Saturday, October 10 @ 2:00 pm
58 W 129th Street, New York, NY 10027
How can a drummer lead an ensemble from behind the drum set? In this interactive masterclass, drummer and bandleader Gengis Don explores how musicians can communicate ideas clearly and shape an ensemble’s sound through dynamics, orchestration, listening, and restraint.
Through demonstrations, discussion, and student participation, Gengis will share practical approaches to running effective rehearsals, giving musicians clear and actionable direction, and writing and arranging with the strengths of individual players in mind. The class will also explore how bandleaders build trust while maintaining a strong artistic vision and how musicians can move beyond their instrument to develop their own identity as artists and leaders.
This masterclass is designed for drummers of all ages interested in developing their skills as bandleaders and expanding their artistic voice beyond the drum set.
BIO:
Gengis Don is a producer and artist who makes music from instinct. Growing up in Brooklyn, he learned to hear the city’s pulse and turn it into sound. In his world, lyrics and melody share the same breath. Every beat is a story, every chord a conversation. Hip hop and jazz guide him, not as rules, but as ways to speak the universal language of feeling.
At just 30, he has collaborated with renowned artists including Solange, Bilal, ASAP Ferg, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Marquis Hill, Christopher McBride, Pink Siifu, Phoelix, Standing on the Corner, Klein, keiyaA, Melanie Charles, Anna Wise, Mavi, Braxton Cook, and many others.
We are your go-to venue for off-site meetings, receptions, film screenings, workshops, networking events, socials and more. Located in the heart of Central Harlem’s thriving culinary and entertainment district, The National Jazz Museum in Harlem is the perfect place to hold your next gathering.