• “I have never taken music lessons…is it too late?”
• “Now that my kids are out of the house I thought I would finally try the piano.”
• “Is there any hope?”

The old adage that says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is one that sticks in everyone’s heads, whether we want it to or not. Most people have some hidden desire that they assume they can’t do, just because they are “too old” to start now. Whether it is learning to dance, learning a new language, or learning to play a musical instrument, it is definitely possible!

As children, our capacity to learn new tasks is much larger than it is as adults. Learning a second language is much easier as an infant than it is as an adult, not because adults are not capable of it, but because children don’t know that it should be hard! Their minds are wide open, and when everything is new, then nothing is impossible. A two year old, learning his first language, would be able to learn a second language simultaneously because his brain is in learn-everything mode.

A kindergartener learning the piano would also find it easier than her mother for the same reason. In kindergarten, she is learning how to read letters and count numbers, and so finding patterns on the keyboard and associating letters to the pictures in a piano book tie in with her lessons at school. Her mom, however, has been out of school for years and doesn’t often learn new languages or patterns. Her life has become routine, and trying to add something entirely new, something that challenges her regular way of thinking, is a very difficult task to accomplish.

Difficult, yes. But not impossible.

An article from the Seattle Times talks about the changing views on teaching adults to play musical instruments. “Indeed, many adults assume their brains are too calcified to learn something new and complicated like music. In reality, teachers say, failing vision or stiff joints are more likely than resistant minds to hinder older students.” Music teachers often add to that mental block, putting too much pressure on students of all ages to not only practice and improve, but to be better than everyone else, to perform perfectly, and to go on as a professional musician. Most students will not continue to become professional musicians, and that mindset is one that needs to be knocked down. The article goes on to say that for adults ”there’s always this dichotomy between, ‘Gosh, I should be practicing,’ and ‘I just want to have fun.’” The great thing about taking music lessons as an adult is that ”We’re not grading people. There’s no jury. [Adults] are here because they enjoy music.” And that is what music is all about, right? Enjoyment.

A favorite student of mine was a woman who wanted to learn how to play hand drums. In our first meeting I was surprised by her strong perfume and her “beehive” hair-do, both of which were pointedly from a very different generation than my own and than most of my students’. Even more than the obvious differences, though, I was surprised by her drive and desire to learn to play drums as a 74 year old woman! Not only does age often keep people away from learning an instrument, but the generational views of women as drummers is one that still permeates the music world. For this woman to come in with such a clear goal of playing the hand drums just blew me away.

Over the two years that I taught her, she learned basic techniques and various rhythms on her drum. Her goal was not to read music on a staff, or to become the best drummer in Wisconsin, or even to play in a band. Her goal was to increase flexibility in her hands, to become comfortable playing in a local drum circle, and to use drumming as a meditation. It became a release for her.

Was it easy? Not as easy as it would have been if she were 13. But was she successful? Absolutely.

Image from LOL Dogs

This video shows some of the many sounds that can be created using the berimbau. Uploaded by Florian Bronk in January 2012.

Image from Wikipedia

Parts of the Berimbau

The berimbau consists of six main parts:

1. verga or arco: the wooden bow, the largest piece of the instrument
2. arame: the string or wire that is struck to make the sound
3. cabaça: the hollow gourd, which acts as a resonator
4. caxixi: the shaker used to add depth and texture to the sound
5. dobrão or pedra: a smooth stone, held in the left hand and used to change the pitch of the arame
6. baqueta: the thin stick that is used to strike the arame, creating the sound

Verga

The verga is typically made from biriba wood, from which the berimbau gets its name. This tree, known in English as sweet sop, is preferred for its weight and flexibility. Flexibility is important, but the wood must also be strong so that it doesn’t snap under the tension from the strung arame.

The bark is cleaned from a length of biriba wood approximately five feet long and one inch in diameter. The wood is then sanded down and painted with a clear varnish to protect the wood. The bottom is cut into a small lip to attach the arame, and at the top a small leather piece is nailed into place. The leather helps to prevent splitting the wood, and will hold the arame in place.

Arame

Traditionally, the arame is a steel string that has been removed from an old tire. This string is very strong and holds the verga in its bowed shape. A loop is made in one end of the string, which is then placed over the lip cut into the bottom of the verga. The string is then placed over the leather on the opposite end, and tied around the bottom of the verga, bending the wood into the bowed shape. The arame is wrapped around the stick several times, ensuring that the verga retains its shape.

