Wednesday afternoon, Esperanza Academy students in the music major had the opportunity to learn from Grammy-Award winning percussionist/composer, faculty member and alumnus of University of the Arts Arturo Stable in a hand drumming master class held at Esperanza Academy auditorium. Stable and his colleague Saxophonist Mick Cemprola blew students away with an improvisation where each musician riffed off of the other to create a truly unique sound. A Q&A session offered sage advise to the young musicians aspiring to make a living off of their craft.
“There are no shortcuts to success,” said Stable, “Nobody’s going to do it for you. Whatever you can do yourself, you have to.”
“At the end of the day, your satisfaction comes from knowing that you are bettering your practice,” said Tania Ramos Oton, Arts Department Chair at Esperanza Academy.
This hand drumming master class comes as a prelude to a larger event being held at University of the Arts on Saturday, April 11th. University of the Arts is hosting the 2nd edition of Philadelphia International Hand Drumming Day.
The event features master classes, concerts, panels, and drum circles showcasing a wide range of drumming styles both locally and nationally. Philadelphia International Hand Drumming Day is free to audiences of all ages and will be streamed live to music lovers from all around the world. Its primary goal is to showcase Philadelphia’s rich drumming traditions and establish the city as a leading drumming force with much to offer to students and hand drum lovers.
For more information on the day’s events, please visit: uarts.edu/handdrumday
