- A Different Drum - Played by Two Drummers -

Residential Workshop Weekend.

The project aims to create and develop relationships between groups in Northern Ireland.

Using local and world drums we have fun and learn skills as we creatively explore music, culture and identity within the Northern Irish context.

This series of workshops run as a residential weekend. The participants are from dufferent groups and they work together to construct and play two large Bushmills Whisky Barrel drums called Pelodaiko. more...

- Daiko is drum in Japanese - Pelo means brother or friend -

A three day residential workshop programme can take a maximum of 20 participants (10 from each site). Over 3 days, they will work together to create 2 pelodaiko drums and learn a simple but effective piece of japanese drum music called heartbeat - watch the band play it realvideo.

This piece was passed to us by the incredible Kodo drummers of Sado Island, Japan.

The workshops/residential will involve a number of elements.

1. An introduction to rhythm and drumming.
2. Exploration of cultural relationships within drumming.

3. Development of new rituals.
4. Assembly of two Friendship Drums.

5. learn and perform a piece of drum music.

Benefits/Outcomes
ØTo give a meaningful and balanced insight into the main drumming traditions in Northern Ireland. To demonstrate how music has crossed boundaries locally and worldwide.

Ø To understand the importance of our rituals and drumming in this context.

Ø To take a project from inception to completion.

Ø To have the experience of working together and achieving together.

Ø To find out how a drum is made from elements and how it all combines together to create something new.

The workshops are designed to work with the groups to create a shared vision and a shared result, both groups make both drums and afterwards the drums became the property of the groups involved.

This project is ongoing, if you wish to speak with us about running one of these workshop weekends please This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

An Imagine Media TV programme 'A Different Drum' covering the making of the drums, the workshops and a performance was broadcast in October 2005. Thanks to Mel, Shiela, John and all.

The original Mali-weave tuned Pelodaiko (right) was built by Paul and Niko Thomas, it was the product of almost two years' research, experimentation and messing around. The rope tuning system is beautiful but time consuming.

Video - Sausage Egg and Chips

featuring the pelodaiko realvideo......................... .............The Pelohrán

Web 2 player Gemini bodhrán

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