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Our previous date for Festival 2016 include the time of of Passover. For this reason, the dates for the Second International Biblical Drum Festival have been moved one week earlier to April 15, 16 & 17.
So, re-mark your calendars and come, join in!!!!!
The Ottawa Biblical Drummers were invited by one of our members, Judith, to drum for Psalm 150 at her Bat Mitzvah! We were thrilled! It was a beautiful service of worship and our little part went quite well. Congregants were curious about our drums and appreciated our contribution. Below is a photo taken by Jordan Wouk (Judith's brother-in-law) at this happy event! Again, Judith, congratulations! And again, thank-you for the privilege of your invitation! A magnificent lunch followed and in the evening of this auspicious day (March 21) we gathered a second time to celebrate Judith's 70th birthday with a lovely Lebanese dinner! Mazel Tov! L'Chayim!
Building on the wonderfulFirst International Biblical Drum Festival last year, we are pleased to share with you that the Second International Biblical Drum Festival will be held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, April 15 to 17, 2016. Beginners are most welcome as well as intermediate and advanced drummers who knew and learned with Layne Redmond.
Her very gifted drummer, Miranda Rondeau, from California is our special guest. An internationally known drum singer, Miranda is a deeply spiritual frame drum artist, and gifted workshop facilitator. She chants with her own unique expression, knitting the human being with nature's elements, for devotion, relaxation, meditation and prayer.
Earth Day occurs just after our Festival. And so the theme chose for our Festival isthe 4 elements: earth, air, fire, and water, an ancient Nubian practice of associating each stroke of the drum with an element. Layne learned of this association from Hamza el-Din who grew up in Nubia.
So, come, dream and drum, learn and celebrate !
The Ottawa Biblical Drummers will be your welcoming hosts!
Details will be published on this site as they become available.
After a celebratory final gathering in 2014, where each of us received a tambourine charm and we decided to have an Epiphany dinner, we took a 2 week break for the holidays, resuming our times together on January 2. While some were down with colds and others taking holiday guest to the airport, everyone else joined in. This year we will focus on the longer piece called Rattlesnake Composition for two groups of drummers. This shows weekly practice has led to wonderful results: we feel ready to take on this challenge! A new opening format and closing Commissioning and Blessing are also part of each gathering.
New people are always welcome in either group: Bells Corners United Church (Friday 10:30 to noon) and Stittsville United Church (Friday 7pm to 9pm). Please email before you come so that we can ensure there will be a drum for you to play! The Friday group meets every other week depending on those gathered. So, if you 'd like to join us there, please email us to be sure of the date of our next gathering. All drummers are most welcome in either or both groups.
Happy New Year! Hope to see you among us in 2015!
http://youtu.be/9cDpECPZomU
This is a group of Inner Rhythm drummers from the Framingham, Maine area.
What fun it would be to prepare for this event!
Tak Doum!
Our beginner frame drum
Read MoreThis fall, there will be 2 groups for biblical drumming in Ottawa: an Intermediate and a Beginner.
Intermediates will gather every Friday 10:30am-12:00noon at Bells Corners United Church.
Beginners will gather every other Friday 7:00pm-9:00pm at Stittsville United Church.
Members in either group are welcome to participate in both groups!
Please use the Contact Us link on this site for information and 'registration.'
Here is a group photo at our end of year picnic. We had it on a little island at our local Zoo.... What an array of food we had!! We ate first, then ... sat on lawn chairs in a circle and drummed. What a great time we had. The weather was sunny and warm with a slight breeze. We could not have asked for anything better. We gave Bob a retirement present of a 12" fiber skin drum. Judy made a case for it, and she put a light colored flap on the inside of the drum case, which we all signed. We gave him two cards because we liked them both, and couldn't decide which one we liked the best, so gave him both of them, signed by all of us. Bob also had a present for us: a cow bell!! Judy has been "assigned" to have it over the summer, as she was the one to play it at the Festival. We had a wonderful day... Such a nice way to end the drumming year!
