Arts collective drum classes start soon
The Cullen family are tuned into the beat of life. Anne Cullen and her two sons Max, 12, and Jake, 9, have all participated in drumming workshops through the Performing Arts Collective.
‘‘It’s me that drove it,’’ Anne said. ‘‘I have always loved drumming and there aren’t a lot of opportunities here for beginners.
‘‘I am a musician, I play the flute. It’s just something I’ve always wanted to try and I was a bit nervous about trying to do it as a beginner adult.
‘‘It looked like the perfect opportunity to give it a try and so I said to Max, ‘You need to come along.’ He was a bit resistant but actually when it came time to sign up for the second lot of classes it was him that said, ‘Let’s do it’.’’
Anne and Max have done two six-week drumming classes together, then Jake wanted to get involved too so he and his brother did a school holiday class together.
‘‘It’s just really cool to be able to make your own music,’’ Max said. ’’You hear it all the time but it’s cool to be able to make your own and make it yours.
‘‘Drumming is an easy way to do that because in six weeks you can learn how to play basic tunes.
‘‘It’s not like some instruments where it takes you ages to figure out how you can play all the different notes.’’
Max spent a year learning to play the trombone. ‘‘He’s had way more success just in six weeks,’’ Anne said.
Jake enjoyed having a go on all the different drums and percussion instruments.
Performing Arts Collective recently received about $2500 in funding through the Creative Communities Scheme, which has allowed it to subsidise the price of drumming lessons and provide more instruments for people to have a go on.
‘‘We would love to promote family and friends learning together and intergenerational learning,’’ collective director Keri Elvin said.
The next six-week course starts on Wednesday October 5 and the last set of six starts on November 16.
It runs from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at the Central Baptist Church on Liardet St.
For more information contact Keri Elvin on 0211492756, performingcollective@gmail.com or find the collective on Facebook.