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- Remo Belli
How group drumming is being used as a tool for wellness and community building
"Now, more than ever before, people throughout the world are investing time and energy taking better care of themselves. As a health-conscious society, we’re searching for meaningful and enjoyable ways to live full, vital and productive lives."
Remo BelliHave you ever sat
down at the piano at the end of a hard day to let off some steam? The benefits
are obvious. It’s not about performance, it’s about feeling better. But for
some people who have never learned how to make their own music, there’s an
alternative that provides a means of stress-reduction and enjoyment and
involves music making.
There is a cultural
phenomenon that has recently been featured in such publications as Time
Magazine, Prevention, Discovery, and even Natural Beauty and Health. Drum
circles are probably one of the most ancient forms of community building known
to man, but today’s press is just beginning to report on the proliferation of
group drumming and the application for health & wellness. Drum circles have
led to a much larger recreational music making movement that is going on
worldwide. The scope of recreational music making is vast; however, the focus
of this article is on the percussion aspect.
In the drum circle,
people who are not necessarily professional musicians come together to create
an improvised composition that becomes the score for their own lives. The drum
circle provides a portal into musical expression, making it an accessible
experience for anyone at any age or level of ability. In it’s simplest form,
the drum is an accessible tool for creative expression.
Percussion is not a
new phenomenon. As we re-discover the wisdom of the ancients, we continue to
learn how to weave ancient practice with modern science. Based upon a recent
study, the medical community is beginning to embrace this application of music
and medicine. Dr. Bittman, CEO of the Meadville Medical Center and his
research team discovered that a specific group drumming approach significantly
increased the disease fighting activity of circulating white blood cells
(Natural Killer cells) that seek out and destroy cancer cells and
virally-infected cells. The study included 111 normal subjects, all of whom
were non-musicians. Along with conventional medical strategies, Dr. Bittman
includes group drumming in all of his disease-based programs at the Mind-Body
Wellness Center.
Drum circles are
happening in many places. This demonstrates the importance of establishing a
rhythmaculture in our Western world. People attend these events not to become
better percussionists, but to reduce stress, build community, and have fun. It
is a recreational activity that engages the mind, body, and spirit. Arthur
Hull, father of the modern day drum circle, developed his unique approach to
facilitating drum circles in the 1980s through an observation of the need that
extended beyond percussion skill development. According to Arthur, "when we
drum together, it changes our relationships and helps us cope with whatever
challenges life hands us."
With attraction in
many different arenas, drum circles may be seen in corporations for
teambuilding, hospitals for music therapy, and music stores for community
building. At the Remo Percussion Center in North Hollywood, we are exploring
the application and value of weekly drum gatherings for social well-being and
personal health. A recent survey of sixty participants showed that the most
common reason for attending the weekly drum circles was "stress reduction."
The fact that people are now making their own music for Believing in the need
for music making to maintain health demonstrates a paradigm shift – that
musical expression may actually be necessary – more than for entertainment,
but for its health promoting value.
The HealthRHYTHMS
division at Remo was created with the focus of integrating drumming and
wellness in order to share information, insights, articles and develop
user-friendly instruments that can be used in health care settings globally.
Our efforts are intended to help people integrate drumming as a tool for
enhancing their lives, reconnecting with their community, and maintaining
their health.
The Remo Percussion
Center holds free community drum circles every Tuesday night at 7208 Coldwater
Canyon in North Hollywood. For more information, please visit
Remo.com, click on HealthRHYTHMS or contact Christine Stevens at
cstevens@remo.com, or 661-294-5698.