BRATTLEBORO — Brattleboro Area Jewish Community: Congregation Shir He-harim will once again host Los Angeles musician, Grammy-nominated percussionist, and frame drum specialist Marla Goldstein.
She will lead a frame drum workshop titled “Rhythm & Songs of the Tof Miriam Drum.” The tof miriam is an important instrument in Judaism, symbolizing freedom, joy, and celebration.
The workshop is on Sunday, Oct. 15, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the synagogue on 151 Greenleaf St. in West Brattleboro. The workshop is designed for participants without any musical experience, beginners to advanced players, and folks just wishing to learn more about the instrument.
Goldstein is one of three Jewish female Tof Miriam (frame drum) specialists worldwide. She holds degrees in flute, percussion, and composition from the California Institute of the Arts. She has studied at Ali Akbar College in California and the Bhavan Center in London. She is an internationally recognized teacher and performer who has presented programs, clinics, and concerts at major festivals and music halls throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
An inspiring, energetic educator and a soulful, charismatic performer, Goldstein also composes dynamic, cross-cultural world music scores for film, TV, and the healing arts. Her original music can be heard on yoga DVD's, in movies and animations, and in commissions she has composed for schools.
She also leads her own eclectic world music ensemble and performs live solo looping concerts. She is the creator and CEO of the online Frame Drum Academy, teaching students how to drum, and she designed the frame drum Signature Series produced by the Cooperman Drum Co., based in Bellows Falls.
Inspired by Layne Redmond, one of her mentors, Goldstein has dedicated herself to spreading awareness of women drummers by offering retreats and workshops worldwide as well as selections from Redmond's audio/visual program. She loves sharing the drum with both men and women at wellness retreats, teaching frame-drum-focused educational workshops and residency programs.
Four-time Grammy winner Glen Velez, who performs with the Paul Winter Consort, Trio Globo, and Eugene Freisen, calls Goldstein, “one of the very top percussion performers in the USA today.”
Some Cooperman frame drums will be available for the workshop and also offered for sale at 10 percent off, but participants should bring their own frame drum or any other hand drum as well.
The cost for the 2 1/2 hour workshop, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., is on a sliding scale from $27 to $45 for adults and $20 to $38 for children age 12 to 16. Discounts are available for seats reserved and paid in full before Oct. 2.
Contact Stephan at [email protected] and send payment by check to BAJC, P.O. Box 2353, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or pay at the door.