Drum Works!

Drum Works is a program that has been running in east London secondary schools since 2007, and currently reaches around 400 young people in six schools. Participants have weekly sessions with professional musicians where they create their own material and work towards high-profile performances. There are opportunities to progress into two senior ensembles, which meet fortnightly at the Barbican and perform regularly around London and further afield. The Drum Works Assistant programme offers some of the older more advanced players the opportunity to develop their music leadership skills through taking paid placements in schools and receiving mentoring from Drum Works Leaders. The primary aim of Drum Works is to achieve social change through tackling some of the key issues facing young people in east London today. It confronts disengagement within schools and youth culture by using fast-paced, high-energy teaching processes and culturally relevant material to engage and inspire all young people from any background. Once engaged, participants then begin to develop their musical, technical and leadership skills through sustained involvement. Regular large-scale performances bring together young people from a variety of cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds to meet on an equal footing and work together, building a community for the future (source here)