The circle will be located on the tennis courts behind Jackson Hall. The ensemble will perform at 4:45 p.m. Students will be invited to learn about and play instruments after their presentation. Student members include Jack Biango, Adam Brown, Bonny Buckley, Roman Cammarota, Rory Crisfulla, Kat Kester, Kai Mitchell, Jack Salfia, Aaron Shyer, and Zach Sumner. The founder and director is Adjunct Instructor in Music Jim Roberts.

Rhythms celebrate the vast repertoire of West African music through the performance of the djembe drums, conga drums, dununba and shekere instruments. The ensemble is open to the student body as well as faculty and staff.

The drum circle is open to everyone to try their hand at playing the drums. It starts at 4 p.m. and continues until 4:45 p.m.

The World Percussion Ensemble at culminated the spring semester with a rousing drum performance at the Global Neighborhood for their 2023 Spring Festival. The drumming ensemble routinely performs rhythms from West Africa and the African Diaspora.

Members of the 2023 ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ World Percussion Ensemble inlcude: Cody Ciesilski, Victoria Setter, Asia Green, Carson Hirsch, Charlotte Kelly, Joey Krucke, Jacob Laxton, Wium Roets, and Rachel Simmons.

This concert presented rhythms Fe, Balakulandjan, Kuku as taught by grandmaster djembefola, Mamady Keita. A non-traditional rhythm, Fo Fo was played while the audience participated with dancing and clapping to close the show.

The ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ World Percussion is open to everyone both students and faculty, regardless of experience.

To join for the Fall of 2023, simply sign up for MUS1081A. No audition required, just the love of music or drumming. The group meetings on Thursdays, 5:30 to 7:10 p.m. and the class is worth 1 semester hour with expression credits. The ensemble is under the direction of founder and adjunct professor Jim Roberts and has been in existence since 2009.

This year will include a booth from Faculty Forward, the ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Adjunct Union, to celebrate part-time and contingent faculty. Special events will include a performance by the ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ World Percussion Ensemble at 4:30. At 5:00 there will be a drum circle open to all faculty and students. The festival will include music, booths, snacks, games and the Pelicans Snowball truck.

Perform with the ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ World Percussion Ensemble this spring – no experience necessary. Open to students and faculty. The ensemble is great training for anyone who will be working with kids, students or community when they graduate. This course is rooted in equity, diversity, inclusiveness and group activity. Learn techniques to play rhythms are derived from the African diaspora – West Africa, Cuba, Brazil and more!

Contact Adjunct Instructor in Music Jim Roberts for more information at jroberts10@elon.edu.

To join, sign up for the course title MUS1081A. A video of an ensemble demo from students Jacob Laxton and Wium Roets on the first class of the fall semester playing djembe can be .

This semester, the concentration for the ensemble has been Afro-Cuban rhythms and related African rhythms. They will present EhGunGun and Iyesa along with a Cuban “Descarga” jam session, an EDM-inspired Guaguancó and a parade rhythm known as Conga Comparsa.

The group is made up of students that have had little or no prior experience in drumming and have exceled in their efforts to play these challenging rhythms. This semester the ensemble consists of Nihar Deshmukh, Nik Heiser, Jacob Laxton, Tyler Lopez, Walt Pierce, Jack Rickett, Wium Roets and Madison Tiplett. The ensemble is directed by Adjunct Instructor in Music Jim Roberts.

The ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ World Percussion Ensemble, soon to be renamed the ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ African Diaspora Ensemble, is open to any in the student or faculty body (MUS1081A) without auditions. All levels are accepted. Students or faculty may email jroberts10@elon.edu for details.

The ensemble (MUS 1081A) meets on Thursday, 5:30 to 7:10 p.m. (one expression credit). Learning about rhythm cultures is an expansive, broad experience for those unfamiliar with African cultures and the African Diaspora. Your mind will be opened and your hands will be quicker! Ex-high school drummers and band members are welcome but you do not need any past musical experience to be part of this ensemble. Fraternities or sororities are welcome to sign up as a group with up to 10 players. Please email any questions to director Jim Roberts at jroberts10@elon.edu.

On Thursday, Nov. 18 at the Fat Frogg from 7 to 8 p.m., the ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ World Percussion Ensemble will be presenting a special and intimate look at rhythms from West Africa and Brazil. You can provide the dance! Enjoy your favorite beverage and come out and support this rare exhibition of live music and culturally significant drumming at ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ.

Private drum set lessons are another rhythm offering from the Department of Music. Sign up for MUS115A for a weekly half hour drum set or hand drum (conga/djembe) lesson. Lesson times are scheduled the first week of classes based on the students class schedule.

Instruments included plastic containers (played by hand and mallets), paper shredding. a mini djembe, a plastic bowl, drinking glasses, and more. The video was done by Tavion Dixon. Contributing members are Lindsey Carter ’20, Isaac Cisneros ’21, Tavion Dixon ’21, Ryan Kelleher ’20, and Ryan McCormick ’20.

Members of the ensemble offered their thoughts about participating in the creative project.

“This track represented an opportunity for us to have fun and be creative even in the scary times that we are facing. It is proof that even while we are apart, the power of music as a universal language can bring us together once again.” — Lindsey Carter ’20

“Initially, the change in the class felt entirely foreign, but overall, it was an opportunity to focus on different aspects of this art form and its cultural significance.” — Isaac Cisneros ’21

In addition to creating this piece and research on various rhythms and cultures of the African Diaspora, the ensemble also performed before the shutdown at the International Food and Dance Festival on March 6.

The world percussion ensemble (MUS106G) is open to anyone in the student body or faculty. It was created in 2008 by director Jim Roberts. The group is seeking new members for the fall semester.

The ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Music Department has purchased a state-of-the-art Roland TD-50KV V-drum electronic drum set.

This new technology gives students new avenues for exploration in many different genres of music that include hip-hop, rock, jazz, pop and more. The instrument dramatically improves the opportunities for a student to further their education in contemporary popular music and technology. It features sounds from realistic to electronic sets in stunning clarity.

Private drum set lessons are open to anyone in the student body from beginner to advanced. Lessons offer expression credits for the general student body, credits for music majors and the MILA (Music in Liberal Arts) program for students with a second major.

For lessons, sign up for Mus142B (one-hour lesson) or MUS142A (30-minute lesson) weekly. An extra fee is required for the lesson. It is instructed by Adjunct Instructor in Music Jim Roberts.

From the 1960s Bo Diddley beat to today’s “Dinero” with JLo, DJ Khalid and Cardi B, the influence of Cuba music shows it’s continuing relevance. The ensemble performs African-based Cuban percussion music to recreate the magic of these rhythmic forms. 

The show honors black identity by performing Cuban folkloric, popular and religious music with a contemporary twist. The music features Son, Guaguanco, Iyesa, Egungun, Yambu, Conga de Comparsa and more. The palette of instruments includes claves, congas, bongos, bells, shekere and timbales. Students will add their own electronic treatment to compliment the music. The ensemble invites you to experience this unique musical experience. Dancing is encouraged! 

The ensemble is directed by Instructor Jim Roberts. Members are Andrew High, Erika Swinney, Professor Greg Hlavaty, Quint Slack, Justin Starr, Sam Ellingsworth and Professor Tony Crider.

The ensemble is open to all members of the student body and faculty. No audition or experience is required. During registration, sign up for Mus106G. The emsemble picks a different focus of the music of the African Diaspora each semester.