Building Community and Cultural Awareness Through World Drumming

This grant provides funding for new percussion instruments for both schools to be used by their respective drumming clubs. The clubs, comprised of 25 fifth grade students at Dr. Weeks and 25 multi-age students at Henninger, will collaborate four times during the school year. In November, Henninger students will perform and provide support and instruction to elementary students. In January both groups will work together with Biboti Ouikahilo, drummer and Executive Director of Wacheva Cultural Arts Center and in April the drummers will work with Samba Laranga, Syracuse University’s Brazilian Ensemble. The grant provides funding to pay for these guest artists to work with students on authentic world music. A culminating performance will take place in June 2016.