Performance Details

(Note:  Below are details from a “typical” program.  Actual programs will vary depending on length of time available, specific Holiday shows, school curriculum being studied, etc.. See also Sample Program)

 

The program begins with the mysterious sounds of Native American flute, Aztec wind whistle, and crystal singing bowls aglow in candle light.  Then the deep beat of a giant drum is heard, and the energy begins to rise with rattles, chanting, gongs and a great blast on the conch shell.  Listeners have a chance to share the stories of their “journeys” they experience with the sounds, and are shown how cultures use materials from nature to create these sounds:  giant sea shells from Hawaii; the gourd of an Indian snake charmer; hoofs, skin, bone and tendon of deer in Native American percussion; the dead branch of a eucalyptus tree hollowed out by ants and termites which form the didjeridoo.  The audience is shown how to use their mouths to mimic the wild animal sounds of the Australian didjeridoo, and all are invited to join in clapping and singing a Native American chant.  A joyful “belly-dancing” routine follows, as the infectious rhythms of Indian snake-charmer and Middle Eastern and African drums and flutes fill the hall.  Young children are invited to imitate snakes with their bodies and voices.  For a final surprise, volunteers have a chance to “squeeze the bag” of the Scottish Bagpipes, and the program concludes as the piper marches down the aisles in a final farewell.

 

Presentations can be geared for all ages, Grades K-12, and all audience sizes.  Special programs are available for toddler and pre-K.

 

· Introduces listeners to the power and beauty of ancient musical sounds from world cultures.

 

· Demonstrates how these sounds can be used as a springboard for their own imagination and inner wisdom.

 

· Encourages a knowledge and appreciation of these ancient cultures through the sharing of facts, myths and stories relating to sound and music.

 

· Encourages a deeper sense of connection with Nature and the Environment, by discussing how the instruments are made and used in traditional cultures.

 

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