Idaho City Music Camp

If we stay out of the way, our children will amaze us with their creations, their abilities, their attention, and the ingenuity of their play.  Kids, like adults, want to succeed. And these kids excelled [as I have found, most kids will if allowed.]

When we arrived Friday, they were prepared to perform. Not with the nervousness adults want to add, but with excitement and pride.  Mr. Barnes guided them through a dress rehearsal, and they all found a way to include a community member who had not been present the two days prior. With everyone in place, the Masterpiece unfolded! And of course, it was a masterpiece.

What was most rewarding for me to see, was how the whole thing was being played. They really were gathering up some skills under all that play. They used the tools they had learned through the week that made sense, fit the situation and worked for them.

• Before they were ready to perform the piece, someone put their hands on their head to invoke the first song: silence. [if you have EVER taken a class from me, that action will crack you up!]
• The person chosen to read the poem and direct the instruments used the drum circle facilitation signals I had shown them ONCE.
• They added dynamics, playing loud and fast in some places, softly in others. Their piece had sections of individual playing and playing in unison. It was complete. {one very touching moment for me, was to see the student who had a bit of trouble picking up a djembe part choose to be the drummer…..}

And that was just the beginning!  After we played their song, we gathered up drums and reviewed Fanga. That took once. Like every other group I play with, one phrase through and everyone’s in. In time, on time… together!  The kids sitting in front of the dununs were quick to see how the game we played the second day presented them their parts. [Dununba played “Du . . . Du Du ..] Without prompting, a couple students began adding improv parts and filled the song out.  Oh! And we added the singing.  I did one round of call and response with the lyrics and everybody sang the song like they knew it!  [they must feed these kids magnets.]

When we were full of Fanga, they wanted to play Moribayassa. So Mori we did. We sang, we played, we jammed…

Oh yeah, then we jammed. I began a simple, spacious rhythm on the dununs.  This was going to be the foundation upon which we’d build the song.  “Can we pick any instrument?” This workshop took place in the music room, so there were instruments galore to choose from. “Absolutely!”  Out came guitars, shakers, an autoharp, triangles, bells and much to my delight, a trumpet! Our last number was one of the best jams I’ve gotten to play – with anyone – in a while.

Then this question rounded it all out for me:  “When is our performance?”

When ever you want. Where ever you want.  You can make music anywhere. Grab your instruments and go downtown. Set up and start playing. Ask the adults in your community if you can be part of community celebrations, local events, fundraisers, and parties.  You Are Musicians. That’s what we do.

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