In our "Layne" section and on the page "Uncovering The Drum" is a brief report on Layne's wonderful and deeply inspiring Workshop. You might like to take a look.
Drumming for Layne
As news of Layne's illness was shared, drum groups and individual drummers began to play/pray for her. Some drummed, and drum, Omalu, an ancient prayer to the Holy One as Healer. Others improvised and are improvising. Still others played, and continue to play, their favourite patterns.
On the island of Cyprus, the Ma Gaia frame drummers invited us all and join together with the rest of the world one evening, drumming for Layne. Ma Gaia also sent a DVD of their evening that evening which Layne graciously shared with us all at her workshop. Below is a photo of the Ma Gaia drumming that evening by the Aphrodite rock in Cyprus.
See also Ma Gaia at http://www.cyprusspirit.com/magaia_1.html
From California, Miranda Rondeau shares her thoughts about this prayer drumming:
Miranda Rondeau
From Miranda Rondeau's Music Page
Feeling so connected to all who love Layne Redmond, the deep gratitude all have shared today during the two global drum prayers for her. Makes me feel better... even though I've been still shedding tears. John from REMO Drums talked to her today and said she is feeling GREAT, she's not suffering and that all the love coming to her in all the different ways, really sustains her!!!
She is happy and at peace and would like to keep focused on finishing her film.
Thank you to all who drummed for her today!! May the rhythms continue to support her in all ways.
Ma Gaia drumming for Layne - with the world
New Message from Layne
Tommy Brunjes
As we prepare for her 4th Annual Frame Drum Intensive, Layne sent us an email.
In part it shared that she is planning to attend the Intensive as her final workshop, despite her illness. Layne will take part as much as she is able.
Tommy Brunjes, Debra Roberts and Farrunnissa Rosa will provide leadership on her behalf as needed.
Always an exemplary woman, Layne draws our attention to the Center for End of Life Transitions with whom she is planning for her Transition. See http://ceolt.wordpress.com/home-funeral-guidance
In her email Layne goes on to say:
" In thinking over the retreat that starts next week, we gave everyone the option for a full refund but decided to go ahead with those who wanted to attend, and in fact more people registered. I'm very much looking forward to seeing everyone.
... I'm really at peace, busy eating anything I want and looking back over my life with true pleasure. It has been so great to meet so many of you who love the frame drum, and it has been really amazing to see how the simple desire for wanting to learn to play the drums has unfolded in my life. One of the projects that we are taking care of now is getting When The Drummers Were Women back in print. My dvds and cds will continue to be available through my company Golden Seed Productions which will also care for and house my slide collection from the many years of my research."
Thank-you, Layne, for leading by example and for teaching us in so many way! Peace be.
Layne and Tommy Brunjes on tars
One of Tommy's cds
4th Annual Frame Drum Intensive Retreat
This wonderful retreat will open with a rhythmic ritual around the bonfire led by Tommy Brunjes on the Wednesday.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we’ll be working on Middle Eastern style tambourine and the tar in the standing and knee positions and including Brazilian candomblé trance rhythms.
For advanced students Tommy will hold
special sessions focusing on learning to improvise with frame drum and teaching his personally developed techniques for pandeiro
and kanjira.
Therapeutic rhythmic techniques will be taught, helping drummers develop a powerful sense of time.
Each evening there will be a special event.
Another evening we will focus on Sound Rituals from ancient transformational practices.
A third evening will be a movie night ! Excerpts from Layne’s newest film Axé Orixá (shot in Salvador, Brazil) will be shown, featuring the amazing festival of Iemanja, the festival of Omalu, and much more!
Sunday will be marked by a ritual. While thinking mythically and working ritually, we will create a closing ceremony using the many tools worked on during these five days.
This event is held in the Prama Institute, near Asheville, North Carolina. It is quite the building:
For further details, see Layne Redmond's website ( layneredmond.com) under "Schedule".
Marla Leigh Workshop this weekend in Ottawa
Summer Solstice Frame Drum Workshop
with Marla Leigh !
Meet this internationally renown frame drummer! Drum with her!
Poster below! Website: www.marlaleigh.com
Come, join in a most memorable and joyous celebration!
Ontario Womyn's Drum Camp 2013
Ontario Womyn’s Drum Camp
For 21 years, a wonderful group of women drummers have organized a 4-day summer camp. There are a plethora of diverse workshops on our “adventure called drumming.” The Biblical frame drum is a part of it each year, taught by Barb Pitcher, Amy Oak and Dede Alderman of Michigan, for example. Swimming, canoeing, a market place, a clinic for drum care and tuning, an on-going silent auction and late night jamming are all part of this rich banquet. This year as well, there was a community project of building a giant puppet with the puppet-makers’ dreams for the future as her robe. Each drummer took part when and as she felt like painting, drawing, etc. The puppet then led the ceremonies of the Saturday celebration.
The 150 women came this year from all over: Quebec, Manitoba and Ontario as well as North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, California, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, New York State, Louisiana!
