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Rhythmic Motivation Rhythmic Motivation Immerse your students in an energizing day of drumming ecstasy with internationally acclaimed educator/performer Jim Donovan. This program is designed to help students learn more about themselves through the ancient art of group hand drumming. Help your students feel enlivened, relaxed and focused as they discover new a strategies for conscious listening, de-stressing and the value cooperative effort through rhythm. Drums are provided for up to 50 students per session. First-time drummers are warmly welcomed.
Johnsmith Johnsmith is one performer who doesn't wear hype well. His artistry speaks for itself. In fact, the idea of 'just being real' is a prominent theme throughout his music. And yet, to simply say that Johnsmith is a great singer/ songwriter would not be enough. In addition to his incomparable musical abilities and finely tuned songwriting skills, Johnsmith possesses the even rarer gift of being able to share his soul. That gift is the foundation on which everything else about him is built, and it comes shining through in every song he sings. The following lyrics from the title cut of his new CD, Break Me Open, are a perfect example:
Yamato Drummers of Japan Yamato and its high-power exhilarating drummers returns to Kutztown with a brand-new show Shin-on — Heartbeat. With several dozen large and small drums (including an odaiko made from a huge tree over 400 years old), Yamato put their very souls into these unusual instruments, whose sound stirs the hearts of people everywhere.
Dominic Gaudious A new sound for the new millennium Dynamic, Intense and Passionate are just some of the words used to describe the innovative work of instrumental guitarist and composer, Dominic Gaudious. After successfully releasing two albums and touring with an eclectic rock band in the 1980's, Dominic found his passion in the contemplative world of Classical/World Beat music. Working mainly with six & twelve-string acoustic guitars and incorporating exotic instruments such as the Australian Didgeridoo, Dominic expanded on the theme and created a uniquely intricate playing style which blends the sounds of Classical, Jazz, Flamenco, Rock, and World Beat. He has performed at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, the Australian Embassy, Montreux Music Festival, National Geographic, opened for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Pat Benatar, Kip Winger, appeared with the well-respected jazz ensemble Acoustic Alchemy, The Rippingtons, and world-renowned guitarists such as Pierre Bensusan, Adrian Legg and Eric Johnson. He also performed at the after show party for John Petrucci, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Often compared to Michael Hedges, Eddie Van Halen and Al DiMeola, Dominic's appealing sound has become widely sought after for festivals, benefits and concerts such as the Race Unity Festival, Greenpeace, Sound Support for Autism and Citizens for a Better Environment. Dominic’s music has been featured on Echoes, Hearts of Space, National Public Radio and many local and syndicated stations throughout the world. Most recently Dominic was a finalist on FOX TV’s “30 Seconds to Fame,” a finalist and Honor Award Winner in the Great American Song Contest for his song " Far East Fusion," nominated 2003 Best Instrumental Artist by campus awards.com and nominated by SSA as National Radio Recording Artist of the Year.
Ballet Hispanico Noted ethnic dance troupe available for a concert or a lecture demonstration.This troupe has performed for more than 2 million people, appearing in such venues as the John F. Kennedy Center, Houston's Wortham Center, the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia and Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va.
Black Knights The Black Knights Drum Corps was formed in the spring of 1989 by Director Pete Ellison and Assistant Director Russell Kingman.The Corps has performed on the “Kevin & Bean” (KROQ Radio) Show, the set of the “American Gladiators” T.V. show, on the stages at Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Knott’s Berry Farm and Universal Studio’s City Walk, as well as fundraising events such as Juvinile Diabetes “Walk for the cure” and Macy’s Passport, and has represented the City of Burbank as their “Official Musical Ambassadors” at events throughout the United States and Canada since 1994.The Corps enjoys world-wide popularity amongst it’s fan base and has students throughout the United States and other parts of the globe audition for Cast positions each year.The Corps offers performance opportunities for young adults ages 14 to 22.The Corps is a founding member of the Southern California Percussion Alliance.
