Turning garbage into grooves! Hands-on experiences are an exciting and educational way to promote teamwork, nurture creativity and boost self-esteem among youth. The TrashBamBOOM! program is designed with these goals in mind, while allowing students to explore firsthand the percussive possibilities hiding within common everyday items. Students will learn that any ordinary object can indeed be a musical instrument. In merely seconds, they will transform these “found sounds” into intense rhythms- at the same time developing creativity, listening and communication skills.

Playing on “instruments” such as 5-gallon pails, garbage cans, automotive brake drums and soda can shakers, students will find that rhythm exists everywhere and that by working together they can discover music in their own environment and even simply using their own bodies. TrashBamBOOM! programs can be tailored to fit any age/grade level and participants do not need any previous percussion or music experience. Schools need not supply any materials other than chairs for all participants and sufficient room to arrange a large circle of students. The program’s flexibility includes accommodating any number of students during each 30- to 45-minute session, and length and content can be customized to fit your class schedule and particular needs.

To be supplied by school/organization:
• adequate room for a collection of buckets, other ‘junk’ instruments and presenter

• seating for attendees (preferably armless chairs or stools)

(some art-related materials and/or supplementary ‘junk’ instruments — as well as travel, lodging and other expenses — may need to be supplied, covered and/or arranged by the school or organization, depending on the program content and location)

Please inquire if you have any special requests. TrashBamBOOM! can be adapted to fit your school’s specific needs and interests. Contact me for more information and to schedule a visit to your school or organization, at 920-410-0465 or by messaging right here.

The Sights & Sounds of Ghana takes students on a journey into the world of West African percussion while heightening their awareness and understanding of African cultures. The program features a complete family of authentic Ewe drums, bells and shakers, and integrates numerous Education Standards. Addressing specific standards in the areas of Music, Geography, Foreign Language, Dance and PE/Health helps teachers to target a variety of intended outcomes.

Students are introduced to several Ghanaian instruments, learn a greeting in the Ewe language and get on their feet for some traditional dancing! Depending on scheduling, the presentation may also include a video filmed during Mark’s studies in the village of Kopeyia- giving students a peek at life, music and schooling in Ghana.

To be supplied by school/organization:
• adequate staging area for the instruments and presenter
• seating for attendees
• six additional chairs (without armrests)
• video equipment (VHS or DVD, projector & screen)

(some art-related materials — as well as travel, lodging and other expenses — may need to be supplied, covered and/or arranged by the hiring school or organization, depending on the program content and location)

Please inquire if you have any special requests. The Sights & Sounds of Ghana can be adapted to fit your school’s specific needs and interests. Contact me for more information and to schedule a visit to your school or organization, at 920-410-0465 or by messaging right here.

Percussion instruments and their rhythms make up some of the oldest forms of music making and communication on the planet. Facilitated by professional drummer, Mark Powers, the 60-minute Percussion of the Past, Present & Future assembly experience leads K-5 students through interactive rhythmic explorations of body percussion, traditional hand- and stick-played drums, the modern drumset and new, innovative electronics.

Students will . . .
• use their own bodies to play a variety of “hambone” rhythms.
• vocalize rhythms to “beatbox” a fun groove combination.
• be introduced to some simple techniques for playing hand drums.
• discover firsthand how a drummer’s rhythmic signals can communicate directions to dancers in an ensemble.
• hear the differences between the fundamental rhythms of several popular music styles (e.g., Rock, Jazz, Blues, Bossa Nova).
• witness how new technological developments are expanding the world of percussion in exciting (and surprising) ways.

To be supplied by school/organization:
• adequate staging area for the instruments and presenter
• seating for attendees (floor or chairs)

(some supplementary drums and other percussion instruments — as well as travel, lodging and other expenses — may need to be supplied, covered and/or arranged by the school or organization, depending on the program content and location) Please inquire if you have any special requests. The Percussion of the Past, Present & Future assembly can be adapted to fit your group’s specific needs and interests. Contact me for more information and to schedule a visit to your school or organization, at 920-410-0465 or by messaging right here.

Whether offered as a more educational workshop in a school, or as fun group activity with an adult group, this intensive, energizing class will free each participant’s inner-drummer, giving all involved the tools to connect with their respective instrument(s). The sounds and rhythmic combinations that attendees will learn to create can then be carried into the rest of the world, where the drum and its voice can be used for performing music, or for meditation, stress-relief and relaxation.

The strokes and techniques learned in this hands-on program can be applied to a variety of percussion instruments from around the globe, however the focus is intentionally on teaching non-culturally-specific rhythms. This general, broad approach allows <em>anyone</em> — regardless of their level of musical experience (or perceived lack thereof) — to have access to the rhythmic possibilities that lie awaiting.

In a matter of no time, the entire class of students will be drumming away, generating powerful percussive grooves together!

To be supplied by school/organization:
• seating for presenter and attendees (preferably armless chairs or stools), often arranged in either a half-moon or complete circle (depending on class size)

(some supplementary drums and other percussion instruments — as well as travel, lodging and other expenses — may need to be supplied, covered and/or arranged by the school or organization, depending on the program content and location)

Please inquire if you have any special requests. The Hand Drumming Crash Course can be adapted to fit your group’s specific needs and interests. Contact me for more information and to schedule a visit to your school or organization, at 920-410-0465 or by messaging right here.