The world-renowned virtuoso percussionists of Drum Tao are returning to Montreal with a profoundly powerful and modern musical experience that celebrates the ancient art of Japanese drumming—in a symbolic narrative of a changing world.

It is a commanding experience: synchronous drumming combined with athleticism, as the drummers engage in a physical performance in which martial arts movements, rigorously precise choreography, sublime contemporary costumes, and a spectacular audiovisual presentation thrillingly overpower the spectators’ senses.

Drum Tao plays a wide range of Japanese drums, including hand-held snare drums, ōdaiko drums weighing up to three tons, and wadaiko drums, distinguished by the very rare and unique variety of sounds they can express. The ensemble also includes Japanese marimba, flute, and harp.

Based in Oita, Japan, the group includes over 40 percussionists and performs on stages around the world, having been seen by over nine million spectators to date. Divided into three groups, the percussionists can perform simultaneously on the same night on as many continents, thereby giving over 700 performances per year!