Gu Gu Drum Group
With exquisite drumming skills, the Shanghai Gu Gu Drum Group (Gu Gu) introduces Chinese drum music to all parts of the world. Gu Gu has visited the US, the UK, Denmark, Norway, Morocco, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and many other countries and regions. It has won many awards and received peer acclaim and praise from domestic and foreign audiences.
Under the leadership of its Art Director Yang Leiheng, who is also an excellent drummer, the Gu Gu Drum Group is continuously exploring and innovating, and producing and improving new performances. Its outstanding performances include the drum music drama Drum for China Dream, Yang Leiheng's Solo Percussion Concert, and the drum music poetic drama Qu Yuan, which was co-produced by Gu Gu and the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Its mini-dramas include Spicy Shakes, Notes on Nibs, Three Monks, Opening the Box, and Wind and Pines. Gu Gu has repeatedly won awards in Shanghai new talent competitions and events held by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV and the Shanghai Performance Trade Association.
It has participated in US Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) Performing Arts Fair for three consecutive years, and signed a contract for a long-term overseas tour with the US performance company KMP. In 2017, Gu Gu was invited to the US to perform in the opening concert of the San Francisco International Arts Festival. It has held 29 cultural exchange events at 14 theatres in 9 US cities. The Consulate-General of the PRC in San Francisco published an article on its official website entitled "Shanghai Gu Gu Drum Group Rocks the San Francisco International Arts Festival". From 22 January to 18 February 2018, Gu Gu gave 168 performances at Disneyland in Los Angeles.
In its publicity report on the Gu Gu Drum Group, the Chinese Consulate-General in New York described it as a "world-renowned drumming troupe presenting dramatic drum performances with great historical and cultural significance; through the melody of the percussion, they show deep understanding of unity, human evolution, perception, wisdom, social commitment and communication……".
Gu Gu is grateful for the support and guidance of the leaders of the relevant Shanghai government departments. It is working hard to introduce Chinese drum music culture to all parts of the world and win acclaim for the country.
Poster of Gu Gu's US tour