The July 29 free All Together World Drumming and Ukulele music workshops at West Springfield Public Library sponsored by the West Springfield Arts Council were a rousing success because of the 25 participants’ willingness to connect with strangers, openly learn about rhythmic patterns and basic chord structures, and shed any apprehension towards expressing themselves in a musical context.
This is the second year the West Springfield Public Library graciously hosted the classes and the Arts Council sponsored them in their beautiful, large community room — the perfect setting for such an event..
Facilitated by my son Chris Kane and myself, participants first learned the basics of playing the assembled 20 full size djembes, 15 hand frame drums, and large assortment of auxiliary percussion. We explored music cultures in West Africa, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Native America using audio recordings to jumpstart the musical conversation. We then evolved into playing the presented rhythms together ourselves.
Following that 90-minute session, our ukulele workshop began after a short set-up break. Armed with a set of 20 different sized ukuleles, the gathered group learned basic chord shaping, finger placement and fret board navigation, tuning concepts and basic 1-IV-V song form. After that tutelage, participants were divided into smaller break-out groups to begin composing their own basic song chord structures using a chord sheet and blank music TAB paper. They all loved writing their own songs, most for the time ever.
These are the types of events that make me proud to be a fulltime, state-licensed music teacher. Thank you to all who attended and made this event possible.
Tim Kane
Brookfield
