PRESS CONTACTS:
Laura Farmer, 410.783.8024
Lfarmer@bsomusic.org

Alyssa Porambo, 410.783.8044
APorambo@BSOmusic.org

TAO Brings Music and Martial Arts of Japan to Baltimore, March 22

"Extraordinarily talented …incomparable muscular zeal"-Chicago Tribune

Baltimore, Md. (March 1, 2012) - Combining martial arts and traditional Japanese Taiko drumming, acclaimed performing group TAO comes to Baltimore for an evening of explosive rhythms and innovative choreography on Thursday, March 22 at 8 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. With vibrant costumes, electric beats and contagious energy, TAO has fascinated audiences across the globe. TAO has seen an unparalleled growth in popularity in recent years, now boasting 500 performances per year and an international audience exceeding three million. Members of TAO showcase the highest level of virtuosity refined through years of intensive study and training in the mountains of Japan. At their performing center on the island of Kyushu, drummers start the day with a long group run, immediately followed by strength training exercises, then at least an hour of rehearsal - all before breakfast. As founder and director of TAO Ikuo Fujitaka says, "Young people these days are spoiled… The passion to succeed is the most important thing. You have to lose everything else." Note: The BSO does not perform on this program. Please see below for complete program details.

TAO 
In this new production for North America in the Spring of 2012, athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming and innovative choreography in a show that has critics waxing lyrical about TAO's extraordinary precision, energy and stamina. With hundreds of sold-out shows and more than a million spectators, TAO has proven that modern entertainment based on the traditional art of Japanese drumming, has massive international appeal.

The stars of TAO live and train at a compound in the mountains of Japan, reaching the highest level of virtuosity only after years of intensive study. The performers each bring nontraditional flair to the group by drawing on their diverse backgrounds: one as a hard rock musician, another a gymnast, and yet another as a composer. They offer a young and vibrantly modern take on a traditional art form.

COMPLETE PROGRAM DETAILS
BSO Special Event: TAO: The Way of the Drum
Thursday, March 22, 2011 at 8 p.m.-Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Tickets range from $17 to $45 and are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.

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