Growing Organic: Syllabic Drumming - A Tool for Fun and Learning

Join this workshop to explore the possibility of incorporating bucket drumming into your activities and events. People of every culture and every age continually have a response to drumming -- infants often instinctively drum on a table and many of us adults tap our feet or pens while we wait or think. Although many may be interested, few feel confident enough to attempt to drum. Syllabic drumming offers an effective way of scaffolding the learning experience so that anyone who can speak can drum with a group.

This is accomplished by building simple chants. These chants can be the title of a book, the name of a character, or a response from a listener. When people are able to play together, it is truly an empowering experience. The chants can be used without drums and played on laps or with drums and lead to more sophisticated musical experiences. Syllabic drumming can be integrated into almost any educational program and can offer endless opportunities for creative expression.

About the Presenter

Julius Rivera is a self-taught musician who has been playing n the community and on stages for over 30 years. For the past 15 years, he has been using the Play What You Say method developed by Peter Marion in order to help make drumming accessible to a wide variety of participants in intimate settings and at large events. He has led groups with folks who are disabled, children in detention, and those suffering emotionally. Julius is a special education teacher working in the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center School.  He is a board member of the East Kensington Neighbors Association and the leader of two community friends groups: Friends of Hagert Playground and Friends of Collins Smith Barrick Play Garden. He has been happily married for 22 years with two sons and two dogs. He is a resident of the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. For more information visit his website.