Jamaican Drummer takes the art of drumming and Jamaican music history into Florida schools
FT. LAUDERDALE – Jamaican drummer, William ‘Willie’ Stewart has now taken his distinct style of drumming into schools in South Florida.
For the last eight years he has been teaching the art of drumming in Broward County schools sharing his knowledge and experience with the students. This commitment working with young persons, motivating, uplifting and empowering them lead to the creation of his company – Solutions in Music.
After 23 years with the international reggae band – Third World – Willie Stewart went on to hone his drumming skills later becoming a drum instructor and drum therapist, while pursuing his passion of teaching.
Today, he continues to work with youth, teaching them the history and art of drumming, as well as the ability to focus and communicate using their creative talents.
Next Monday, Willie Stewart takes his technique center stage when he works with 60 students from two South Florida schools at a drumming workshop at the Broward Center Performing Arts (BCPA) in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The students are from Parkway Middle School and Winston Park Elementary who will all participate in the world drumming class.
Through the educational interactive program “Art Inspires”, the BCPA has fused education with the arts giving students the opportunity to interact and work with world-renowned artists in traditional art forms. Already, students have worked with artists from Brazil.
For three years, the BCPA and Broward County Public schools have presented “Arts Inspires…” a workshop that introduces students to South Florida’s exciting, multi-cultural community. It features a well-known teaching and performing guest artist who is passionate about their art form and willing to share with the students, particularly those who are interested in pursuing the arts.
“We are excited about this session. This program will further enhance and continue to nurture our cultural relationship with Jamaica,” according to Mrs. Jan Goodheart, public affairs director at the Broward Center.
In 2006, the Broward Center for the performing Arts had forged an alliance with the Consulate General of Jamaica resulting in a range of successful performances including the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica (NDTC); Dem Three Jamaican Tenors; Jamaica Farewell, and Reggae Symphony.
The students participating in the workshop will share a two-hour session in drumming techniques, coordination and creativity, the role of percussive music forms in ritual and culture, and team building. Stewart calls this technique ‘liberating learning through rhythm’. Through his demonstrations, Stewart will expose his students to the history of Jamaican music tracing the genres from slavery through modern day popular culture.
Following the practices sessions, the students will do a formal performance with their drumming instructor to soundtracks from international reggae artist Bob Marley, to an invited audience of educators, art enthusiasts, patrons of the Center, the media as well as friends of the Jamaican Diaspora.
Through his passion, Stewart expresses his love for his homeland as a reggae “ambassador” and would also like to introduce his drumming techniques as part of the curriculum in Jamaican schools.
Stewart boasts of his worldwide collection of nearly 100 drums of all sizes and designs, each one signifies a different rhythm and sound, creating a distinctive, gyrating sound unique to the ear. Drumming originated in West Africa and was transported across the world during the slave trade. This sound was a distinct form of communication to the slaves during rituals.
Stewart working with interested participants at a recent interactive workshop.
While he continues his program with schools, Stewart’s goal is to educate the young ones about the drumming history, as a communication tool, leadership qualities, team building, and for those who want to pursue career goals in music specifically with an interest in percussions.
Willie Stewart
Through his Solutions in Music teaching company, he has also done workshops with small groups, corporations, universities and community groups around the globe. Aside from the creative art of drumming, through this phenomenal experience one can also learn team building and uniquely, a form of stress relief.
Along with other band members, Stewart began working with students in Jamaica during his time as the drummer with the world famous reggae band – Third World. Stewart knows all too well about the music industry through his professional career as a drummer, percussionist, songwriter, music technologist, programmer, music instructor/facilitator and musician director. Having taken Jamaica’s indigenous music genre to the world stage, the group also earned the title “Reggae Ambassadors”.
During that time, the band produced 13 record albums, earning Grammy Awards for five of those, at times sharing stage performances worldwide with renowned artists like international reggae star, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder among others.
He feels blessed with the ability to communicate through drumming and is interested in sharing this experience. “I am now focusing on sharing my talent with others – young persons interested in the developing leadership qualities and self empowerment and personal development.”
Stewart expresses contentment and a deep sense of spirit as he has now blended his passion of teaching, service to the community and his talent of communicating through music, specifically drumming.
