Winter I Class Schedule 2010
Hand Drumming classes begin January 12,2010

With teacher, Sherry Gingras

DRUMZ....Celebrating creativity, compassion, connection & communication through rhythm!

Class sessions are six weeks long with classes meeting weekly.Cost: $90 per six week session ( $15 per class) or $17.50 per class drop in. There are duplicate classes offered in Beginner classes and also Beyond Beginner classes so that make-up classes during the sessions are available. It is not possible, however, to make up classes you miss in one session in the following session. Make-up classes do not carry over to another session but must be made up within the same six weeks session. Thank-you for your understanding and cooperation with this. I do try to provide the opportunity for people to make up a missed class within the session. And, of course, one always has the option of attending classes on a drop in basis if one knows in advance that several classes must be missed in a particular session! MC/VISA available. PLEASE CALL (453-9090)OR EMAIL DRUMZ (sdrumz@austin.rr.com)AND REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR THE CLASSES OF YOUR CHOICE AS CLASSES DO FILL UP! REMEMBER THAT GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR CLASSES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE! You may pay on the first day of class if you need to , but please call and confirm your spot in advance to insure that you get the class of your choice! Thanks!

*NEW CLASS*TUESDAY EVENINGS, THE DRUMSISTAS, PERFORMANCE CLASS for women will meet from 6:30pm-8pm for 12 weeks. This class will culminate in a performance in the spring at a big Benefit concert with the Djembabes and promises to be an exciting and powerful experience! It is necessary to have at least had one or two beginner sessions under your belt for this class as we will not be covering foundation instruction but will be working on material for the concert in the Spring! This class will involve djundun players, djembe players, shekere, krings, bell, and vocals! I look forward to working on some exciting new material with this group!This is a 12 week session of hour and a half class time. Cost: $250 total . Payment may be broken into two $125 payments for this class or save $25 up front and pay $225 at the first class for all 12 weeks. Class begins January 12th.

*NEW CLASS* BEGINNING DJUNDUN CLASS meets from 8:15pm-9:15pm on Tuesday evenings. This is a brand new introductory level class in djundun. If you have been fascinated by the powerful stick drums, the djunduns, this class may be for you! There is truly something very empowering and exhilarating about playing the djunduns. You do not need your own djun for this class, though students will need to purchase their own sticks for class and for practice! We will learn how to hold the sticks properly and the role each of the bass drums plays in the rhythm and in the ensemble, we will learn bell and djun combination patterns and begin our exploration of these powerful, exciting bass drums;the sangban, the kinkine, and the djundunba. We will begin to identify and discover the beautiful melodies these drums create in establishing the foundation for the rhythms. This class will take us to a whole new place of LISTENING and of FEELING! This class begins January 12th.

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS, DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF HAND DRUMMING BEGINNER SERIES STARTS ON JANUARY 13th from 8pm-9pm. This class covers the fundamentals of hand drumming and rhythm, technique instruction, exercises to develop technique, a traditional rhythm pattern with all the parts of the ensemble from West AFrica, as well as an opportunity to explore grup music making and improvisation with many instruments. NO PREVIOUS MUSICAL EXPERIENCE is necessary! If you have a heartbeat, you HAVE rhythm! Join us and wake up your own inner rhythmic sensibilities while learning to share rhythm with others...a very basic human need! Watch your spirit soar and your creative potential unfold! Drumz are provided for classes and though it is always ideal to have your own drum for practice, it is not required. Class begins January 13th!

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS " BEYOND BEGINNER" CLASS meets from 6:45pm-7:45pm. This class is for those folks already familiar with playing West African rhythms and hand drums. If you have taken the beginner sessions enough times to feel totally comfortable with learning rhythms and that level of complexity, have a good understanding of the hand technique and just feel an inner need to "move onward" on the drummer's path, this class is for you! We work with more complex rhythms, move at a faster pace in class, and begin working on more complicated djun/bell combination rhythms. When learning to drum it is essential to feel relaxed and at ease and content with being where you are in your development as a drummer in order to develop more precision, fluidity, memorization, technique, balance, accurate timing, refined listening skills etc.BEING WHERE WE ARE is one of life's challenges, especially in our culture where moving ahead is promoted so ruthlessly! Master where you ARE, rather than always seeking to be somewhere else that you perceive to be a destination and you will see yourself grow and develop and unfold as the drummer that you ARE in a beautiful way.Class begins on January 13th!

THURSDAY MORNING WOMEN'S CLASS, "REMEMBERING RHYTHM" meets from 10:30am-11:30ish every Thursday morning! This is a really fun, supportive, relaxed group of women learning to make music together through our drums and rhythms and songs. It is an all level class but it is recomended that you have at least completed one Beginner Level session ( or have some drumming experience under your belt!) to attend this group as we do not cover the fundamentals in this class. Starts January 14th!

THURSDAY EVENING INTERMEDIATE/BEYOND BEGINNER DJUNDUN CLASS meets from 6:45pm-7:45pm. This has been an exceptionally fun class and the students attending these djuns classes have advanced with amazing speed! It has been wonderful to have a class where we focus exclusively on the powerful bass drums of the ensemble, the lovely, melodic Sangban, the precise, steady Kinkine, and the resonant, powerful djundunba! We work with djun/bell combinations and move at a relatively fast pace in this class. It is necessary to have your own sticks and a djundun or some form of drum to practice on with sticks for this class in order to progress and keep up with the other class members. I am offereing a new beginer djundun class on Tuesdays for students who do NOT have a djun and wish to begin this study. Class begins January 14th.

THURSDAY EVENING INTERMEDIATE DJEMBE CLASS meets from 8-9pm on Thursday evenings. In this class we develop more complicated "arrangements"with our rhythms, learn traditional solo patterns and phrasings, and in general work at a faster pace and a more advanced level. If you have a question on whether or not you would be at an appropriate level for this class, please feel free to call me and together we can make a good decision that can help you develop and grow as a drummer in a healthy way, with respect for the culture and the instruments we play without PUSHING yourself and thus impeding your natural progression as a drummer.Class starts January 14th.

SATURDAY MORNING BEGINNER CLASS meets Saturday mornings from 10am-11am beginning January 16th! Join us for a Discovering the Magic of Hand Drumming series and watch your inner musician and your creative spirit come to life! Please see the class description detailed above for Wednesday evening BEGINNER Class! If you need to miss a Saturday class you may always make up the class on a Wednesday evening! This class begins on January 16th! A little drumming and rhythm making and an enjoyable a breakfast at Kerbey Lane Cafe ( before OR after class) and your Saturday will start off like a dream!



SATURDAY MORNING BEYOND BEGINNER CLASS meets from 11:15am -12:15pm on Saturday mornings. This class is the same level as the Wednesday evening class and it is possible to go back and forth between the two classes if you must do so to accommodate your schedule or if you miss a class due to illness. Plerase see class description above! This class begins Saturday morning, January 16th.