TUESDAY GROUP...drums up fun!

It was a delight to welcome everyone to our October meeting, including several new members and guests. Notices out of the way, I had pleasure in introducing the return of Marion Nieuwenhuizen. I think those who experienced this Drumming Workshop will agree that Marion managed to drum up wonderful creativity, instilling fun and rhythm into all – including those calling themselves 'non-musical'! Her enthusiasm is infectious and an evening that started with some apprehension ended in a rousing 'finale', much laughter and loud applause!

Marion explained how she began her journey into drumming. Having moved to Taunton from the Netherlands in 1999, she wanted to expand her interest in folk dance and music, and learnt to play several instruments including piano and guitar, but her passion became the sound of African drums (not least, she said, because they don't need tuning!) and she was able to spend some time in Africa developing and perfecting this art and that of African dance. Subsequently she wanted to share this passion and started running workshops and classes.

So, everyone having access to a 'Djembe' drum, she proceeded to teach us one rhythm, then a second, dividing the group into two, sounding both rhythms at the same time, then a third, and finally improvising all that with a variety of percussion instruments.....it built to a fantastically innovative, and inclusive sound with everyone present, musicians and non-musicians alike delighting in the process and the end product....attracting spontaneous applause! Wow.......what a buzz of an evening!!

The Tuesday Group is a ladies social group drawing from Drayton, Curry Rivel, Muchelney, Fivehead, Langport and beyond, and meets on the third Tuesday each month at 7.30 pm in the Drayton Village Hall. Annual membership is only £10, or come and try for a guest fee of just £2.50 per meeting. For further information please contact either Barbara Lancey on 01458 252657, email barbaralancey@hotmail.com, or Aideen Roche on 01458 252022, email aideenroche@btinternet.com.