Unbeatable Energy

Caitlin Simpson, Year 9 Teacher at William Farr Secondary School, Lincolnshire

steve — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:34:15 +0000

The pupils of the year nine (especially 9RPB) would like to thank you for your wonderful session. It has encouraged lots of us with our creative side and it was fantastic that we could join in with the fun and learn new skills. Some of us are thinking of carrying on with cultural music and maybe joining a group. I would just like to say how inspiring and stimulating it was and how unlike some of the other activities – it was so hands on and fun! I personally have learnt new techniques and have been motivated to do more things with cultural music. I am sure that the year will agree with me that your session was one of the best sessions that the year has ever had. The amount of effort that you put in was massive and we would all like to say a big thank you!

Drumming Workshops at William Farr Secondary School, Lincoln, Lincolnshire – drumming in the moment!

steve — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:05:34 +0000

Every year Unbeatable Energy visit William Farr Secondary School to deliver African drumming workshops to support their Cultural Diversity Day.

This year was particularly special. The reason? Spontaneity – there was lots of it! Drumming is brilliant for creating ‘music in the moment’. When we facilitate a drumming group, it is important to have a pre-session plan, but we also need to be listening to those special things which participants bring to a rhythm event. Its all about using what a group gives you - too much planning can be a hinderance. We try to maintain a balance – have your teaching material ready to get a group started, but also have an open mind!

Frequently a group can have some special chemistry which opens the way for new creative ideas. Get it right and before you know what’s hit you, the session has turned a corner and things are starting to really rock! It doesn’t always have to be associated with a group having a high level of musical skill. The ‘in the moment’ stuff can come from anywhere. Examples?

A pupil copies the way you speak and says ‘okay!’ right in the space between some beats. Great! Lets all do that and whats more lets jump up in the air at the same time as shouting ‘okay!’.

A four year old makes a scratchy sound on the drum instead of patting the skin. How about ‘scratchy sound drum rhythms?

A teenage girl starts playing around and showing off with her friends. She starts doing a Saturday Night Fever styly movement with her arm. Perfect! Lets turn this into a dance move and rhythm routine!

The drumming groups at William Farr really brought this ‘in the moment’ creative flow to the fore! The sessions frequently started with a set arranegment of rhythms and finished with a full on improvised drum circle made from all the wonderful ideas brought to the session by the pupils.

Find out more about The African Music Experience workshops

African drumming workshop for Rainbow Guides in Ranmoor, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

steve — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:35:52 +0000

This week we ran an African drumming workshop for the Rainbow Guides in Ranmoor, Sheffield. A small group that were big on energy!
There were some wonderful voices, some great drummers – lots of raw talent and enthusiasm!

Contact us now to book an African Drumming workshop and create a beat sensation for your guides, brownies and rainbow event.

Find out more about Unbeatable Energy community drumming events.

African Drumming workshops at Codnor Primary School, Derbyshire

steve — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:33:23 +0000

Last month it was African Drumming with Codnor Primary School in Derbyhsire. On both days the children beat out rhythms such of Kassa, Djole and Kuku on dunduns, bugarabus and djembes, while the heavens opened and the rain came down – no more ‘drumming to make it rain’ cliches please!

The school hall had some very special accoustics, which meant that, when the final 45 strong Y6 children played, the drums really did sound like thunder – very rhythmic syncapated thunder that is!

Create a beat sensation at your school. Contact us now to book the African Music Experience workshop for your school Arts Week.

African Drumming at St. Michael’s C of E and RC School, Barnsley, South Yorkshire

steve — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:34:55 +0000

Last month was our annual African Drumming workshop visit to St. Michael’s Secondary School in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Was this the seventh or eighth year running that we had drummed with their pupils? We’re not sure – time goes by so quickly it felt like we were there only yesterday!

What we can tell you is that the workshops at this school just get better and better! We have never come across such enthusiastic and bright children. Five year 9 and year 10 classes took part in the African Drumming workshops and in every single session the pupils amanged to combine at least four polyrhythms and were able to hear and appreciate the combined effect.

There are some really talented young people at this school. Many have been studying music long enough to acquire a very mature approach to learning music – they learn by watching and listening instead of ‘having a go’ as soon as possible and then failing dismally! We frequently came across pupils who appeared to be reluctant to participate. When they suddenly could play everything perfectly, we realised that they had simply been spending all that time quietly observing! We were not used to Year 9 pupils behaving in this way and were quite amazed!

Looking for a fun, energising workshop for your school’s Enrichment Day or Cultural Music Week?
Find out more about how our African Music Experience workshops or contact us now to book a workshop at your school.

Drum Circle workshops for Jubliee Street Party events

steve — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:14:58 +0000

Planning a Diamond Jubliee Street party or Mayday event? Looking for something dynamic and exciting to create a sensation? Unbeatable Energy provide drum circle events which are be the perfect fun filled family activity for people of all ages.

