Teaching

Afro-Cuban percussion course

congas, bongò, timbales, clave, cowbell, guiro, maracas, shekeré

- history of Afro-Cuban culture
- concept of clave
- basic technique: hand setting, sounds and rudiments on the conga drum
- Tumbao rhythm on one and more congas
- congas rhythms: Sòn, Danzòn, Cha Cha, Charanga, Guaracha, Bolero, Sòn-Montuno, Guaracha, Dengue, Pilòn, Piccadillo, various ----- types of Songò, Jazz conga patterns, Reggae conga patterns, Descarga, Afro-Cuban rhythm, Bomba-portoricana, Cuban Bomba.
- percussions in the Cuban rhythmic orchestra: bongò and cowbell, timbales, clave, guiro, maracas
- rumba from Havana, Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba
- variations of salidor and segundo drums in the rumba
- solo patterns of the quinto drum in the rumba
- yoruba, bantù, abakuà and ararà ritual traditions
- Cuban Carnival rhythms: Conga from Havana and Santiago

“Le Percussioni dell’Anima” workshop

Le percussioni dell’Anima is a music-making group.
The final goal is not a precise rhythmic articulation or perfection of patterned structure, but the ability to create and to reach the concept of music ensemble.
It is not a course where people learn to play through percussion classes, but is based on the cooperation in the rhythm.
It is built on group meetings where participants play percussion instruments most from Cuban, African, Brazilian and Arab cultures, learning to know the musical traditions of those people.
Instruments are played by hands, to experience the direct contact with the drum skin and vibrations, or by wooden and metal sticks.
The conductor’s role is identified with the guide. It is an interactive rhythm event that puts all participants on an equal footing while the conductor serves this process by guiding them to their highest musical potential.
Co-operation and collaboration is the basic glue. When they drum together, sharing their spirit in the form of rhythm, their relationships change. As they play together, they give themselves a rhythmical message and an emotional release.
To make beautiful music together, all they have to do is bring to the group whatever rhythmical expertise they have to offer, along with the excitement of sharing it with other people. The quality of the music produced in an event like this is not based on the rhythmical expertise of the players, but on the quality of their relationship with the other people in the circle.
A conductor's main job is that of demonstrating the ease of rhythms and empowering the innate rhythmic abilities, often unknown.
During the workshop people are invited to experience improvisation moments playing with their own creativity and instinct.
It provides to the group the ability to play poly-rhythmic patterns with which it becomes possible to realize a final performance.

main goals:
- to increase the sense of community and unity
- to give its own contribution in a collective
- to learn to speak with others
- to increase the sense of cooperation and collaboration
- to get health benefits: stress-reduction and feeling better
- to know cultural tradition of other people
- to stimulate creativity
- to develop a sense of music and rhythm through the search of sounds and grooves in harmony with their own personality

programme:

- direct contact with percussion instruments
- articulation of simple rhythmic patterns
- improvisation
- creation of an instrumental ensemble

instruments:
- bass, medium and high pitched drums (congas, djembé, darbouka), floor toms, snare drum, cymbals, cowbells, woodblocks, - triangles, clave, shakers, bells, rattles, recovered items, wooden and metal sticks.