African Drumming
The interest in djembe drumming is increasing rapidly.
It is an activity schools and youth groups are looking for to broaden people’s awareness of cultures, expand their musical experiences, build team spirits, and develop confidence in all.
As the diary fills up for the coming spring/summer, the drums are coming out, getting tuned, re skinned, and counted. Who knew we could have so many!
Have a look at the outline of a typical workshop below:
Djembe Drumming Workshops
The djembe is a wooden goblet-shaped drum with a skin stretched over the top and pulled tight with ropes. It is a very important instrument in West African culture used for all occasions and ceremonies. Djembe drumming workshops are a great opportunity to not only give people a chance to try their hands at a new skill, but also to broaden their knowledge of a different culture’s music and work together as a team.
The teacher:
Johnny McAdam has been djembe drumming since studying music in Perth in 2004. He has played in several drum troops and taught classes of all age groups and abilities for the past 5 years. Johnny specialises in the West African style of Malinke.
Aims of the workshop are:
- To experience another culture’s music
- To improve musical ability
- To have an increased awareness of others
- To enhance listening ability and skills
- To encourage participants to try new extra curricular activities
Having taken part, the participants will have had the opportunity to:
- Learn a basic background of the djembe and its culture
- Master the 3 sounds the djembe can produce – bass/ tone/ slap
- Play traditional West African rhythms
- Learn listening techniques and exercises
- Work together as a group
- Practice techniques for learning and memorising rhythms and grooves
- Express different dynamics in playing
Within the workshop some music games will be played.
Listening – Call and answer. A short 1-bar pattern is played to individuals and they play it back. The same is played to the whole group and they play it back together.
Concentration – A sound is passed around the circle one person at a time, the speed increases. Other confusing aspects are introduced to encourage extra focus.
Performances:
If the opportunity is there, we can work towards a performance (for example if you want 4 sessions over 4 weeks we can learn a full piece and perform it at the end).
Performing in front of an audience is a great experience for everyone.
If a session is longer than an hour with the same group, a short break is advised. For children that are 14 years and under, sessions will be kept to 30 minutes at a time.
All djembe drums can be provided.
Teachers/youth leaders/organisers are more than welcome to join in (it is fun for you too!)
To discuss group numbers and rates, please contact us.