Ethnomusicologist Charlie Keil kicked off his HONK! residency at Tufts in a colloquium yesterday morning at Granoff Music Center. Students and professors gathered to hear Dr. Keil speak and drum about the importance of learning rhythm and groove at a young age and embracing it at any age.
Dr. Keil, professor of American Studies at SUNY Buffalo, advocates self-expression through music, movement, and rhythm, and teaches students that dancing, singing, drumming, and writing poetry are innate gifts of expression. The ability to develop these skills is strongest in young children, but too often children are not afforded an opportunity to experiment with these forms of rhythm and develop their inner “groove.” Dr. Keil described how everyone has an “individual time-feel” in his or her body. When a group of people combines their senses of rhythm and they experiment with combinations and variations of beats, the possibilities are limitless.
Dr. Keil spoke to us while simultaneously beating a rhythm on a set of congas. He illustrated how the rhythm was so internalized in his body that he could carry on normal or metered speech as he played. He moved on to show us how to clap a basic salsa rhythm, over which we laid a call and response. As the two groups sang back and forth, we developed a greater sense of synchronization as we let the beat “synch in.”
Over the next two weeks, Charlie Keil will be visiting schools around Somerville and leading workshops centered around percussion, movement and dance, and instrumental ensembles. His residency will culminate with the HONK! Parade on Sunday, October 12, where groups will march from Davis Square to Harvard Square and celebrate music and movement. Visit www.honkfest.org for more information about getting involved and discover your inner groove!