Cabaça

The cabaça is made from a dried, hollowed-out calabash fruit. The size of the cabaça determines the pitch, and therefore the role, of the berimbau. (More to come on the roles of the berimbau in another post.) A circle is cut from the top of the dried calabash and the inside is cleaned out. Two holes are drilled into the cabaça opposite the circle that was just cut. After smoothing and varnishing the cabaça, a string is fed through the two holes and tied inside the calabash. Finally, the finished cabaça is placed onto the verga by sliding the string up the arame until it sits partway up the instrument, held in place by the tension of the string. The placement of the cabaça affects the pitch of the berimbau: the higher the cabaça, the higher the pitch.

The Finished Product

The berimbau is now complete! The performer then only needs to find or make a caxixi and then, using their dobrão and baqueta, play their new instrument. Every berimbau has a different sound to it, and different berimbaus play different roles in each Capoeira game.

The berimbau cannot be forgotten. Berimbau is the primitive mestre. It teaches by its sound. It gives vibration and swing to our bodies. The percussive orchestra with the berimbau isn’t a modern thing; it’s fundamental. ~Mestre Pastinha, 1967

References: Capoeira Connection, Wikipedia, Ehow.com

Because Sacramento is too far away to commute for training, I have dedicated April to the berimbau, the heart and soul of Capoeira music. This first video you will see is a short berimbau solo by Mestre Acordeon, performed at the 8th Festival do Capoeira in Lisbon, Portugal.

The berimbau is a deceptively difficult instrument to play. It looks very simple, fashioned out of a wooden bow and a single string, typically pulled from the tire of a car. A hollow gourd is placed at one end of the bow for resonance. The instrument is then struck with a thin stick, and the pitch is changed by the use of a small, smooth stone, placed just above the gourd. It sounds simple…but it is not.

Throughout the month of April we will learn about the history of the berimbau, the basic technique, musical styles, and the manufacturing process. There will also be photos and videos posted throughout the month. Who knows…maybe at the end of this month we will all be swept up by the music and start (or re-start) to train the beautiful martial art of Capoeira.

In parting, enjoy this song led by the same Mestre Acordeon.

Vamos pedir o axé—————————————-Lets ask Axé
Pressa roda começar————————————–So this round can begin
De conforme os fundamentos—————————-Within the foundations
Capoeira e candomblé————————————-Capoeira and candomblé
Axé Babá —————————————————–Axé Babá

Oh ie viva Meu Deus! AXÉ BABÁ————————--Oh yea viva my god! Axé Babá
Oh Ie viva Seu Bimba! MEU CAMARÁ——————–Oh yea viva my Bimba! My friend
Oh ie é mestre meu! SEMPRE SERÁ———————–Oh yea you are my master! Always will be
Oh ie volta do mundo! QUE O MUNDO DÁ—————Oh yeaa the world spins! That the world does

Vamos pedir o axé, meu pai! MEU PAI XANGô———Lets ask axé, my father! My father Xangô
Vamos pedir o axé, minha mãe! IEMANJÁ————–Lets ask axé, my mother! Iemanja
Vamos pedir o axé, meu rei! REI OXALÁ—————-Lets ask Axé, my king! King Oxala
Vamos pedir o axé, meu pai! MEU PAI XANGÔ———-Lets ask Axé, my father! My father Xangô

Sienna Flanigan
Kindergarten

Sienna began taking piano lessons with me in January. She is a very excited girl, always with a story to tell and eager to show people what she has learned. When Sienna took her first lesson, she was a blank slate. We started by focusing on the difference between spaghetti (straight, hard) and macaroni (loose, curved) fingers, finger numbers 1-5, and groups of two and three black keys. She loves to play rhythm games with the Boomwhackers, and after almost every lesson she discovers a new instrument in the room to try out.

After a few short lessons, Sienna could easily find groups of two or three black keys “high as the sky”, “low and scary”, or in the middle. She was playing the whole group together, sometimes loud, sometimes quiet. A few lessons later she was playing notes individually, easily identifying high and low sounds, and her finger dexterity had improved dramatically.

