and one in which TaikOz is very much at the forefront.

TaikOz has established a unique performance aesthetic that is on the one hand boldly dynamic and stunningly dramatic, and the other, meditative, mesmerising, graceful and refined. A TaikOz performance is not just for the ears and the eyes, but is felt throughout the entire body. It is a truly visceral experience.