Instruments

Private Instruction/School Programs

Here are a few of the instruments that Ian plays. Attend a workshop and you can see them, hear them and play them.

Call 415.383.7120 for more information.

	The Kalimba, or thumb piano, is one of the most ancient and popular instruments found throughout East Africa. Kalimbas come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and can be tuned to an infinite number of different scales.		The goblet drum, Dumbek, of the Middle East and North Africa is made from clay, wood or metal and comes in a variety of sizes. There are numerous techniques used to play this drum, often influenced by its material and the region from which it comes.
	The Udu is a Nigerian clay pot featuring a circular hole on the side, where the lower tones are produced, and one at the top for the higher frequency tones.		Talking Drums are hourglass-shaped pressure drums. The drum heads at either end of the wooden body are wrapped around a hoop. When the player squeezes the cords that surround the drum, the drum heads tighten, changing the instrument's pitch.
	The Peruvian-based Cajon is a wooden box with some jingles and thin metal rods inside suspended against the playing surface, causing a snare-like sound to be produced.

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Want to Take Your Musicianship to the Next Level? Ian Dogole is accepting students of all levels (and ages) who wish to achieve greater mastery of their instruments and dramatically improve their overall musicianship. Over the last 25 years, Ian has passionately shared his virtuosity, knowledge and enthusiasm with thousands of students of all ages. Whether presenting school assemblies for the San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures in Music program, coaching student groups at the Sierra Jazz Society’s Jazz Camp, performing with his group Hemispheres or teaching privately, Ian is totally  dedicated to the educational process. Program Benefits: Hone your skills and unlock your creativity in a relaxed and nurturing environment. Learn how to relax and play confidently in all types of performing situations. Develop rhythmic and time-keeping skills that eliminate the tendency to rush. Establish a comfort zone with odd meters (e.g., 5/4, 7/4, 9/4 etc.). Learn to improvise over modes from around the globe (for non-drummers). Have fun taking your musicianship to the next level! Step Up to Your Musical Potential! Ian Dogole is committed to help you reach your full musical potential, whether your goals are professional or you simply want to enjoy playing your instrument. Contact Ian at 415.383.7120 or e-mail to ian@iandogole.com to set up an initial phone conference to discuss how he can best help you bring your musical vision to life. Instruction is fully customized and longer-term lesson packages are available at reduced rates.

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Adventures in Global Fusion Music in the Schools – Over 60,000 Students Served Over the last 25 years, music educator and internationally acclaimed recording artist Ian Dogole has presented a wide array of educational programs to more than 60,000 students in the San Francisco Bay Area through nonprofit organizations such as the San Francisco Symphony (AIM Program), the Marin Arts Council, Youth in Arts, Young Imaginations and Young Audiences of the Bay Area. Whether presenting educational assemblies on world percussion to larger audiences, percussion master classes to smaller groups or fully customized jazz and world music appreciation curricula in schools, Ian is always eager to share his wisdom, passion, enthusiasm and knowledge in any educational environment. Adventures in Global Fusion Music is an educational program designed to open up the minds and hearts of students to the diverse music cultures from around the globe. Utilizing a custom-tailored approach to every unique environment, Ian incorporates a variety of teaching formats, including school assemblies, lecture/demonstrations, workshops and residencies (for performing ensembles and music appreciation classes), so that students can gain valuable insights into the instruments, traditions and cultural contexts that form the backbone of the evolutionary process of world music and jazz. In all of the presentation formats, Ian demonstrates his vast array of indigenous percussion instruments from Africa, South America, the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia and China. In the classroom and workshop formats, Ian invites students to try out the instruments so they can have a more tactile experience, touching the materials,  hearing the sounds and feeling the vibrations up close. Instruments include: cajon (Peruvian box drum), West African talking drums, udu (Nigerian clay pot), East African thumb pianos (kalimbas), dumbeks (pan-Arabic goblet drums), balafon (West African marimbas) dholak (East Indian barrel drum) and Chinese gongs.  In music appreciation classes, Ian offers surveys of music cultures from around the globe, including visits to some of the more remote regions like the trade routes of Central Asia and Burma in Southeast Asia. Ian also traverses the history of jazz from its inception through current trends. Jazz pioneers such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and others are examined in depth with the goal of demystifying the evolution of this truly American musical form. Underlying all presentations is a message of respect for all cultures around the planet and tolerance for different belief systems. Formats: *Assemblies      *Workshops        * Residencies        *Student Performances                                                                                                                                                What the instructors are saying about this program: Redwood High School   “The Music Department of Redwood High was fortunate enough to have had percussionist and ethnomusicologist Ian Dogole present a 9-week course on the music of Asia – traversing all the countries from China through India, plus a “world jazz” component. This was an extremely well-conceived course of study that not only opened the eyes of our students to the “other” non-western music in the world, but provided inspiration, joy and reference to the interconnectedness of people and their sometimes misunderstood music. His jazz/world music ensemble, “Hemispheres,” also performed on one of those days. Absolutely world-class performers at their best!! This was an amazing journey through the music of our planet … and we didn’t even get to all of the continents!!! I am having him back next year to continue where we left off! I strongly recommend Ian Dogole to come into any school, at any level … and provide his insight and masterful historical music instruction.”                          -- John Mattern, Director of Music, Redwood High School  The San Francisco Symphony's Adventures in Music (AIM) Program "Ian has a passion for the educational process which is reflected in his ability to successfully work with diverse age groups with great enthusiasm and energy. His professionalism in never in question, nor is his commitment to his art." -- Andi Yannone, Manager of Education Programs, San Francisco Symphony Tamalpais High School "You wove mysteries, conjured images, stimulated dreams and lifted the spirit. You certainly defined 'world class."      -- Omar Clay, Instructor of Music, Tamalpais High School, Mill Valley San Francisco University High School "The whole student body was abuzz about how great you sounded at the assembly, and the music students who were present at the master class afterwards were absolutely enthralled with your insights about World Music, Jazz and improvisation!" -- Tim R. Price, Instructor of Music, San Francisco University High School, San Francisco Marin Horizon School "Ian Dogole visited Marin Horizon School in the fall of 2010 to teach two workshops to two groups of 4th graders and 5th graders. He did a masterful job of engaging the students through demonstrations and hands-on experiences with a wide variety of instruments from around the world. Some of these included the Kalimba from East Africa, the Nigerian Udu, the Cajon from Peru and a Talking Drum. Ian is highly knowledgeable, articulate and passionate about music from many cultures, and his enthusiasm is contagious. His warm and respectful  manner with the children encouraged them to ask lots of questions, and everyone wanted to play as many of the instruments as possible. I highly recommend Ian for a visit to any school!!" -- Harriet Hayward, Marin Horizon School Music Specialist * Rates for assemblies, workshops and rehearsals for student performances will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Contact Ian Dogole at: Phone: 415.383.7120 e-mail: ian@iandogole.com Address: 315 Durant Way, Mill Valley, CA 94941

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