This summer, starting in July, local percussionist Todd Roach will teach three drumming classes at The Loft in Brattleboro. These classes will run for six sessions beginning July 10 and ending August 22.
On Wednesdays, From 5:30 p.m to 6:30 p.m., Todd will offer a drumming class for young students ages 6 to 10. This class is designed to accommodate both the experienced student and those students who have no experience with music. The group will explore rhythm on a variety of traditional percussion instruments from North Africa and the Middle East, as well as non-traditional percussion instruments, including barrels, buckets and other found objects. The cost for this class is $60.00.
On Wednesdays From 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Todd will offer a class for adult students. The group will work with the traditional hand drums from the Middle East and North Africa (doumbec, frame drums). The focus of this class will be learning the techniques and drum language for these instruments, developing a solid sense of pulse through rhythmic training exercises, learning and playing traditional and non-traditional rhythms, and working with some building blocks for soloing. Advanced work may include some time with odd time signatures and creating drum compositions. The cost
of this class is $80.00.
On Tuesdays, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Roach will offer a new class this summer. This class is designed for intermediate to advanced drum students. Focusing on traditional drumming, the group will work with advanced rhythmic training exercises, finger techniques and drumming compositions. The group will also work with rhythm vocalizations and rehearse with performance level material. Some previous experience with percussion instruments is required. The cost for this class is $90.00.
All instruments will be provided for the youth class and a limited amount of drums are available for the adult classes. To register, or for more information call 802-380-6360 or email loftarts@yahoo.com. The Loft is an old factory space located at 72 Cotton Mill Hill in Brattleboro, Vermont. The Loft is handicapped accessible please call to make arrangements.
Todd Roach is a percussionist, teacher and father living in Brattleboro, Vermont. He has studied the world of Middle Eastern and North African percussion instruments for the last fifteen years. Todd has performed traditional Turkish music in the Vermont area with the Istanbul Ensemble, appeared throughout New England with ney player Frederick Stubbs and Euphony Groove, and performed with renowned Arabic
violinist George Lammam at the Middlebury Center for the Arts.
Other collaborations in recent years have included performing and recording with the six piece world music ensemble 35th Parallel, school presentations, classes and concerts with African percussionist and Kora player John Hughes, releasing an instructional video, The Quick Guide to Playing Doumbec, with Interworld Music and Carl Fisher Publishing, recording for the soundtrack to the Sandglass Theater production Between Sand and Stars, and multi-media performances in venues around Montreal with Circo de Bakuza, a troupe of dancers, visual artists, dj’s, and musicians.
Mr. Roach has been a juried artist and educator for the Vermont Arts Council since 2002, and he has presented his approach of teaching percussion to young students to adult educators at conferences around the state of Vermont. These have included: B.E.S.T. Institute in Killington, Vermont Alliance for Arts and Education in Middlebury, American Dance and Movement Therapy Association/University of Vermont Center for Disabilities national convention in Burlington, and Southern Vermont Youth Services Summit at Mt. Snow.
In the last few years, Todd has given educational workshops, residencies, performances and presentations in schools and community centers throughout the state of Vermont as well. These have included: Bellows Falls High School, Brownell Public Library, Newfane Elementary School, Whindam Elementary School, Townshend Elementary School, Brookline Elementary School, Green Street School, Neighborhood School House, Academy School, Marlboro Elementary School, Kindle Farm School, and the Brattleboro Gallery Walk.