The Percussion Plus Project The Percussion Plus Project is a unique contemporary chamber music ensemble, which focuses on an unusual and exciting repertoire that is little-known to general audiences. Their programs consist of works for percussion (ranging from one to many players) and another solo instrument. No other ensemble devotes itself solely to this repertoire. The Percussion Plus Project was founded in 1993 in Prague, Czech Republic, by Amy Lynn Barber, who was then professor of percussion at the Prague . The Percussion Plus Project had its own very successful concert series for several years in Prague, and later in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where Barber was a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic. From 1998-2002 it was based in Vienna, Austria. The ensemble has performed throughout Central Europe as a guests at international festivals and concert series, and has recorded many Czech, Slovak, and Slovenian works for radio and for CDs. Many composers have been inspired to write pieces for them. Guest soloists have included many outstanding European and American musicians. The concerts and recordings of the Percussion Plus Project have consistently won critical acclaim for the quality of their performance and for creative and unique programming.
Jim Donovan...... Rhythmic Motivation with Jim Donovan of Rusted Root Jim Donovan the primitive howl he heard in that coffee can was evolving into a divine whisper, one that sent him into the University?s classical music program and into the waiting arms of those with whom he would create Rusted Root. Over the past fifteen years Rusted Root has made millions of people all over the globe dance, smile and sweat. They have sold in excess of three million recordings, made countless trips around North America where they were blessed to share the stage with such Rock and Roll legends as Santana, Page and Plant, Sting, Dave Matthews Band, The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead and many others. They have appeared on numerous national TV shows, including MTV, FX, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien VH-1?s Hard Rock Live and the CBS Morning Show. Their music has been featured on numerous television shows as well as major motion films such as Ice Age, Mathilda, Twister and the PBS Web of Life Documentary. On his own Donovan has released 3 solo CDs as well as 4 instructional drumming CDs. he has also recorded with with Triloka recording artist Krishna Das on his highly acclaimed CD ?Live on Earth?. Donovan's most recent CD Revelation #9 was nominated for 2004 Electronica Album of the Year by Just Plain Folks Songwriters organization. Fulfilling his desire to share the power of rhythm first hand to people, Donovan has built a series of educational drumming workshop programs that he teaches across the US at universities, festivals, schools, corporations and specialty venues. He is an adjunct professor at Saint Francis University and is the current director of drumming at the New York Institute of Dance and Education. He is a featured columnist in Drum! Magazine, the worlds number one drumming magazine. He was nominated for ?Best Rock Pop Percussionist? in the 2004 Drum! Magazine Readers poll. 2005 and 2006 finds Donovan expanding his musical world into two new performance projects: the highly acclaimed Drum the Ecstatic International Tour and The Drummer and the Dancer International Tour. Donovan's two new live performance shows continue to break new ground as they combine world class musicians from all over the globe, astonishing choreographed dance and multimedia. Donovan's current media projects In process due out in 2006 are his first Instructional djembe DVD titled Rhythmic Foundation, Drum the Ecstatic Live CD and The Rhythmic Mantra Drum and Chant Meditation CD.
Steve Smith Smith's drumming, while always decidedly modern, can best be described as a style that embodies the history of American music. His original love of rudimental parade drumming is evident in his intricate solos. Likewise, his command of jazz, from New Orleans music, swing, bebop, avant-garde to fusion, is applied with his powerful rock drumming sensibilities and allows him to push the boundaries of all styles to new heights. His musical focus, along with his Vital Information group, is committed to the exploration of improvised music in the uniquely American vein, incorporating styles as diverse as Blues, Jazz, R&B, Funk, Cajun and Pop. In 1998, Smith began producing and playing on a series of driving electric jazz albums for the Tone Center label with a revolving cast of talented players such as Frank Gambale, Stu Hamm, Tom Coster, Larry Coryell, Jerry Goodman, Howard Levy, Steve Marcus, Scott Henderson and Victor Wooten to name a few. In 2001 Modern Drummer Magazine named Steve as one of the Top 25 Drummer of All Time, in 2002 he as voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame and finally in 2003 his Hudson Music DVD "Steve Smith Drumset Technique - History of the U.S. Beat" was voted #1 Educational DVD of 2003. Also in 2003 Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies -- the Buddy Rich alumni quintet -- released two CDs on the Tone Center label that were record live at the famous London jazz club Ronnie Scott's; "Very Live at Ronnie Scott's Set One" and "Very Live at Ronnie Scott's Set Two." Steve Smith play Sonor drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth "Steve Smith" Signature Sticks, Remo Drum Heads, DW Bass Drum Pedals, and puts them all in Porcaro Cases.