The DrumCrazy Blog

Very quiet on the Drumcrazy front this year. Still open for business but working full time as a teacher.

johndrumcrazy — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:59:22 +0000

Diversifying

johndrumcrazy — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 23:11:00 +0000

After 12 years of almost exclusive drumcircle work I am diversifying. Teaching Music Tech to teenagers and class music to all ages. Much more singing too.

Creating an app.

johndrumcrazy — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 23:08:43 +0000

Download the app for Uppsites and then search for DrumCrazy then you have a mobile version of this blog.

Dartington Brownies tonight.

johndrumcrazy — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:20:02 +0000

The first of two visits to create some drummy performance to show the parents. Always a delight with Brownies.

Teignmouth jazz festival

johndrumcrazy — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:01:09 +0000

Lovely gig at the Oystercatcher last night. First outing with Steve Crossen on drums. Thanks to those that supported us. Hope you had a good night .

Blogging from my phone.

johndrumcrazy — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:26:49 +0000

Just setting up WordPress so I can blog from my phone. The only news is I am posting off a box of boomwhackers to a theatre group in Taunton

Posted by John Walter from WordPress for Android

DrumCrazy Festival DrumCircle at Shambala

johndrumcrazy — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:44:42 +0000

Next week I am getting along to Shambala Festival.

Running a drumcircle each day at 4.00 in a yurt.

Should be very relaxing and fun.

Come and find us.

Children’s DrumCircles in Paignton Zoo

johndrumcrazy — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 07:27:14 +0000

August is the time for a smattering of Festivals and childrens projects. Paignton Zoo are running week long holiday programmes for children and each Thursday I am going in to run a 2 hr drumming and Boomwhacker session. I have already done 2 but there are 2 left go.

Its called Wild week and includes trips to Living Coasts and all sorts of activities in and around the Zoo.

Listening to music with your whole body

johndrumcrazy — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:27:57 +0000

DrumCrazy have been running drum and percussion workshops in schools for over 11 years.

Our mission is to allow everyone to experience what it is like to be a musician.

Evelyn Glennie expresses brilliantly the listening part of this in this video:

Drumming in secondary schools in the last weeks of term.

johndrumcrazy — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:16:51 +0000

My work always gets more varied in June and July, particularly because secondary schools collapse their timetable and go on trips, organise activity and arts weeks and invite me in to sing and drum.

I am now in the middle of a Latin American arts project with yr 8s where they are also getting Salsa dance, steel pan playing, drama and arts activities.

Each of my workshops is 100% hands on and for the latin american theme I have focussed on establishing a strong foundation with surdo and shakers then creating a strong agogo bell melody and backing it all up with hand drum support rhythms. We are building up to a performance tomorrow with a few children from each class.

2 weeks ago I was teaching 11 to 13 yr olds to sing shosholoza in 4 part harmony 175 at a time. A great challenge. Particular success with getting boys to sing the bass line, helped by an enthusiastic male teacher.

In between I have humped 200 boomwhackers around for massed events, facilitated a fabulous 100 person community drumcircle for Quest Festival and visited several primary schools.

As July comes to a close I look forward to a restful August with the occasional visit to the local Zoo to keep my hand in.

John