Want to see a taster of the excitement our Community Drum Circle can offer? Watch the video here:

We will bring a fantastic variety of authentic African Drums and percussion to your event. We can be set up throughout the day allowing everyone the chance to drop in and out of the sessions. Alternatively you can plan the day so that street guests can book into a workshop – that way ensuring that you can create a big group to make it that more exciting and energising. Our drum circle workshops are lead by highly skilled drumming facilitators who have years of experience of helping people of all ages and backgrounds to access the beat!

Drumming puts a thrill into any occassion for celebration. It creates a special sense of connection between everyone who takes part and is the perfect medium for bringing communities together.

Contact us now to book a drum circle for your event.
Make your Jubliee Streeet party or Mayday event something your community will remember for years to come!

Big Drumming Team Building Event with Moneysupermarket at Chester Racecourse, Cheshire

steve — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:27:43 +0000

Watch a video of a giant interactive drumming team building session we delivered at the close of the Moneysupermarket.com ”Straight Talk” conference in Chester this year. Moneysupermarket’s team of 350 delegates created a funky samba groove with djembes, bugarabus, sound shapes, agogo bells and jam blocks with an awsome back beat created with ballet dundun bass drums!

Here is our main facilitator Steve Rivers’ account of the event:

As the conference title ”Straight Talk” implied, there was indeed alot of talking throughout the Moneysupermarket conference. As our session was at the end of the day, it occured to me that any verbal instructions could be a good way of switiching everybody off, so I decided to keep my talking to a minimum – an absolute bare minimum!

A couple of simple powerpoint slides at the beginning instructed delegates on how to get the best sound out of their drum. Card board banners with catchy phrases were used to divide the room into teams and create a funky samba rhythm. Finally a plastic apple, banana and tea cup were used to conduct the audience and weave all the rhythm parts together!

Are you looking for that special something to put the ‘wow’ factor into your next corporate event? Contact us now to discuss your requirements or visit our main corporate page here.

Create a beat sensation at your next event!

African Drumming Performances for Corporate Events in Cheshire, Greater Manchester, the North and the North West

steve — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:00:29 +0000

This is our new African Drumming ensemble ”The Beat Artistes” playing with Guinean master drummer Maitre Samsou. The performance took place during the Moneysupermarket.com conference at the Chester Race Course in February this year.

Maitre Samsou is the real deal. A master drummer who has performed with the famous Ballets Africains for many years in Guinea and is highly respected by high ranking African musicians in West Africa and the UK. His vast knowledge and musical reportiore for the djembe and dunduns seems to have no bounds and his quality of playing is phenomenal . Myself and the accompanying musicians in the band feel completely honoured to be part of his vision!

This performance took place immediately after a high energy interractive drumming session when the entire room of 350 delegates participated in a giant African drumming session – yes there were 350 drums in the room!

You might wonder what the banana, apple and tea cup is all about at 3 min 14 sec into the video – well this was an encrypted message for the delegates to play a rhythm they previously learnt. We wanted them to be part of this musical piece. After all it only seemed fair to include the delegates as well and give them a piece of the action!

African drumming workshops for KS1 at Great Preston School, Leeds

steve — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:58:05 +0000

We had a great day yesterday playing African drums with the Y1 and Y2 classes at Great Preston School, Leeds. The day culminated in a performance at the end of the day where the parents were invited.

Wow what a turn out by the parents! Sixty parents arrived to watch the African drumming performance by the children! As usual we couldn’t let this opportunity go amiss, and we made sure that there was a strong sense of audience participation! When we sung the Djole song with the KS1 class, everybody in the hall took part. Teaching the words was easy, thanks to our trusty song banners. After a few rounds of the verse everybody seemed to pick it up and before long the hall was booming with the chorus:

Wa Wango! Sico Laiko!

What a great day!

Create a thrilling atmosphere in your school that your children will never forget! Have a special day of African drumming workshops to support your arts week and cultural themed day. Find out more on our African Music Experience page or contact us to book a workshop.

Drumming Team Building Challenge for the Pepsico Team at Horwood House, Buckinghamshire

steve — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:03:07 +0000

Our new drumming facilitators down south Justine Hart and Barry Neilson created a fantastic beat sensation with the Pepsico team last week. Here is the feedback we received:

Just wanted to feedback to you that the team really enjoyed the drumming session last week. I think it was more challenging than they first expected! Not only is it a fun and lively activity but one where there is not room for ‘sitting back’ and not getting involved and really encourages the group to work together as a team! Great stuff. They also shared that they felt 90 minutes was a sufficient amount of time, as I think their hands were tired after that!

Well done Justine and Barry!