Update on Carl

[Carl]

Hey all, long time no type!

things have been interesting... to say the least...

My wife and I are in the middle of finalizing a home purchase, and my music career is just starting to get off the ground.

Our new home has a two story barn, the second story will become my studio over the next couple of years (lot's of reinforcing of the floor for heavier use). The house was built in 1776 and is in very reasonable condition.

I have finally gotten into teaching in schools as a artist in residence and more community oriented gigs are starting to come my way!

Every now and then I lurk here in Djembefolaland and I miss the interaction here very much.
I would like to say that I will have time to participate more in the near future, but anyone who has started their own business, owned an antique house or started a farm (or all 3 at once!) would tell you, I'm not sure I can make it happen!

The TTM test has definitely gone to the back burner for me but on the plus side, I have been working with Mahiri K. to put together a TTM based school curriculum for artist in residency. I started field testing it last week!

Anyway, I'll mark this thread for updates, so if you reply below I have a 'chance' or responding in less time than it takes to pay off a car.

Peace,
Carl

[michi]

Hey Carl, it's bloody nice to have you back! Hang around!

Michi.

[bubudi]

hi carl, great to see you back! hope you can pop in once in a while.

congratulations on your house and the school and community gigs! while ttm is a good foundation, it's not the only way to achieve your goals. having said that, if that's what you want, you will find a way to achieve it! maybe when everything is a bit more stable. power to you for taking the plunge into the unknown with your music career. i wish you loads of success!

[Carl]

Hey bubudi!

Yes, TTM is one of many roads... and in fact, I would say that my work, so far, towards the test is part of what gave me the confidence and contacts to take on the freelance lifestyle.

While TTM certification is a huge personal goal for me, my professional goals are probably going to be better served by the curriculum that I am helping Mahiri put together.

He want's to turn his 15+ years of experience in teaching in schools into a formal curriculum that can be "sold" so school systems... integrating a K - 12 plan based on the djembe/dunun orchestra. Our conversations about this have been fascinating!

I am able to offer Mahiri my background in the American school systems, and my research background. I have a degree in music education so I have been translating a lot of concepts from Mahiri's traditional/personal experience in the the more "formal" American School System Language(TM).

Mahiri has obviously given a lot of thought to the place that the Mande traditional culture can have in the American culture. I feel like I am finally having the conversation that I wanted to have back when I was participating in the old Djembe-L board. (sometime in the late 90's)

The most frustrating thing for me at this point is realizing that getting to Guinea is just NOT going to happen in the foreseeable future. (at least 2 years unless something miraculous happens)

In the mean time I am more than happy to deepen my understanding of this art with the resources at my disposal.

Later,
C

[rachelnguyen]

Hey Carl,

It sounds like you have some really great things going on these days. I am especially interested in the school integration part. I would love to see more schools getting into African music. It is so important on so many levels.

I hope you are able to get to Guinea sooner rather than later! But in the mean time, you have a pretty full plate, it seems.

[Waraba]

He want's to turn his 15+ years of experience in teaching in schools into a formal curriculum that can be "sold" so school systems... integrating a K - 12 plan based on the djembe/dunun orchestra. Our conversations about this have been fascinating!

I am able to offer Mahiri my background in the American school systems, and my research background. I have a degree in music education so I have been translating a lot of concepts from Mahiri's traditional/personal experience in the the more "formal" American School System Language(TM).

Mahiri has obviously given a lot of thought to the place that the Mande traditional culture can have in the American culture. I feel like I am finally having the conversation that I wanted to have back when I was participating in the old Djembe-L board. (sometime in the late 90's)
C

Hey! I'm a N-6 classroom teacher here in NY State, Westchester County. We have a great program going in my school. Basically we have an entire grade level (4th) building their own mbira. First it's in the art program for preparing the sound board, then to the music room for assembling, tuning, and playing. Kevin Nathaniel Hylton is the Artist-in-Residence. He works with the music teacher and they teach the kids Zimbabwean song and dance along with mbira. Then his band, Heritage Organic Percussion (which includes djembe), come for a culminating assembly where about 400 kids play their homemade mbira along with the band, playing the songs they practiced. This is our second year doing the program we invented and we're going for a third next year. We developed lots of classroom lessons to go along with it, through social studies especially, but also science and math. For example, we play Youtube clips of Shona mbira & hosho (shaker) players standing in a field as if they are playing for farmers. The kids work on their mbira while the clip plays lifesize on the SMARTBoard.