The AMS project has been running for over 5 years, providing whole class tuition for primary schools in London. Founder of the project, Laurence Hill, is an expert in performing and teaching African music, with vast knowledge and experience of teaching African drumming to children and adults alike.
We offer ‘How to Teach African Drumming’ courses for music teachers who wish to learn how to play, and how to teach African drums. If you are interested, please contact Laurence…
by email: theAMSproject@hotmail.com
or by phone: 07817 769 029
You can also purchase our AMS – Teaching African Drumming booklet for just £7.50. The 41-page booklet includes everything music teachers need to know about teaching African drumming in the classroom including:
- Simplified authentic African drumming arrangements
The djembe drum has been in existence for 800 years, and the rhythmic framework of the music has been honed, crafted and perfected over generations. We use authentic arrangements where all the key rhythmical framework is left in place, but is simplified in a thoughtful and musical way to make sense in the classroom. All of our arrangements are notated at the end of the booklet.
- Lesson plans and Scheme of Work
The booklet provides an example 5-week scheme of work for Key Stage 2 and 3, which has been tried and tested in the classroom. It is designed to introduce students who are encountering African drumming for the first time to the challenge in an instinctively musical way.
A guide to instilling instinctive rhythmic musicianship in your students
In formal Western learning, rhythm is so often a neglected and under-developed part of musicianship training. This booklet lays out the pillars of the ‘African Music School’ teaching method with a list of rules to follow when introducing a new rhythm, or any new musical phrase, in context. Our method has been developed in order to fast-track the traditional informal way in which children learn to play music in Africa.
To order a copy of this booklet, email: theAMSproject@hotmail.com
Other teaching resources that the AMS project provides:
- ‘An Introduction to African music’ CD for primary schools – £5
We have recorded original and non-original music over the past 4 years for the purposes of educating children in primary schools. We teach children about African and African-influenced music through songs such as “All Aboard the Reggae Train” and “Dance to the Rhythm” as well as ‘africanising’ British nursery rhymes such as “Polly Put the Kettle On”, “Bobby Shaftoe” and “London Bridge is Falling Down”. All tracks are professionally recorded and performed on authentic African drums.
- Samba Schemes of Work – £5
Although we specialise in authentic African djembe teaching, the teachers of AMS also have a lot of samba teaching and performing experience. We provide lesson plans and schemes of work to fulfil your curriculum requirements for teaching samba. For many educators, ‘samba’ is simply a word for playing any kind of rhythm on Brazilian instruments. All of our arrangements, however, are authentic interpretations of various styles of Brazilian traditional music currently performed by baterias in Rio de Janeiro, the home of samba. From afoxé to samba reggae, from samba enredo to samba funk, we have practical schemes of work to suit any age group.
If you wish to purchase any of our AMS teaching resources, please contact Laurence by email: theAMSproject@hotmail.com