Rhythm-Based Activities for Older Adults



On a Roll: Drum Circle Facilitation Techniques for Music Therapists

WRAMTA Conference April 1, 2011

Kathy Quain, MME, MT-BC, Director of Music Therapy,

John Fitzgerald, Manager of Recreational Music Activities, Remo, Inc.

A. Drum Circle Experience

|Actions |Desired Outcomes |

|Create a safe atmosphere |Individual self expression |

|Facilitation actions |Community creation |

|GOOW (Get out of the way!) | |

|Communicate the basics of drumming including simple |In-the-moment music-making |

|technique and safety | |

|Facilitation actions | |

|GOOW (Get out of the way!) |Create a sense of ownership and empowerment |

B. Review of the Drum Circle Experience

What happened and why

Basic facilitation actions

Start / Stop

Volume up / Volume down,

Call and Response

Rumble

Sculpting

Sections of the circle

By timbre

Small groups of players

By age

By geographic location

Non-metered drumming

B. Populations to Serve (notes)

D. Eight Drum Circle Facilitation Concepts

1) Create empowerment

2) Prelude to drumming

3) Provide a Sensory Experience, ie. Sound massage

4) Unified Group Actions

5) Creating Musical support

6) Take Turns/Orbit

7) Invite Intentions (Drumming with Intention and Empathy)

8) Multi-Action Songs: Sing Dance and Play!

E. Working With Three of the Concepts

1) Create Empowerment

2) Prelude to Drumming

3) Provide a Sensory Experience

F. Participants will apply at least one of the above concepts.

Groups of 5 or 6

Participants share examples

G. Drums and Other Instruments

NSL Sound Shapes

Tubanos

Bahia Bass Drum

Buffalo Drum 12” with Bahia Head

Boomwhackers; Red, Yellow, Green

Small shakers

Wrist bells

Aroma Drum

H. Review (notes)

I. Resources and Trainings

Worksheet: Creating Applications based on Three Concepts

|Three Concepts towards facilitating |Describe at least one application of this Concept for a population that you work with:|

|successful group drumming: | |

|Create empowerment | |

| | |

|1) invite participant leadership | |

| | |

|2) highlight participants playing and | |

|creating | |

| | |

|3) facilitator gets out of the way | |

|(GOOW) | |

| | |

|4) Follow individual’s movements | |

|Prelude to drumming | |

| | |

|1) engage the group in a non- | |

|drumming experience such as | |

|singing or moving as a prelude | |

|to drumming. | |

| | |

|2) During the non-drumming prelude, | |

|the participants feel the pulse, | |

|experience the phrase length within | |

|the musical piece, and may have | |

|opportunities to improvise. | |

|Provide a Sensory Experience, such as Sound massage | |

| | |

|1) Sound Massage - for clients who | |

|are unable to respond, provide a | |

|sound massage such as playing a | |

|14” Remo Buffalo Drum towards | |

|them. | |

| | |

|2) Aroma Drum – Some clients may | |

|enjoy smelling relaxing aromas | |

|while drumming. | |

| | |

|3) Create other ways to appeal to | |

|their sense of sight, sound, touch | |

|or smell. | |

Resources

The following is a selection of the resources available for facilitators.

Trainings



This website of Village Music Circles provides trainings year ‘round. The founder, Arthur Hull, has a new book, Drum Circle Facilitation; Building Community Through Rhythm.

*May 13 – 15, 2011 Attend a Weekend Playshop with Arthur Hull in Oakland, California. Visit to register.

Remo’s HealthRHYTHMS

Group Empowerment Drumming Facilitation and Adolescent Protocol Facilitation Training



Books, DVDs

Drum Circle Facilitation, book by Arthur Hull

Drum Circle Spirit, book by Arthur Hull

The ART and HEART of Drum Circles, Book and DVD by Christine Stevens

Group Rhythm and Drumming with Older Adults: Music Therapy Techniques and Multimedia Training Guide by Barbara Reuer, Barbara Crowe and Barry Bernstein

Instruments

Remo Inc. As mentioned above, Remo has been supporting rhythm based activities for all populations for many years and has a wide variety of easy to maintain, easy to play percussion instruments -

Rhythmweb has a great list of books all about making simple home made instruments:



West Music has music therapists on staff and consequently is aware of their needs.

Other Resources



Access information about drum circles, drum circle facilitators and HealthRHYTHMS facilitators and trainings. Click on Drum Circles or HealthRHYTHMS.

Yahoo DrumCircles Group

A forum for facilitators where you can find discussions on all aspects of facilitation. It is invaluable support for facilitators from beginning to advanced. It is suggested that you sign up for the Digest format due to the large number of postings.

Thanks for your time and attention. We hope that this workshop has given you some great ideas and inspiration. Please feel free to contact either of us if you feel we can be of help in any way.

Kathy Quain – kathy@ (510) 229 – 7887

John Fitzgerald - jfitzgerald@ (661) 294 5631

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