GrooveFEST Spring 2022 Recap

Well, what a fabulous day this was! The students all played with confidence and conviction. These student performance days are truly my favorite thing, as we can get out of the practice room and show friends and family what progress has been made. The students really do make the most interesting choices for the songs they want to learn. Many musical styles were well represented: punk rock, jazz and funk classics, some hard rock in there as well, and also a rudimental classic from the 1940s.

Thank you to the students’ families who attended, and especially to the three families who were in attendance even though their son or daughter was not performing that day. That really says a lot about the community that is surrounding the studio and these awesome young musicians.

We also have to thank Mark and Jossy Osborne for allowing our students to come in and perform at Kennett Brewing Company, that was a treat to have a professional venue for the students to experience.

There will be video pieces for each student coming out this week on our social media platforms. Stay tuned!

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation for the general support of the studio to enable us to produce more programming like this. Click here to donate.

You can also stay in the loop by joining our email list. Text GROOVEKSQ to 66866 on your smartphone.

Etta shows us some warmups...

Finley performs "Dance the Night Away"

Gavin plays some hard and punk rock!

Alex demonstrates rudimental pieces and more...

Thomas performed an uptempo jazz classic!

Dan brought it home with a funk classic from Tower of Power

GrooveFEST FAQs for families…

The last public student performance the studio produced was way back before the pandemic. Since then, there have been quite a few new students join the studio. Now that things seemed to have normalized, it is time to perform again. After all, being great in the practice room is one thing, being great in front of a live audience is another kind of test altogether. I put together this set of FAQs based on the questions I received from parents and guardians which I think will be helpful.

1. What is GrooveFEST exactly?

A. GrooveFEST is a catchier name for a student recital or student performance. GrooveFEST is intended to be a fun experience for the students in a friendly live environment.

2. Is participation mandatory?

A. No, participation is voluntary, but I strongly encourage students to participate because it is a terrific learning experience.

3. Is there a cover charge or fee for participating?

A. There is no fee, but this is a fundraising event for the studio to help cover its general operating expenses. You can make a tax deductible donation to the studio HERE.

4. How much performance time will my student have?

A. Performance time allotted to each performer will depend on the total number of performers we have signed up. We have ninety minutes allotted for this event.

5. Where is the event being held?

A. The performance is being held on stage at Kennett Brewing Company, 109 S. Broad Street in Kennett. KBC is located in the same building as grooveKSQ but on the ground floor. KBC has two entrances, one on Apple Alley and one on South Broad Street.

6. What if my son or daughter is nervous about performing?

A. My job as an educator is to put the students in a position to succeed. Some nerves before live performance is a totally natural thing. If I think that your son or daughter is going to have difficulty, I will let you know. (note: this has not happened one time yet!).

7. When should we let you know if my son or daughter is participating?

A. The earlier the better! The more time I have to plan the program, the better experience everyone (performers and guests) will have.

8. Is this a competition?

A. The only person the students are competing against is themselves. So no there is no competitive aspect among the performers. We will have some trivia and games and maybe a few prizes.

Djembe Master Class Notes

Last night an enthusiastic group gathered here at the studio to learn from djembe master Pape Demba Samb. We spent a fun and energetic 90 minutes together communicating through drumming.

It really is something you have to experience live, and whatever you may have heard on a recording, hearing the sound of all those hand crafted Senegalese instruments played in a group really is an incredible experience.

Pape teaches individual lessons here at the studio. Please email me for more details.

We are planning on running another master class in April. Please join our email list by texting GROOVEKSQ to 66866 on your smartphone to stay up to date with the studio’s events.

New Faculty Spotlight: Introducing Pape "Paco" Samb

Pape Demba "Paco" Samb comes from a family that have been griots in his native Senegal for hundreds of years. As a griot, Paco is one of the keepers of the ancestral history, stories, and music of his Wolof peoples. As a master hand drummer, Paco not only plays the instruments but he and his brothers build several types of drums as well. He performs both contemporary and traditional Senegalese music, as well as reggae, rap, funk, jazz, pop and a variety of other styles. Paco heads his own drum ensemble called Super Ngewel and released his first album in 2014.

The Benefits of Daily Practice

One concept that is consistent across all the members of the studio, regardless of experience level is this concept: daily practicing yields significant improvement over time. The longer the period of time, the larger the increase in improvement. This is an observation from decades of my own musical journey as well as the instruction of others.

Different students of course have different goals. Perhaps the student is just getting started, or perhaps they are playing at a proficient level and are preparing for an audition for a high school or university level ensemble. Both of the situation require different levels of input. But the concept remains the same.

For the beginner student, perhaps five to ten minutes a day is advisable in order for the student to feel comfortable with the drumsticks in his or her hands to gain basic functionality in terms of approaching the instrument.

For the advanced student, preparing for a university school of music audition, perhaps a practice plan that occupies three or four hours a day is advisable. Again, each situation is unique and that is one of the benefits of studying percussion here at groove - custom tailored advice on practice habits.

Suggested reading on this point is here from the Association of Psychological Science: Deliberate Practice and Performance in Music, Games, Sports, Education, and Professions: A Meta-Analysis

Calling All Friends of Groove: Our Year End Fundraising Campaign

This last year, the studio provided free after school programming to middle school students in collaboration with After the Bell and also produced a live performance event at no cost to the students. In order to expand the studio’s low-cost or no-cost programming for middle and high school students in 2022, please consider making a tax deductible donation to the studio.

Are you a Friend of Groove? Consider making a tax-deductible donation though our Fractured Atlas site, and check out the thank you gifts!

$50 - an acknowledgement on social media and a listing on our website on the Friends of Groove page;

$100 - everything above plus a new hand drawn logo tee;

$250 - everything above plus a groovePAD;

$1000 - everything above plus a 90 minute private house concert by Bryan’s jazz trio at a mutually agreed time.