Professional percussionist Steve Falk spent four days in the American School in Japan’s (ASIJ) elementary school in October, working with the music classes. Having first arrived in Japan in 2005 as part of the Japan tour of musical We Will Rock You by Ben Elton and Queen, Falk went on to study for two years with the world-renowned marimba player, Keiko Abe at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo. An educator himself, Falk has previously taught drums and percussion in Australia and has also performed with the Queensland Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony, and Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa.
Falk worked with all K–5 classes at ASIJ, assisted by music teachers Jody Fuller and Karolee Kent. Each student received their own drum and was asked to identify the nuances in the hand motions and the resulting tones demonstrated, then to replicate them. Once the students could perform the different techniques individually, understanding how to manipulate sounds based on the part of their hand and location on the drum, Falk encouraged them to try to combine the sounds together in authentic African drumming patterns.
Drumming provided a great opportunity for students to keep rhythm with each other and understand the importance of collaboration. They were also given the chance to compose a melody of their own and shine in a solo. Falk explained how he combines traditional techniques from around the world into modern, multicultural compositions. “I could sense immediately that there is a strong emphasis on nurturing creativity through the arts at ASIJ,” Falk said, explaining why he wanted to make sure that students were able to compose or improvise their own music instead of merely repeating the patterns they had learned.
Hosting a visiting musician at ASIJ provides the students with a new way to create, experience, appreciate, and enjoy music. But just as significantly, trying out new techniques reinforces the importance of working collaboratively in ensemble as well as improving individual skill. Karolee Kent said, “Students came away from the class excited that they had had a chance to play the drums themselves, confident in the knowledge of their newly learned techniques, and anxious to continue using these skills in subsequent music classes and at home.” — LUCY WILLIAMS
