Performances, Clinics, and Masterclasses

Michael is available for performances, clinics, masterclasses, and professional development seminars in various types of West African, Afro-Cuban, and Caribbean music as well as Western Classical percussion. While in-person classes/performances tend to be more effective, options for virtual classes are also possible! More details on what is available for different age groups can be found below.

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Choose a level below for more information:

Upper Middle School
High School
College/University
Professional Development

Upper Middle School (7th-8th Grade)

Clinics at this level are generally focused on basic rhythms and tones, fundamentals, and always include historical and cultural context. Performances are available in all listed styles and generally run ~40 minutes but can be flexible depending on school schedule.

• Basic West African drumming – Ewe drumming style called Gahu (in 4/4), simplified
• Basic Afro-Cuban hand drumming – technique, tones, basic rhythms
• Basic Caribbean drumming & percussion – learning the different instruments, basic rhythms
• Beginning Steel Pan – technique, sound, how they are made

High School

Clinics and masterclasses at this level can vary widely depending on available resources and student experience level, but generally focus on beginning- to intermediate-level rhythms, tones, and fundamentals and always include historical and cultural context. Performances are available in all listed styles and generally run ~40 minutes but can be flexible depending on school schedule.

• Drum Set – applying a wide variety of styles from around the world to drum set and/or applying Afro-Cuban styles to drum set in Latin jazz and/or Latin pop settings
• West African drumming – Ewe drumming styles called Gahu (4/4) and intro to West African 12/8 patterns
• Afro-Cuban hand drumming & percussion – clave, tumbao, and cascara patterns in both traditional and modern contexts, but can get into more advanced rhythms time/experience permitting
• Caribbean drumming & percussion – traditional and modern calypso as well as soca, but can get into more advanced styles time/experience permitting
• Steel Pan – technique, theory, how they are made, traditional and modern context
• Latin Jazz – work with your jazz/latin jazz band during rehearsal to learn how to approach “Latin” charts more effectively, especially in identifying Brazilian vs. Afro-Cuban styles and their most common sub-genres, focus on helping entire band understand what is happening in the rhythm section

College/University

Clinics and masterclasses are most customizable at the College/University level, as they can be specifically catered to the needs of the students and can be paired with individual lessons to cater to that of each student. All options always include historical and cultural context. Performances are available in any style and are typically done either mixed with or in conjunction to a clinic or masterclass and can be anywhere from 45-75 minutes depending on the preferred category and type(s) of presentation (ie performance only, performance/masterclass, etc.).

• Drum Set – applying a wide variety of styles from around the world to drum set and/or applying Afro-Cuban styles to drum set in jazz and/or Latin pop settings
• West African drumming – Ewe drumming styles Gahu (4/4) and Atsiagbekor (12/8)
• Afro-Cuban hand drumming & percussion – clave, tumbao, and cascara patterns in both traditional and modern contexts, roots and evolution of popular Afro-Cuban music, and/or influence of West African and Afro-Cuban music on modern pop
• Caribbean drumming & percussion – traditional and modern calypso as well as soca and chutney, focus on panorama-style drumming & percussion
• Steel Pan – technique, theory, how they are made, traditional and modern context, the basics of Panorama-style arranging, versatility of the world’s youngest widely-used acoustic instrument
• Latin Jazz – work with your jazz/latin jazz band during rehearsal to learn how to approach “Latin” charts more effectively, especially in identifying Brazilian vs. Afro-Cuban styles and their most common sub-genres, focus on helping entire band understand what is happening in the rhythm section

Professional Development

Professional development workshops/seminars are intended for music educators looking to further their understanding of any of the following topics. These are perfect for educators who did not specialize in these genres but would either like to be able to incorporate them into their teaching or already are incorporating them but wish to have a deeper understanding of them (ie, jazz band directors looking for a more “authentic” approach, general music teachers looking for simple rhythms from around the world to incorporate in their classes, private lesson instructors looking to understand and be able to teach rhythm using different perspectives, etc.). All topics are malleable depending on what you think will best suit you as an educator!

Please note that, while in-person workshops are always most effective, virtual options are also available for all of the following options.

• West African Drumming & Percussion – This is a great way to dive into the roots of rhythm to understand concepts such as syncopation, common bell patterns in 4/4 and 12/8, ensemble playing, and more. Specific styles can also be addressed/taught and applied in various ways.
• Afro-Cuban Drumming & Percussion, Latin Jazz – This is likely the most malleable topic as it is applied commonly in music education, but this is ideal for instructors that are either doing/wanting to do more Latin jazz with their ensemble but aren’t sure the best way(s) to approach it or for educators interested in gaining a deeper knowledge of concepts such as syncopation, clave patterns, or more complex rhythmic ideas.
• Steel Pan, Caribbean Drumming & Percussion – For educators interested in deepening their knowledge of Trinidad & Tobago’s native instrument and the musical culture that has grown around it, this topic covers both traditional and modern applications of Calypso, Soca, and other related styles in the Caribbean. This can lean more toward Steel Pan itself, the “engine room” (the percussion section in a steel band), or a more general understanding of the music as a whole.
• General World Music – This is perfect for general music teachers or music educators that are looking for more of a baseline understanding of a wide variety of musical cultures to use in the classroom. This topic covers music from West Africa, Afro-Cuban and Caribbean traditions, the Middle East, India, Brazil, and more.