The Speaking In Rhythms Percussion Ensemble
In the year 2000, the dawning of the new millennium, seven students at Central Park East 2 (CPE 2), an elementary school in East Harlem, began meeting during recess, with DeVeor Rainey, their music teacher, to jam on the school's percussion instruments. Since then, the group has evolved into a formal percussion ensemble of over twenty members, ages eight through seventeen, who participate in a comprehensive after-school music program and perform their own compositions and arrangements throughout the city.
Members of the percussion ensemble study music theory, rudiments technique, and the music of other cultures; then, using their acquired knowledge, they collaborate on composing and arranging the music they rehearse and play in performances. Although Speaking in Rhythms was incorporated in 2006 and is now independent of CPE 2, the organization recruits most of its members from the school. CPE 2 has generously allowed the organization to continue to use its percussion instruments and rehearse in its building at 19 East 103rd Street.
The Speaking in Rhythms Percussion Ensemble (formally known as the CPE 2 Percussion Ensemble), has performed in New York City's first Night on the U.S.S. Intrepid; The Langston Hughes Festival at City College; The Second Anniversary September 11th Benefit Concert presented by Imp Productions; Miracles on 104th Street, a street fair presented by The Museum of the City of New York and El Museo de Barrio; Artreach, an art fair present by Hope Community, Inc. in East Harlem; Mt. Sinai Community Health Fare; The Artz, Rootz, and Rhythms Festival sponsored by the Harlem Arts Alliance; Barnes and Noble Store at Lincoln Triangle; The Day of Percussion at Queens College; Percussion People at the Players Theater; Harlem Day 2007; Culture Sunday in Dangriga Belize; and The Museum of The City New York Annual Holiday Party (2008).
The Ensemble has also presented interactive workshops at The Museum of the City of New York, The percussion Forum at Julliard's MAP Program, and Burt Konowitz's summer jazz improvisation camp for high school students at Teachers College. In addition, selected members of the group have studied in Puerto Rico, United States, Belize, and Peru through the program's Syncopated New York Project, in which students study the musical styles and techniques of various cultures.
Copyright 2010, SpeakinginRhythms Inc.
