Afrocuban Percussion Workshop Day

Oi Musica is delighted to host ethnomusicologist Christian Weaver, for an all-welcome workshop. A fantastic development opportunity for percussionists, and a rare opportunity for those new to percussion to dive into Afrocuban drumming in a supported and friendly environment. This workshop focuses on a less well-known area of Afrocuban music: traditional Iyesa drumming and singing.

This workshop day follows on from the first Cuban, Ijesá drumming and singing day. If you didn’t make the first session do not worry, we will revise everything we covered in that session. If you did make the workshop this is a good chance for you to see what you remember, as well as learning parts you maybe did not play, or developing the language of the cája (the improvising drum that works with the dancers, and speaks to the orisha) We will also cover all parts for a new form that we did not cover in the first session.

Iyesá drumming and singing in Cuba has a strong home in the city of Matanzas where the traditional instruments are still used. The city is home to the oldest consecrated drums in the Americas, Iyesa Modu. The culture the Ijesá planted and guarded in Cuba, particularly music, philosophy and religion, although only represented in a few distinct areas, has been highly significant in Cuba where they have greatly influenced popular music, in particular carnival and orisha music. Their traditional percussion ensemble is four, double-ended drums played either stick and hand or with hands, and two bells played with sticks, accompanying a huge array of songs.  

This is the ensemble we will use to learn the two distinct polyrhythms that accompany songs for the orishas, playing traditional, hand-made drums from Matanzas. We will also cover a number of new songs for principal orishas (venerated forces) of the Iyesá.

The music is joyous, energetic and uplifting. It has an infectious rhythm that lifts the players to give more and creates a compelling call to the dancers. The different rhythmic motifs of the polyrhythm range from simple to more complex but there is always something for everyone (all abilities) in this music. It will delight and energise you!

All instruments provided.

About the teacher. Christian Weaver (PhD) is a musician, ethnomusicologist and educator who has travelled and researched extensively in Cuba since 1994. Almost every year over the last 30 years he has studied and documented forms of Afrocuban ritual music.

His first-hand experience playing music and performing in ceremonies in Havana and Matanzas has also allowed him to document contemporary developments in a music scene that never stands still.

Over this time, under the umbrella of the music company, La Timbala; he has collaborated professionally with Cuban musicians in many different settings both in Cuba and Europe, directing groups from small rumba ensembles, to the 29-piece big band ‘Orquesta Timbala’; composed music and arranged traditional Afrocuban songs in new settings; studied rumba; written extensively about Cuban and West-African music; and guided students on his residential courses in Cuba.

As an educator, and workshop leader, Christian uses traditional teaching methods that focus on listening, singing and playing to enable players to experience different types of polyrhythmic music. His workshops aim to be both challenging and fun, to pass on traditional knowledge and wisdom, to give social context to the music, and to reveal some of the rhythmic systems that shape Cuban and West African drumming.

His combination of in-depth, practical involvement and participant- observer research, provide a direct insight into the social context and function of the music that enriches and deepens the experience of learning new cultural material.