About My Drumming Classes:
My classes offer an intimate and social experience of an ancient and highly developed communal art-form unique to the cultures of West Africa. Playing the intricately meshing polyrhythms, for which this music has become so universally appreciated, promotes physical and mental coordination and focus. It aids in harmonizing the functions of the two hemispheres of the brain, and advances spacial and temporal acuity - ones ability to conceptualize time, space and matter in three dimensions. Scientific tests have shown that drumming even increases ones white blood cell count, ...but I digress!
Classes run for 10 weeks, meeting once per week. I teach all of the various parts of a traditional orchestral rhythm structure from Guinea, Mali, or Senegal, West Africa, including the song that accompanies the rhythm. The average "rhythm structure" from this tradition contains at least 9 parts played on jembes, dununba, sangban, kenkeni (names of different drums), and bells simultaneously!! When all of these parts (and the people playing them!) "sync up" and flow together, it really is truly magical! What a feeling!!
This music, like all rich percussion traditions, is about melody just as much as it is about rhythm. Hence, there is great emphasis placed on learning the proper hand techniques that will allow students to make the various sounds with which the drums speak - essentially, the vowels and consonants of drum language. Proper technique also allows us to play as long as we want, without bruised or otherwise injured hands!
Each week we build on and refine the previously reviewed material and learn new parts. Once we have a solid and musical foundation, I teach some techniques for improvising and we all have some fun with soloing!
I strongly encourage students to commit to the whole 8 week series. This allows for a cohesive ensemble and not too much back-stepping, making possible a much deeper exploration of the music.
Costs:
If one prepays for a whole 10-week session, the price for each class is just $27.00. The per-class / drop-in price is $35.
Drums:
Students need to have a drum! A jembe is best, (as that is the drum for which the music I teach was "written"), but you could also use an ashiko or a conga drum. I provide the dununba, sangban, and kenkeni drums, as well as bells.
Times:
My on-going classes generally meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays (depending on the level), beginning at 7:00 pm. Beginner classes run for an hour, while the intermediate and advanced classes run for one and a half and two hours respectively.
Size:
Classes generally have 10 to 15 students. This is a great number in many ways. It create a diverse and vibrant "community," generating a great deal of playful and supportive energy. It allows for all of the parts of a traditional rhythm structure to be played simultaneously, with at least two people on each Jembe part. Lastly, it is not too many for me to be able to get around the room and give everybody lots of individual attention!
