2024 Nurturing Children Through Culture and Arts Project Performance Tour
Hayashido Main Performance Details
Noh theatre is a comprehensive performing art that incorporates drama, dance, music, literature, and art. This performance highlights Hayashi, the music of Noh, and introduces its distinctive musicality.
The program blends the light, up-tempo “Hayabue,” the lively “Shishi,” and other pieces that even adults can fully enjoy.
“Sanbaso,” with its repetitive rhythm, will be performed together with the children from the workshop.
Appreciating and experiencing a Noh music performance will stimulate the children’s sensitivity. They will feel something invisible and inaudible, and it will awaken within them senses forgotten by modern people.
Program
The Hayashido performance is an instrumental performance, highlighting the musicality of Noh.
1.Opening: Noh begins and ends with greetings. We will begin with the formal greeting.
2.The history of Noh: We simply explain the history of Noh.
3.Instruments: We explain each instrument.
4.Hayabue performance: We will play the powerful music that accompanies the entrance of dragon deities.
5.Prayer: In this suspenseful piece, a mountain ascetic is confronted with the rage of a woman who has transformed into a demon, and he tries to defeat her through the power of the Dharma, teachings of Buddha. The piece has no fixed length because it uses the Mihakarai technique where performers take their cues from the drummer’s Kakegoe (calls) and play in response. The young performers will be asked to decide the length of the piece. Experience the adaptability of Noh musical instructions as the children respond flexibly to any situation.
6.Nagashi: Enjoy the ultimate in Noh musical performance and clap along as the musicians feed off each other’s energy.
7.Kakegoe expression: Experience how different Kakegoe sound and express your favorite Kakegoe in a variety of situations.
8.Break: During the break, members of the audience can try their hand at playing the Kotsuzumi and the Otsuzumi.
9.“Sanbaso” (joint performance): “Sanbaso” will be performed together with about 18 children selected from the drum workshop. The other children will clap in time.
10.Kagura performance: Goddess Ame no Uzume no Mikoto danced to this music at the mouth of the cave where sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami was hiding to lure her out. This rhythmical, lively piece requires a high level of competence from the performers, while the sudden changes in speed excite audiences.
11.Shishi performance: Listen to this dynamic, exuberant piece, which juxtaposes stillness and motion, and experience the essence of Noh music.
12.Questions & comments: Members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask any questions, be it something they do not understand or are curious about.
13.Closing greeting: The performance closes with a standard formal greeting.