Playback - Spring 2008 - (Page 15)

the Agricultural Cooperative Development International and Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI-VOCA), marks the first time international relief organizations have used RMM for therapeutic means. The American training team was led by author and music therapist, Christine Stevens, who has been leading drum circles for disaster recovery work and corporate teambuilding worldwide for more than 15 years. A favorite facilitator at NAMM Show drum circles, Stevens also incorporated piano, flute, violin and other band instruments in the musical gathering. Her teams included Constantine Alatzas and Mark Montygierd. According to a community economic development director for ACDI-VOCA, “The group discovered and implemented key leadership skills within the drum circle program to address elements of peacemaking, youth empowerment, economic development, alternative health applications and preservation of drumming, which is indigenous in the Iraq culture.” The project included training sessions at a local youth center, a trip to a rehabilitation center and a special youth activity day for 45 children hosted by KSC. In the course of the training program, leaders became drummers, and drummers became leaders. The final activity was a demonstration of drumming by the group for friends, family and local politicians. The event included a surprise visit by the first lady of Iraq, Mrs. Hero Ibrahim Ahmad, wife of President Jalal Talabani. The participants shared their comments at the end of the training. “I never realized the power of people making music together,” one said. “Everyone can make music! The program has been the best five days of my life.” Many were moved by the experience of working with people from many different areas of Iraq. “Travel has become too dangerous, so meeting people from Tikrit, from Kirkuk, from Sulaymaniya is a wonderful thing for us. We can share our lives and cultures.” Participants in the training program will start drum circles in significant locations of great need after the training. Specific locations are withheld for security reasons. “The Surge” Tours Iraq to Boost Morale they plAy their gigS dreSSed in full ArMy geAr—including gunS—And their “tour buS” iS A fleet of three blAckhAwk helicopterS. It goes without saying that they’re not your typical musicians. “The Surge” has a different goal: They are an Army rock band touring Iraq to lift the spirits of the soldiers stationed there. The power of music was determined to be so important in this war zone that auditions for a band were held. People from a variety of jobs tried out for the full-time military rock star positions—but just five were selected to perform as “The Surge”: vocalist Sgt. Holli Davis, drummer Spc. Aaron Rademaker, lead guitarist Spc. Theodore Dipietro, rhythm guitarist and the noncommissioned officer in charge Sgt. Joshua Gardner, and bassist Sgt. Benjamin Smith. The band plays up to four shows a week and has a fan base who are grateful for these musical interludes in their otherwise stressful days. Like drum circles and other recreational music-making programs, this story is making global headlines— including a report on CNN—and shedding light on the healing power of music making. AchieveMentS • Seven KSC youth activity centers in Northern Iraq will begin weekly drum circles for over 300 children • A children’s rehabilitation center will offer weekly drum circles for staff and for patients and families • A cultural center will begin drum circles • An orphanage will begin drum circles for thousands of children who’ve lost their parents in the war • A Kurdish performance ensemble of drummers will offer drum circles in their community and integrate drum circles into their performances According to an officer for KSC, “This program is good for conflict-resolution and reconstruction for our people. The drums create a new way of talking to each other. Through drum circles, we will bring more people together.” 15

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Playback - Spring 2008

Playback - Spring 2008 Contents From the President NAMM Events Music in the News Bringing Recreational Music Making to Iraq Commercial Retail Reps in the Field New Domestic Members International Washington Watch NAMM Foundation Music Notes Resources Viewpoint

Playback - Spring 2008

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