Let us WOW your child’s school with our artist-in-residency program for schools throughout Montana. We offer two programs: “Story of the Drum” and “World Drumming”:
“Story of the Drum” is a one-hour Storytelling program taking children on a make believe trip around the world. Telling the stories of nine different drums, their cultural homes, the people that make and play them, this is a magic carpet ride of adventure in sound and story. Regions, countries, and states include; the Middle East, Montana, Ireland, the Arctic region, Egypt, Cuba, and West Africa. The program concludes with the children getting drums in their hands and learning a traditional rhythm from West Africa.
“World Drumming” is a one-hour drumming FUNANZA!!! Children learn how to play drums from West Africa, Cuba and or Egypt. Through games like “Djembe Drum Talk”, “Rhythm Tug of War”, and “Rhythmic Simon Says”, kids learn the basics of hand drumming and traditional music from around the World. This one-hour program will have you and the students energized and joyful from drumming. Includes a story or two about the respective culture they are learning about: Africa, Cuba or Egypt. Fun, Fun, Fun!
Chet Leach Bio:
Chet Leach is an award winning children’s educator who began studying drumming and percussion at age 10. 16 years ago he opened Rhythm Drums at the Emerson, a studio-store providing hand drum sales and instruction. His primary teacher is Abdoul Doumbia who he has studied with in Mali, West Africa. Chet has made a full time career the last 10 years at Rhythms and currently is the music teacher at local Bozeman area schools, performs artist-in-residencies, teaches ensembles, private lessons, classes, workshops, retreats, performances and Summer Camps. He makes his home is Livingston, Montana with his wife and daughter.