Classes or 1-2 day workshops can be specially tailored to suit your organization's needs. Whether your goal is to provide high-energy, engaging entertainment for your parties or events, stimulate creativity and nurture team building skills amongst your employees, tap into therapeutic benefits for your clients with disabilities, foster an environment rich with cultural diversity in your classroom, or simply drum for the sheer joy of drumming, there is definitely something for everyone!

I strive to make my classes a comfortable place for everyone, regardless of age, skill level, or any of those other factors we use to describe ourselves and others (which really only tend to build walls, rather than bridges). Here you'll find an environment free of judgment and criticism, ego and intimidation. My goal is to make sure every person in the room finds a place in each rhythm with their own unique drumming voice.

In my classes, you'll find an attitude of acceptance, as we are all united by our common desire to explore and create something amazing with our own two hands. For an hour or two, we are able to leave all our troubles and baggage behind, and truly live in the moment. The drums and rhythms we study can work magic in our lives if we let them. I don't always know what personal burdens people are carrying with them when they enter my classes, but I do know that they generally leave feeling a little lighter and a little more connected to the world around them.

Even more important than all this, however, is that we have fun! I must admit, we laugh a lot in these dynamic, high-energy sessions. Whether you are 8 or 80, out-going or reserved, a beginner or more experienced musician, I can almost guarantee a good time will be had by all. As your guide on this rhythm journey, that's my job!

In my teen/adult classes, I place significant importance upon the establishment of a solid foundation for my students. I pay particular attention to hand patterns, posture, and technique, in order to minimize fatigue, maximize stamina, and avoid injury. We learn the basics in the form of Babatunde Olatunji's Gun Go Do method, which is a way of associating the spoken word with the various sounds produced by striking the drum. We learn a new drumming language (made up of only 6 words), which enables us to vocalize rhythms, commit them to memory, and then translate them into songs played on our drums. After only one session, students are speaking their new drum language and playing polyrhythmic songs as an ensemble. We very literally are making beautiful music together from almost the moment we first pick up the drums!

If you would like to arrange a performance, series of classes, or workshop in your town, school, workplace, etc., please email me at: jmerlich@yahoo.com (Drums are available for student use.)