Community Drumming 101

During late 2003, an opportunity to share my love for the conga drums in a paid teaching effort came about by way of the new Brushy Creek Community Center scheduled to open in the spring of 2004 (Round Rock, Texas). 

About a year after leaving the band Stones Throw in 2000, I had been tinkering around with ways to apply my collection of percussion books, videos, and personal playing experience into "on-the-side" lessons,  in addition to my regular employment, a little business of my own.  

Over the next several years, I developed a lesson plan that in it's advancement paralleled the way one progresses in a karate class through the qualification of colored belts.  In my early twenties, I had personally progressed from a white belt in karate to a green belt, just falling short of obtaining a blue belt after suffering a third degree sprain in my neck.  

To summarize, my entire percussion course would consist of ten colored levels, from gray through maroon; the first level gray being for beginners and the tenth and final maroon level for "seasoned pros;" having of course already studied and practiced the eight color levels in-between and now finding themselves capable and equipped with the skills to perform with percussion instruments during a live show. 

In my zeal I placed ads in the local community newsletter and I stapled flyers on community boards and I waited…...and waited.

Unfortunately but predictably, despite my best efforts at self promotion, I managed to acquire just one paid student, Sahel, a nice and patient man from Persia.   What a good time we had even though we transacted just about a month's worth of classes.  

When Sahel called me back for more lessons a few months later, I had already given up - I had taken a new job that required me to be on the road several nights a week and so I no longer had the same availability as I had had before but this job would not last much longer; fortunately!

So when  the Brushy Creek Community Center opportunity arrived in 2003 you can probably imagine my enthusiasm going before the Board of Directors and promoting one hour community drumming classes- and finding they were all in -and that they loved it!

I even attended the grand opening event with a table full of instruments and an exciting "looped" video of a community drum circle.  When the full colored, Spring 2004 Grand Opening catalogue was mailed out to all the residents of the Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District (MUD) my class was in it! 

"Community Drumming 101" Saturdays 5-6pm.  Only $80 for all eight Saturdays.  My class was mixed together with classes and workshops and educational offerings in topics ranging from fitness, dancercise, crafts, sewing, stitching, quilts, ceramics, cooking, nutrition, gardening, parenting, art, first-aid, spring-camps & events, tots programs, after school programs, senior activities, etc.;  most of the classes fee based.   However, on-top of the individual class fee there was a hefty annual family membership fee of $300.  

Still, the Center thrives to this day, a wonderful community asset, and so the up-front fees couldn't have been the problem.  Maybe it was the day, Saturdays, or the time slot between 5 and 6 pm?

Despite doing my homework, neither one of my two advertised  8 week sessions drew any interest. I had either overpriced the session, picked a bad time slot, or simply people were not interested in community drumming as an activity.   

When the MUD called me to offer reassurance and to extend the class offering into the fall, I declined explaining I had started my own appraisal practice and would no longer have time to offer the classes.  

And so my great foray into percussion education came to a close.

What is it about music that so excites the soul?  Or sewing?  Or reading?  Or cooking?  Or gardening?  Or computing?  Or playing soccer?  Or any other wholesome hobby for that matter?

I didn't quite see it then but in reality, they are all gifts, God given gifts.   

The joys and advantages one finds say in the varying rhythms and hand patterns, the passion for learning and playing new world rhythms; all are simply graces; graces that have been given FREE of charge. 

The desire to teach and share with others are graces from God too. 

Musical talents in my case, maybe sewing, reading, cooking, gardening, computing, or playing soccer in your case.

Maybe all along, I'd simply taken the wrong approach.