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Feb 2008
The Institute Scholarship Diaries - Month Two
Hey, everybody, it’ Hans here again! hope you all had a great Christmas with lots of festive food and fun.
The first term here at the Institute was really tough but very motivating and I’m glad I got through it. It is true that time flies when you’re having fun, and now I find myself already in the middle of the second term and things are starting to make sense. When I listen to music, or see drummers on videos, I have a better understanding of what they’re doing. Also, I had no previous experience of reading music and now, although I am not the best, it is cool to finally understand what’s going on when I see a chart in a drum magazine.
Things are getting more challenging too. The Live Performance Workshop (LPW) included styles of music I was previously unfamiliar with such as Reggae or Bossanova, which proved tricky. Songwriting is a module that challenges our creativity - I have had to come up with lyrics, melodies and chords arrangements that sound original. And, the Drum Technique module is now teaching us to improve our coordination.
Percussion is one of my favorite classes and this term we have been introduced to Timbales - which are amazing - along with Funk Studies, where we analyse and play amazing music created by the likes of James Brown and Tower Of Power. I should definitely mention that the discovery of new (and old) music has sparked my interest in different styles and performers.
As part of the scholarship, I have received my new Mapex Saturn kit and a Black Panther Seamless Steel snare drum. I am speechless to say the least: a big thank you to the people at Mapex for this incredible gear!
Outside of school, I have also been making progress. I have played all around the country with a Pantera tribute band (www.myspace.com/panteratributeuk) and a rock covers band in London (www.myspace.com/deadseed). I have also joined an original project called The Defiled (www.myspace.com/thedefiled). Their EP will be out soon and we are already rehearsing for upcoming gigs.
Check out my new myspace site (www.myspace.com/hansmenacho) and come along to any of the gigs.
Thanks for reading and see you soon!
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