Summer picnic, Mark Street United Church drummers
A most wonderful time it was for each one of us! We processed, worshiped, learned, practised, dreamed, meditated, laughed a lot, kept silence a lot, dined very well, drummed and drummed. New friendships formed. Drum group met drum group for the first time. Keynote presentations were imaginative, absorbing and genuine learning events. Check out some of the photos on the Our Drum Festival page.
At last it is here: the eve of our departure to Peterborough for the First International Biblical Drum Festival! So exciting! And 7 are bringing brand spanking new 16" tars for their first public appearance! Deborah is on her way, due any moment in Ottawa from Falmouth ME. Barb and Amy begin the 10 hour drive tomorrow morning.
Mostly, we abandon our two much loved 1 year old Biewer yorkies to a kennel for the first time tomorrow morning!!!
They both love it when I drum and curl up by my feet such that I have to "step, step" very very carefully! Ah the good life!
See you all very soon!
Check out the latest Roadie Blog!
In our Festival section, an outline of the workshops offered is now posted. Registrants will sign up for each after they check-in at the Welcome or Registration Desk. There are both learning and experiential sessions and each registrant chooses 3 workshops.
Happy Anniversary, Mark Street UC drummers!
Read MoreCrisp, sunny Tak Doum greetings everyone!
There is a cap of 20 for beginners. So, be sure to fill out your form asap so we can reserve a spot for you in that group! Drums will be provided for you.
The golf shirts are turning out to be very popular: dark turquoise with our woman drummer logo in silver! We will purchase golf shirts only for those who indicate they are planning to buy one at the Festival so be sure you indicate you would like one, if you do. No shirts will be ordered for general sale. High quality, wash and wear very well. A beautiful souvenir and garment!
Our International Biblical Drum Festival is coming very soon! It already feels exciting for those of us already involved.
Registrations have begun to come in, the first coming from Connecticut!
Beautiful golf shirts are being designed.
We will have a Skype visit with Maria Boivin de Labbe in Norway (see Leaders page!).
Workshops are being finalized.
So take a moment to glance over the Festival pages and keep checking back for updates.
Warsaw United Church, Ontario
Read MoreBe of good cheer! Our Ottawa group continues strong and enthusiastically. Our repertoire has wondrously grown over the fall as has our friendship with one another!
Communicating among the members feels more comfortable for all if we do it within the group. Hence the lessening of entries on this News page.
We welcome of new participants- always, always!
Dear Drumming Friends,
On Monday of this week, at 8:16am, in her home (Asheville NC), Layne Redmond left our world. Her close friend and soul-sister Debra Roberts was with her. Debra shared with us that Layne's transition was gentle and peaceful. She is beyond all her suffering now.
Layne's Buzz Off Celebration (see item below for August 03) is her memorial service. She was there to contribute her gentle voice & laughter and her gifted drumming and to feel our love embracing her from parts around the world.
Layne's last workshop, July 2013
On Thursday afternoon, her body will be cremated and your prayers and drum-prayers of gratitude are encouraged at that time, for Layne's life which transformed the lives of so many, and whose scholarly and artistic work will continue to change the world for generations to come.
Here is how Layne described her arrangements: "We are working with the wonderful Center for End of Life Transitions organization for a natural, environmentally sound home-based funeral. The body, which is not embalmed, is kept undisturbed at home for up to three days, much like a traditional home wake. They also work with Asheville Mortuary Services which has seating for up to 30 people to attend the cremation and view it through a large window. We can create our own ritual and music for this period. We have the option for purchasing a cardboard coffin that we can decorate and also non-metallic offerings can be put into the coffin. In the beginning I wasn't real excited about thinking about being cremated (!) but by the time the two wonderful women, Caroline and Ruth had laid out our beautiful options we were all very excited about creating the funeral. Really it has taken on the aspect of transforming a funeral ritual that could be somewhat empty into something more meaningful and celebratory as I did with other kinds of rituals with the Mob of Angels. I can see my death as a very natural extension of the life I have lived."
Ah, our dear, dear Layne, how deeply we will miss you. Journey well!
Our new tars
Frame Drum with jingles