West African Percussion Ensemble

Traditional West African Music has influenced the music of America, Brazil and the Caribbean. The musical elements present in the music can serve as a thread for a multicultural music curriculum. Allowing students to experience performing in a West African Percussion Ensemble will lead to true understanding of the rich rhythmic layers that are present in the music. This ensemble will facilitate and reinforce music literacy because the rhythms are difficult to read. Students will also have an opportunity to create there own music on these instruments. Allowing students to create music with these characteristic will demonstrate how much they really understand music. It is important for students to compose their own music to express their artistic side. Unfortunately, students rarely get the opportunity to create music until they reach the college level. This is like reading and never writing. It is essential for music teachers to nurture the creative process in music. I am a music teacher a new school called KAPPA III / 316 in the Bronx. This is a public middle school that provides a rigorous academic program to students of low socioeconomic background. Our motto is Preparing Today's Children to Become Tomorrow's Leaders. We want to provide students in the community with the opportunity to succeed by creating a nurturing learning environment. This brings us to our second motto which is We Not Me in KAPPA III. This teaches students the value of community. You are a reflection of your people and your community. Music in KAPPA III is part of the curriculum and not an elective. Our music approach is holistic where we apply interdisciplinary themes across our curriculum so that students are able to make connections across content. I would like to create a West African Percussion Ensemble. We would need Djembe drums, DounDoun drum, Sangban drum, Kenkeni drum, gourd rattle, and shakers. All KAPPA III students will get experience playing and creating music on these instruments, but only two classes will be selected as the KAPPA III West African Drum and Dance Ensemble. The history of music is the history of people. Music reflects culture, as well as language. This experience will help student facilitate greater understanding of West African music and how it has influenced music all over the world.