A TEAM of Japanese-style drummers brought an exotic beat to a school concert.
Pupils of Middlesbrough's Ormesby Comprehensive enjoyed the display of Taiko drummers yesterday.
The drumming was performed by the Mugenkyo group, formed in 1994 after two years of study on the west coast of Japan.
The band is now the leading and only form of Taiko in Europe, pushing musical boundaries and developing its own style with an international appeal.
Dee Palmer-Jones, concert organiser, said: "We're delighted to bring Mugenkyo to Middlesbrough.
"It gives the pupils a taste of music which has been used traditionally for more than 1,000 years in Japan.
"It celebrates village festivals and religious occasions, heralds the rice-planting season, beats off famine and drums up badly-needed rainfall.
"This was an educational concert, introducing Taiko drumming with a rich content of Japanese folk culture.''
The musicians played in traditional costume, displayed the Niho Buyo dance, and explained how the drums were made and played. There was also audience participation.
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