The Cupertino Courier
Community
Chinese drum group will perform at Flint
By Crystal Lu
Jigu! Thunder Drums of China, an award-winning performing group, will bring the traditional Chinese art of drumming to the Flint Center of Performing Arts in Cupertino on March 8, starting at 8 p.m.
This is Jigu!'s first visit of Cupertino and its third tour of America, according to Ken Tsai Hai, artistic director of Dimension Performing Arts, Inc., a San-Jose-based nonprofit organization that invited Jigu! to perform in the United States.
"The art of drumming belongs not only to China but also to the world," said drummer Der An Wu of Jigu! "I know there are many Chinese in Cupertino. But I hope to see a lot of Americans (of non-Chinese descent) in the audience, too."
Jigu means "to beat the drum" in Chinese. The company of 28 drummers, percussionists and musicians has won four gold medals in China and astounded audiences on international tours.
Founded in China's Shanxi province in 1988, Jigu! has performed in Denmark, Morocco, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Performances by Jigu! are deeply rooted in Chinese folk origins but blended with modern musical techniques.
The producers of the Peking Acrobats will add high-tech lighting and special effects to the drumming and percussive performance at the Flint Center.
The two-hour program reflects percussive traditions that date back thousands of years. Each passage in the performance tells a story that depicts ancient battles, mythical characters in exotic locales, legendary fables and the beauty of nature.
Titles of the vignettes include: Hear the Tiger and the Dragon Roar, Mouse-Fairy Wedding, Lady Warriors of the Yang Family, Sounds of Rolling Walnuts, Ode to Autumn and Drums of Freedom.
The show closes with Springtime Paradise, an energetic finale that features the entire company of 28 artists mixing modern performance skills and ancient arts in a kaleidoscope of sight and sound to express the joy of spring.
For ticket information, call 408.568.5861.