Grades: Rising 6th-9th

Dates: July 13 - 16, 2026

Meets: Monday through Thursday, 1 PM to 4 PM

Cost: $495 early bird (through March 31); $520 regular registration. Lunch included at both price levels.

Instructor: Jaimeo Brown

Course Description:  This course is thoughtfully crafted to immerse participants in the rich tradition of West African drumming through a series of percussion activities, exercises, and engaging games. Our goal is to provide a unique experience where the power of drumming becomes a means of expression, allowing students to articulate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas through the rhythmic language of instruments.  Throughout the duration of the class, students will acquire fundamental music skills and expand their musical vocabulary. Emphasis will be placed on cultivating emotional intelligence qualities such as self-awareness, self regulation, empathy, adaptability, nonverbal communication and active listening.  This curriculum introduces an original and refreshing approach to learning, fostering critical thinking and interdisciplinary problem-solving skills. Regardless of prior musical experience, all levels are welcome to join this dynamic exploration of West African drumming and its transformative potential. Get ready to embark on a rhythmic journey that not only develops musical proficiency but also nurtures essential life skills.

Instructor Bio: Jaimeo Brown (pronounced jah-mayo) has established himself as a preeminent conceptualists, composers and drummers and has worked with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, Bobby Hutcherson, and Wynton Marsalis.  As a Jazz Ambassador for the U.S. State Department, Jaimeo shared his extensive experience as a performer and educator, with students across Europe, Eastern Asia and Africa.  Jaimeo’s performance ensemble Transcendence combines some of the earliest forms of African American music with his own contemporary work combining cutting edge technology with time-honored cultural and musical materials to produce a revolutionary, unique live music and recorded experience.  His work as a bandleader has been featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Billboard, Downbeat magazine, The New York Times, Fox News, The Guardian (UK), and Modern Drummer magazine.  He is now a teacher of music at The Branson School in Ross, CA.