And finally, after only eleven lessons, Sienna played a piece from beginning to end all by herself! In fact, when I started to point to the finger numbers in her book, she stopped playing and said “I want to do it by myself”. I sat back and she played “Mary Had a Little Lamb” perfectly.

Today, Sienna was able to watch herself play piano on the video camera. We recorded the piece twice: once for the left-hand page and once for the right-hand page. Well-done, Sienna! First piece done and recorded, beginning to end, all by yourself!

Publicity
Slap Happy was featured in the Your Hub section of the Denver Post on February 9th. Your Hub is a “ local news and citizen journalism” portion of the Denver Post that covers news from the entire Denver Metro area, which has been divided into 12 regions. Slap Happy was featured in the local business focus section for the South Metro region. Click here for the Your Hub Facebook Page.

Student Base
January saw the addition of two new piano students to the studio. Both are beginning students and are well on their way to success! Also, the first professional ensemble for SHM began two weeks ago. The Slap Happy Body Percussion Ensemble has begun rehearsals on Thursday nights from 7:30-9:00 pm. We have covered the basics, began learning some funk and samba grooves, and have started some improvising! Our hope is to be out in Denver this summer: keep an eye out for us at the 16th Street Mall, Larimer Square, or Pearl Street in Boulder! We are also always looking for new members. Rehearsals are open, or you can contact Felicia to join.

Summer Chamber Music Camp
This summer, Slap Happy will host the first annual SHM Chamber Music Camp for middle and high school students. Students will spend one week rehearsing small (3-8 piece) ensemble pieces for a culminating performance for friends, family, and community members. This commuter camp will include coachings from local musicians and teachers for each chamber ensemble, music theory lessons, and improvisation, among other classes to be determined. Information will be sent to schools at the end of March, so stay tuned here, on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter for more information!

Percussionist's Heaven! Donated by Mary Hanson

Studio Improvements
As is expected when starting a new business, there are a lot of gradual improvements that happen. Since the start of 2012 I have been adding posters and decorations, organizing the office, and adding small touches that make the studio even more comfortable. The special event of the year so far, however, is the recent donation of instruments, decorations, music, audio recordings, and teaching aids from Mary Hanson! She generously gave SHM years of teaching wisdom in the form of posters, books, and CD’s, as well as several flutes, shakers, drums, bells, and sticks from all over the world. It was a percussionist’s heaven this morning as I went through all of it and found places for everything in the studio. Thank you so much, Mary! I promise that they will be put to good use and well-loved.

The World Percussion wall, all nice and organized. Donated by Mary Hanson.

Stockhausen's "Musik im Bauch" for six percussionists and music boxes

As a very general rule, I am not a big fan of “20th century” or “modern” music. That is not to say that I don’t like atonality, sound effects, or anything written in the last 100 years…but several of the pieces I heard on Focus Day did absolutely nothing for me. The performances were very well done, and I’m sure several people in the audience found the music to be exciting, but winding up music boxes while sword fighting a large birdman just doesn’t speak to me. I have enormous amounts of respect for the composers like Stockhausen who broke down the barriers of musical composition; I just don’t enjoy listening to the results.

To each his own, I suppose.

Focus Day Highlights and…Other Reactions

The first presentation I saw was Robert Van Sice’s masterclass on the marimba works of compser Peter Klatzow. The performers were great, and each piece had moments that I thought were beautiful, though none seemed to leave a lasting impression. The final piece, however, did stick with me. This was Klatzow’s 1985 Concerto for Marimba, written for solo marimba and string orchestra. The performers only had time to give a short sample of each movement. I had never even heard of Klatzow before this masterclass, and now I am very glad I have!

One of the concerts I was most looking forward to was John Serry’s “Night Rhapsody”, performed by Tom Burritt. This is one of those pieces that, under normal circumstances, I would listen to with no emotion and walk away from with the general impression that it was another marimba solo written just for the sake of being extremely difficult. After following along with the PATV series that Tom put on Drumchattr, however, I was eager to hear it performed live. I brought my score with me, full of the notes I had taken over the past few weeks, and listened for the various themes, Dies Irae, and motives I had circled. There is definitely something to be said for understanding a piece academically. Suddenly this piece was a very deep and intricate solo, and I felt like I was on the inside of a secret joke. Had it not been for those videos, I would never have enjoyed this as much as I did. Thank you, Tom!

