Using West African Drumming and Dance to Augment Choral Rehearsals and Performance

Philosophy

Movement and activity have a well-documented positive effect on the sound of our choirs. African Dance can have the positive impact of incorporating African Drumming and Dance into choral practice and performance. Specifically, West African Dance is a full-body high energy experience requiring both coordination and communication, and control of the body and the mind; skills that are essential for exceptional choral singing. Singers’ bodies transform during dance, and our thinking and attention are developed through movement. Explore the positive outcomes of incorporating non-western dance into choral rehearsals by learning movements and simple West African Rhythms and Dances that can be incorporated immediately into existing choirs.

Songs

Sansa KromaSansa Kroma Nena yo keke kokomba Sansa Kroma Nena yo keke kokomba English Eagle! Once a flock of chicks’ mother died; ...

Dances

Drumming Videos

Home - Djembe Rhythms from West AfricaThis site offers tools and insights to help you learn, understand, and play traditional West African drum beats, especially the djembe (jembe) and dunun (dundun) rhythms of Guinea. I share with you what I have learned in over 20 years of study with master drummers and from performance in many drum circles, jams, bands and …

Equipment

Purchasing Djembes from Groth Music

Purchasing Djembes from Tiyumba

Purchasing Djembes from Djembe Goat Skins

Purchasing Djembes from Guitar Center

Repertoire - a selected list

Repertoire Using African Drum Techniques

Resources and Further Reading

Chernoff, John Miller. African Rhythm and African Sensibility. 1984, University of Chicago Press.

Benson, Jeffrey S. A Study of Three Choral Pedagogues and Their Use of Movement in the Choral Rehearsal. Thesis. Florida State University, 2011.

Mukuna, K. (1982). Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue Canadienne Des Études Africaines, 16(2), 400-402. doi:1.

Ashley “AJ” Walker has performed in numerous locations around the world including Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, and Israel, singing with the world-renowned Philadelphia Boys Choir for several years. He attended Millersville University of Pennsylvania and graduated with Bachelors Degree in music in 2009. After college, AJ founded and directed the 'Music for Everyone' Lancaster Community Chorus and served as Director of Music at Linden Hall School for Girls in Lititz PA. AJ also performed regularly with the Mendelssohn Club Choir of Philadelphia as a Core singer and soloist. In 2014, AJ was nominated for a Grammy in Music Education. Currently, AJ lives in Hayward California and is pursuing a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from California State University East Bay. He recently earned the CSU Trustees’ Award for Academic Excellence and began singing with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus.

Contact: buddy.james (@) csueastbay.edu

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