Spend a day immersed in rhythm with percussionist Jon Sterckx. Learn a range of tools to develop and improve your rhythmic understanding and music practice using vocal percussion, Indian rhythm and polyrhythmic Kashaka shakers from West Africa. The course will be fun, while also informative and challenging with opportunities for group work and individual focus. Jon will lead you through practical exercises, teach techniques and rhythmic concepts drawing on his 35+ years experience as a percussionist.
The course will include fun and challenging rhythmic exercises, clapping and speaking rhythms, learning and playing complex phrases and compositions, and an introduction to playing Kashaka polyrhythmic shakers.
Speaking rhythms:
Learn to use percussive syllables and play with tongue twisting rhythmic phrases using a system of vocal percussion based on Konnakol, South Indian vocal percussion. This vocal percussion system is a useful tool for defining rhythms and groups of beats as an aid for rhythmic composition.
Getting inside the rhythm:
Using vocal percussion and drums, we will explore the structures of rhythms and how rhythmic groupings and the placement of sounds can change the feel of a rhythm.
North Indian rhythm:
Learn about the fascinating complex structures and rhythmic compositions used in Indian rhythm and tabla playing. Jon will teach ways of approximating these patterns on single skin drums so that participants can play these on their own drum.
Playing with polyrhythm:
During this course Jon will teach you to play the polyrhythmic Kashaka shakers from West Africa. These playful shakers are a lot of fun and will have you hooked from the start. They request a mindful focus, expanding our concentration and listening senses with every click, swing and shake. Kashaka are a simple instrument – 2 small gourds or balls, filled with seeds or beads & joined with rope – but are capable of creating highly complex rhythmic patterns and polyrhythms. They are great ‘tool’ for any musician to develop and improve dexterity & rhythm. Kashakas will be provided on the day.
Jon Sterckx is an innovative percussionist with over 35 years experience of working with non western percussion and a variety of music genres and traditions. He learned tabla with teachers in India and UK between 1994-2006.
Jon has performed twice at TED events and has performed and delivered workshops at many of the UK’s World Music festivals including WOMAD, London International Arts Festival, Drum Camp and Llangollen International Eisteddfod.
Jon is an experienced music educator, former Associate Lecturer at University of Plymouth, and a tutor and mentor for South West Music School. He runs weekly tabla classes, delivers workshops at festivals, schools and colleges, and loves sharing his passion for rhythm and percussion with others.
“To say that I never want the lessons with Jon to stop is an understatement. He is incredibly patient, generous, informed and a huge talent of his craft. He knows the ebbs and flow of teaching , the see-sawing of pushing one’s boundaries and making sessions fun. Jon truly listens to what is happening in the here and now. I have treasured every second and look forward to many more sessions in the future. Thank you!”
Evelyn Glennie
When: 20 February 2027
Where: Hawkwood College, Stroud
Ticket Link: https://www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk/our-programmes/programme/29277-a-day-in-rhythm-workshop
For more info aboiut Jon: https://www.jonsterckx.co.uk