At the opening concert on Wednesday night, Mantra performed Michael Gordon’s “Timber” for six percussionists. The piece was written for each performer to play on a Simantra (a glorified plank of wood with a haunting sound). The ten minute excerpt was hypnotic, and I very much enjoyed it. For Focus Day, they performed the piece in its entirety in the nearby Sound Garden. The acoustics were great, the lighting was perfect, and I am very glad I attended. The piece, though, was about six times longer than it needed to be. I loved it as a ten-minute soundscape; an hour of spellbinding droning was simply too much for me.

Joseph Schwantner demonstrating the Tibetan singing bowls

The highlight of my Focus Day was by far the discussion with composer Joseph Schwantner. He told us stories about his inspiration, his childhood guitar, his compositional method, and his love for the world of percussion. He touched on “Velocities” (yet another marimba solo that I just never understood…and probably should look into academically sometime), “…and the mountains rising nowhere” (my favorite Schwantner piece!), and his first concerto for percussion. He explained the connections between the first concerto and his second one, without giving away anything about the new piece. When we saw the premiere later that night it was again like I was in the know.

Focus Day was full of music I had never heard of, music I am glad I was exposed to, and probably music that I will not actively try and listen to ever again. The past 50 years have taken percussion to an entirely new place, one as varied as those who play.

Final Concert: Poncho Sanchez

Now I am starting to sort it all out. My luggage is unpacked, laundry is done, pictures are uploaded, and the massive pile of books, catalogs, music, stickers, posters, advertisements, and notes have been sorted into various smaller piles. Tangible items like that are easy to sort. I call it organized chaos…both my dad and grandmother use the same method of taking large piles and putting them into several smaller piles, which gradually get filed away, re-written, or reassembled back into more organized large piles. It does mean that my desk never looks like it is organized at all, but there is a system to the madness.

On the other hand, all of the abstract thoughts, ideas, and goals that are now rattling around in my head are harder to put into neat little piles. Neat little written snapshots on my Slap Happy blog, however? Easily doable.

Overall Reaction

This was my first time traveling to PASIC, and what a year to start! This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Percussive Arts Society. The focus topic was “Five Decades of New Music for Percussion 1961-2011″. There is an incredible range of music that has been written for percussion: from Bach transcriptions on marimba to a sixty-minute long piece for planks of wood. Because of that range of repertoire, I had an equally wide range of appreciation for the various pieces. And while there were several pieces that I distinctly did not enjoy listening to, there was not a single performance that I regret attending.

I knew before arriving in Indianapolis that there would be instances where I would have to choose between different presentations because of the overlap in time. What I wasn’t expecting was some of the decisions I made. PASIC really brought out a side of me that I haven’t had to experience before. In school, and even more since graduating, I was exposed to so many styles of music and generally was expected to do it all. I never had to pick and choose between guest artists at Lawrence and rarely had to choose between styles of music since then. When I got to PASIC and had to choose between a presentation on symphonic percussion, marimba, or world percussion, I had no idea what I would choose. Often I chose on a whim.

I started to discover where my interests really lie. Symphonic percussion is not something that holds as much appeal to me as I thought it did, while percussion from cultures I have never experienced kept me on the edge of my seat and wishing for more. Even marimba, which I absolutely adore, didn’t wind me up as much as a percussion ensemble playing on a guitar with the shafts of marimba mallets.

The sessions that really stuck with me, that I enjoyed the most, took the most notes, and told the most people about, were not at all what I was expecting. Florida State University blew everything from PASIC completely out of the water. No professional musician could hold a candle to how excited I was by that concert. They will have their own snapshot here in the next few days. Well done, FSU! Ganesh Kumar and his mathematical kanjira playing had 300 of us laughing, stumbling over tricky rhythms that left our tongues numb, and swarming Cooperman immediately after the class. Trio Azucar and Guitarra Azul had me itching to dance, skipping the next class just to hang out with them in the exhibit hall and chat about drums and life, anticipating the closing party later that night.

PASIC 2011 was incredible. Absolutely worth the lack of sleep, the stress of flying, the time away from other commitments, and the dent in my wallet. And, if I can help it, I will be in Austin for PASIC 2012 to do it all again.

Mantra's evening performance of "Timber" by Michael Gordon