Contact: Sammy McDavid

STARKVILLE, Miss.—TAO, the internationally acclaimed group of Japanese performance artists, brings its high-energy percussion show to Mississippi State early next month.

“Drum Heart” is the title of the March 7 special event that concludes the university’s 2017-18 Lyceum Series season. The program begins at 7 p.m. in Bettersworth Auditorium of historic Lee Hall.

General admission tickets are $25 each and may be purchased in advance at http://events.msstate.edu/tickets or the Center for Student Activities office in Suite 314 of the Colvard Student Union. Mississippi State employees and senior citizens may purchase tickets for $20; $10 for youth ages 3-12 in school uniform or with institutional identification. Enrolled university students are admitted free with MSU identification.

Presenting the ancient art of Japanese drumming in contemporary style, TAO gained widespread attention by winning Scotland’s 2004 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival.

Combining highly physical, large-scale drumming with precise choreography and innovative visuals, the group’s intense production has become an entertainment must-see for audiences of all ages. For a sample of the show, see www.drum-tao.com/main/english.

Since the mid-20th century, Mississippi State’s Lyceum Series annually has brought to campus the talents of national and international artists in performance areas ranging from music to drama to dance. For more information, visit www.union.msstate.edu/student-activities/lyceum, email lyceum@msstate.edu or telephone 662-325-2930.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.