Kids’ Drum Jam with Keio Ogawa, is interactive world percussion instruction with instruments provided, for Grades 1-12.
Keio Ogawa’s exciting and enriching Kids’ Drum Jam Assembly and Kids’ Drum Jam Class are single event versions of Kids’ Drum Jam. Kid’s Drum Jam Series is a multi-visit program where children build on what they learned.
For the Assembly, Ms. Ogawa provides up to 75 percussion instruments from all over the world, and gives percussion instruction and history in a creative drum circle format. Assemblies are limited to 150 students grades 4-12.
Classes and Series are a typical class size of 20-30 students, grades 1-12. Students learn names and history of instruments, sharing and leadership, listening and giving, and get to sing, dance, and play music. For many, it is their very first time playing a musical instrument.
A drum circle is when folks get together to play percussion and drums freely, using rhythm, mutual respect, and the creative spirit to make a spontaneous musical event. It is perfect for opening the door to creative expression, communication and cooperation, and even healing.
Recreational drumming has been proven to be effective with corporate (and teacher) team building seminars, community bonding, and actual physical and emotional healing of the body and mind. Involving at-risk youth in drum jamming has reduced gang activity. Ms. Ogawa’s Kids’ Drum Jam builds not only the child’s skills of music, but also of listening, working together, and positive self-empowerment.
Keio Ogawa is a professional drum circle facilitator, world percussionist, performer, educator, and speaker. She has training with Arthur Hull and appears in his book, Drum Circle Spirit. She specializes in West African djembe and dunun drumming and has studied extensively in Africa and Europe with the greatest masters alive. Ms. Ogawa has married one of Guinea’s best master drummers: Mamady “WADABA” Kourouma, and is a founder of, performer in, and artistic director of his ensemble, “WADABA AnnyeBen”. She has recorded and produced two highly acclaimed CDs: Oroko Kan!, and Sabari, both recorded in the remote villages of upper Guinea, West Africa, and both featuring WADABA. The album Sabari won Finalist for Best World Traditional Album in the Independent Music Awards of 2008.