DrumHeart
Music Therapy and Sound Healing Practice
Michael Kenny MMT, MT-BC is a board certified music therapist. He has lived in NJ, PA, MN, TX. Michael has traveled extensively and spent years exploring the healing powers of music from many cultures. Michael has a Master of Music Therapy degree from SMU, with his thesis examining the effects of group drumming on measures of group cohesion and aggression with adolescents in substance abuse recovery. He has had experience working at state and private psychiatric hospitals, schools, nursing homes, drug rehab, and medical facilities. His specialty is experiential creative improvisation with the undiagnosed population.
Transformational Improvisation:
Experience the power of creative improvisational music in a group setting. Experience greater self-awareness and understanding as well as new ways of relating to others. Open up new avenues of verbal and non-verbal communication. This is a workshop designed to foster personal and spiritual growth as well as to deepen one’s understanding of how we are perceived by others. Combining verbal and musical experiences, group participants will create their own group music in a meaningful and fulfilling context. We will explore use of pitched as well as non-pitched instruments (percussion and accessories, bells, tone bars, keyboard and guitar, didigeridoos, etc are all available). No previous musical experience is necessary. Techniques will include goal setting, song writing, improvisation, and interpretive movement as well as verbal processing and nonverbal communication skills. Spiritual and transcendent aspects of group music making will be stressed.Introduction to Traditional Ritual Instruments and Creating Ceremonial Music: Participants will be introduced to Tibetan singing bowls, conch and shell trumpets, didgeridoo, animal horns, rattles and drums, bells, wordless chanting. Inexpensive methods for obtaining or making these instruments will be presented. Workshop will also explore the creation of special unique music for rituals or personal ceremonies.
Rhythm Workshop: This is a workshop for beginner and novice drummers as well as for those more experienced drummers to explore a deeper understanding of building rhythms and rhythmic part playing. Will cover basic hand techniques and traditional ways of playing rattles, guiro, clave, and various hand drums. Bring your drum if you have one, we will also have drums available for use in the workshop. Improve your ability to hear rhythms, and to create suitable parts to include in drum circle jams.
Didgeridoo Workshop: This workshop is for those who have been wanting to learn about the didgeridoo. Participants will learn about the history, tradition and mythology of this Australian aboriginal instrument. Each participant will also make a didgeridoo to take home and learn basic playing techniques as well as where to go in the area to meet up with others to play in a didge circle.
Vocal Harmonics: Learn about the ancient technique of singing vocal harmonics. Tibetan and Buddhist monks, Mongolian shamans and storytellers among others practice forms of this type of chant. Learn to separate the overtones of your voice to sound more than one tone at a time. This can be both a musical and a spiritual practice. We will listen to traditional examples as well as some more modern applications of this technique and spend time toning together as a group. To conspire = to breathe together.
Interpretive Movement Workshop: This workshop will focus on the bodily interpretation and expression of sound and rhythm. Learn how to create your own personal dance, and how to dance without knowing the steps. Awaken your natural sensitivity to music and learn how to easily and gracefully allow the body to express what you feel.
The Actualizing Power of Chant and Mantra: Participants should come with open hearts and minds and a desire to sing. We will share chants, both with and without words from various traditions. We will also create our own "personal songs" and learn how to use a mantra as a tool for focus and inner strength. Discussion will center around the power of affirmative chants to bring the will to actualization.