Drumming for joy

Drumming with my students is like having a conversation. I start and they echo. First simple beats, quarter notes, eighth, then half and sixteenth.

One, and two, and .... we are all transported to a new dimension - expressing energy, being in the moment, shouting for joy, tranforming our lives.

Drumming is quite interactive and engaging. Students either follow the beat or develop their own and let their creativity carry them.

There are two different ways to teach and experience drumming:

one on one
drumming circle

Drumming one on one enhances your child's academic skills. The beat breaks down words into syllables and therefore helps with reading, accented beats help develop intonation skills. Simple drums songs an improvisations helpwith rhymes and vocabulary.

Drumming increases confidence. A students play both soft and loud, learns piece by piece and then performs either in front of a teacher or even a large audience. It takes a lot of confidence to both perform SOLO and play loud on a drum.

A drum helps with musical aptitude especially for a student that is hesitant to sing during music class. Some children are less comfortable with singing, however with the drum beat, they can rap a song while playing on the drum, or tap the whole song instead of singing it.

Drumming teaches motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Even when mallets are added the students learn fine motor skils and practice grasp. This is especially quintessential for children with special needs.

Drumming Circle

Social skills -there are many option to meet and make new friends over the drumiing circle. Students can follow the beat or play and pause, then giggle a bit and share pure joy over music. They also watch and learn from each other.

Communication skills

Students interact with one another through drums and music in general. They follow call and response, echo songs, or challenge others with their own beat. During drumming circles children socialze and share many laughs together.

Having fun and improving self-esteem

Children love to play drums and and feel happy during the drumming circle, especially when learning beats from all over the world. Moreover, drum skills help children gain confidence in their daily life.

Research by the Royal College of Music concludes that drumming can have a positive impact on mental health – reducing depression by 38%, dropping anxiety by 20%, and improving mental wellbeing by 16%.