Group History#
Nagata Shachu, based in Toronto, Canada, has enthralled audiences with its mesmerizing and heart-pounding performances of the Japanese drum (taiko) since its formation in 1998. The group has toured widely throughout Canada, the US and Italy, and has performed at major engagements in Lebanon and Mexico.
While rooted in the folk drumming traditions of Japan, the ensemble’s principal aim is to rejuvenate this ancient art form by producing innovative and exciting music that seeks to create a new voice for the taiko. Taking its name from founder Kiyoshi Nagata and the Japanese word shachu meaning group, Nagata Shachu, has become renowned for its exacting, physically demanding and energetic performances on the taiko, as well as for its diverse repertoire.
Nagata Shachu has been sponsored by four major Japanese drum manufacturers, a testament to their mastery of the art form. They were awarded Japan’s Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2019 for the promotion of cultural exchange through art between Japan and Canada. In 2020 they were a finalist for the Toronto Arts Foundation Roy Thomson Hall Award for its contribution to Toronto’s musical life.
In addition to having recorded five CDs of original music and five DVDs, Nagata Shachu, has produced its own annual concerts focusing on the presentation of new works. For the last ten years, Nagata Shachu has produced a three-concert season, featuring collaborations with both local and international artists.
Founding Inspiration#
Nagata Shachu’s official mandate: Create awareness and appreciation of taiko and Japanese performing arts among Canadian and international audiences through composition and performance of original works, education and exchange
Notable History#
- Canadian premiere of Mono Prism for taiko and orchestra composed by Ishii Maki, with the Esprit Orchestra at Koerner Hall 2018 and 2022, and with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra at Partridge Hall 2024.
- Six city tour of Ontario and Quebec with shinobue artist Toki Tatara from Japan (2024).
Future Goals and Values#
Building administrative capacity and finding a larger studio space
Performance Material Sources#
Original compositions by group members, and a few traditional festival pieces