ULV drum ensemble, kids beat the skins

photo by Caroline Franke

The University of La Verne Kids Music Club, an ongoing series of educational concerts, featured the ULV West African Drum Ensemble last Saturday. Under the direction of instructor and ensemble founder Steven Biondo, far right, the rhythms of West Africa were brought to the children through interactive activities.

by Adrianna Gardner
Staff Writer

On May 8, the University of La Verne’s drum ensemble drummed while local children pounded out the sounds of West Africa to the University and its neighbors.

Under the direction of music technician Steven Biondo, ULV’s West African Drum Ensemble was the latest group to be featured in the music department’s “kids club” series. It was an interactive concert combining music and education on the history of West African drumming.

“It was good to learn about this cultural thing. I really enjoyed this,” said junior television broadcasting major Carlos Palermo.

Palermo both performed and helped the children participate in the various drum rhythms.

The first rhythm played, Bariti, is usually played for village celebrations like weddings and births. Ideally, singers and dancers would be present, accompanying the drummers.

“We’re working on that,” Biondo said to the audience.

Founders Auditorium was filled with vibrations and sounds as shakers and several drums introduced the art of drumming and its history to the children in the audience.

The history of West African drumming begins in a specific area with the Malinté people, a group that consists of present-day Ivory Coast and Nugene citizens, to name a few.

Taught by oral traditions, many people dedicate their lives to learning this instrument, Biondo said.

“This is certainly one of the newest, and my favorite group,” said assistant professor of music Scott Farthing as he introduced the ensemble.

Visual aids, showing the proper spelling for the names of the drum, were given to the audience.

Names like “dununba” (the daddy drum), “kenken” (bell), and “kenkene” (baby drum) were seemingly onomatopoeic-matching its name with the sound it makes.

Some rhythms required audience participation, which was fun for grandmother of two, Rosie Contreras and her grandchildren Eugimio Sias, 3, and Thalia Sias, 4, who were visiting from Texas.
Contreras has dedicated a room in her home to the culture and saw the event as a good learning opportunity.

“It was great. I want my grandchildren to carry on the tradition of music. It was a good experience,” said Contreras who has a family tradition of musicianship. “Now I can go home and practice.”

Other rhythms played were, “Moribayassa,” which uses six different voices and “Kuku,” which was played when women come back from fishing.

In comparison to an orchestra conductor, this type of drumming relies on signals in the drumming patterns, Biondo said.

It was his vision for the ensemble to incorporate the history of West African drumming with a class.

“There would be no drumming without a people,” Biondo said.

The experience of performing in this concert series was as valuable for the ensemble as for the audience.

Freshman English major Darnell Gilbert said it took off a lot of the pressure off that would otherwise be present before a performance.

“It was fun. It was different. We could relax this time and have some fun,” Gilbert said.

The ULV West African Drum Ensemble will perform again Monday at 8 p.m. in Dailey Theatre.

For more information, contact Farthing at Ext. 4918.