Worldwide cultures and regions celebrate music in different ways. Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert, with award-winning composer Jeremy Zuckerman, will showcase unique instruments playing songs to live clips from the cult classic cartoon at the Buell Theatre on September 10 & December 2. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender tells the story of a world divided into four distinct nations: Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. Inhabitants of each nation learn martial arts and how to “bend” their specific elements, i.e., waterbenders, firebenders, airbenders, and earthbenders. An Avatar can “bend” all four elements and is ordained to bring peace to all four nations.

Aang, the main character, is a 12-year-old boy who is the current Avatar. After waking from a 100-year frozen slumber, Aang learns of a war-torn world caused by the Fire Nation, which wants to overthrow and rule the other nations.

Our hero also learns that the Fire Nation killed his people in the Air Nation, making him the last airbender. Aang must travel with his friends to stop the Fire Nation and complete his training to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar.

Let’s review two of the instruments used in this cartoon that creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko made from their love of fantasy, Japanese Anime, Kung Fu movies, and Eastern philosophy.

Taiko Percussion Drums

In addition to violins and clarinets, Taiko percussion drums will be used in this concert. “Taiko” is Japanese for drums and was initially used by the Japanese military.

As time passed, Taiko was used in different settings, including as a sacred instrument for the Japanese Buddhist and Shinto religions, agrarians, theaters, and the imperial court.

These wooden drums, shaped like barrels, represent “the powerful, rhythmic, and dynamic energy of Japanese percussion.”

Erhu

The Erhu is a Chinese stringed instrument with a bow, two strings, and a wooden sound box attached to the neck. Musicians hold the Erhu on their thighs and play it by moving the bow against the strings like a cello.

This string music-maker became popular during the Chinese Song Dynasty (960-1279).

DETAILS
Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert
Sep 10 & Dec 2, 2024 • Buell Theatre
Tickets