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Utah Division of Arts & Museums (UDAM) teaching artist.

Vocal Toning and Drum Talk

George Grant – voice and percussion

Vocalist-Percussionist George Grant has presented dozens of residencies through Utah and Idaho since 1991. His unique Drum Talk and Vocal Toning program is not necessarily about drumming. The expressive voice is the ultimate human instrument. Vocal patterns can be used to prepare to “play what you say,” on instruments, but the creative voice is complete music by itself, and George’s residencies do not require instruments.

George’s unique program includes specific listening games (Skill Builders) that students learn to lead to their peers. These activities include harmony, conversational melody phrases, motif/variation, sound effects for accent and highlight, short accompaniment patterns with and without steady beat, and longer framing patterns. Precise exercise formats are playful, but teach very serious music fundamentals. Beyond music, students learn teamwork, confidence, and leadership.

For final projects (assembly optional), students learn to use new listening games in small ensembles, often combined with simple skits, spoken word, creative movement and even visual arts as stage props or clothing.

Simple call and response games – and fill-in-the-blank (4×4 or 4×8 grid) composition experiments – can be done in brief classroom periods – with or without instruments.

Grid compositions can be “interpreted” with voice, melody, hand claps, basic percussions, flutes, guitars, or pianos.

Drum Talk syllable ... view more »

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