Each camper can start many new friendship and re-connect with other friends they have known along their personal drumming path. Drum teachers can be students again. People new to drumming are most assuredly welcome. Sacred dance is included, as is First Nations’ drumming, meditation, sacred rattle making, yoga, sacred circle singing, belly dancing and even workshops on all the little percussion instruments we gradually accumulate: shekere, vocal gourds, bells and claves. THere are a number of beginner to advanced djembe workshops, too.
I heard about the camp years ago; this year was my first venture into it. I attended for a half-day and loved it. Everyone was so friendly. The workshop was absolutely wonderful. I didn’t eat with the women but the food looked so good! I am planning to camp out in a cabin next year and join in fully with my sister drum campers. Wow!!!
As the Iron Age woman knew, and as the earliest Christian
women knew whether she converted from Jewish or Greek & Roman traditions,
drumming with many other women is a deeply empowering event. Even my 1/2 day was soo refreshing!
Curious? Hungry? See photos below for a taste! And check out their website.
www.drumcamps.ca
Saskatoon Drummers Public Debut
DIane, Marie and Dorothy are the core drummers in the group that meets at McClure United Church in Saskatoon, SK. This group began less than one year ago! When the Grandmothers For Grandmothers (G4G) were taking part in the Stride to Turn the Tide walk, the group decided to make this their first public drumming event! Such bravery!!!
They drummed to bring the participants together for the guest speaker and then drummed all the walkers off on the journey, before joining in themselves! Choosing Omalu for their core pattern, they blessed the walkers and sent waves of strength, hope and healing to African grandmothers less fortunate than many in Canada.
Congratulations, Saskatoon Biblical Drummers!! http://www.g4gsaskatoon.ca/ and
www.stephenlewisfoundation.org
Frame Drums Italia
Each year, Italy hosts a frame drum event that draws some of the best frame drummers from around the world. This year, it is held in Montelparo Italy, June 19-23. Well, at least we can dream......even if the poster features only male drummers!
Details are on poster below & at www.framedrumsitalia.it
B. Michael Williams
Whether you are a formally trained musician or not, here are some websites to enjoy.
B. Michael Williams is an award-winning university professor of music in South Carolina. As a percussionist, he performs with symphonies and orchestras and participates in international percussive societies and events. Through his doctoral work on the percussionist John Cage (1935-1943), Dr. Williams studied middle eastern frame drumming.
He has now composed “Four Solos for Frame Drums.” Using the same strokes and techniques we do, he has developed scores for his frame drum and riq pieces .
Watch him and listen to him on www.honeyrock.net; www.bachovich.com; bmichaelwilliams.com
He demonstrates well the difference between drumming as performance and drumming as worship & prayer practice. Check it out!
Ottawa Biblical Drummers
Ottawa Biblical Drummers supporting one another and learning together
Read MoreMarla Leigh's workshops: are you going?
Earlier we shared the news of Marla's workshops coming to Nepean ON. This is a real opportunity to meet and drum with a very gifted woman from the southern US. Click on the post earlier post for details.
Miranda's up-coming workshops
While may of us here in Canada may not travel to such wonderful yet distant offerings, it is wise to know what else is going on in our frame drums' wider circles of Layne's students and teachers. Here is Miranda Rondeau's spring offerings. Her email is mirandaooruk@yahoo.com
Happy dreaming! Maybe one day......
Wed. May 22nd
Music offerings at IlluMOONation Project Women Circle
https://www.facebook.com/events/151960871651590/
Fri. May 24th
Vocal Toning Exploration Playshop
https://www.facebook.com/events/508990499136108/
Wed. May 29th
Ceremonial Songs & Sound Journey: Sound Bath Experience
https://www.facebook.com/events/327586540677944/
Sat. June 29th
Two Frame Drum Workshops
https://www.facebook.com/events/118301218363495/?ref=notif¬if_t=plan_user_joined
Festival details
Further details for our Festival have been added to the Festival page and will continue to be added as they are decided. Come join in the fun!
Frame Drumming with Marla Leigh!
A frame drum workshop is coming to Nepean, Ottawa!!! It is the Summer Solstice Frame Drum Workshop led by Marla Leigh from California. Her website: www.marlaleigh.com
This is an opportunity to learn with a gifted frame drummer.
Mother Earth's 'Cool' Drums
Re-establishing the Biblical Drum
An article appeared in the Stittsville News that you might enjoy reading:
http://issuu.com/performancegroupofcompanies/docs/stittsville031413/5
Some traditional Persian frame drumming
Check this out! Her frame drum has the jingles on the inside of the frame. This is why she gives gentle small shakes throughout. But wow! her speed! I love her concentration.
Other Canadian young women joining in
This is well worth your time: other young women reclaiming the spiritual power of f
Vocal Exploration Playshop
In Santa Monica CA, Miranda Rondeau leads workshops called "Vocal Exploration Playshop"
She invites us to learn to use our voices as offerings to the Holy One, along with our drumming.
Basically she begins by gently saying the strokes she is playing and then lets those words carry her into wordless song and drumming. It is very, very meditative and prayerful.
check out her two Demos at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVUbHgaZOMY
andwww.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdz3132V9Ys