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Drum Circle Enlivens Tarpon Library

Klint Lowry/SUNCOAST NEWS

As the beat goes on, Steve Turner’s drum program has a Pied Piper-like effect. Members of the circle – especially young members – are swept up by the energy in the room, dancing with abandon.

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KLINT LOWRY, SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF

Published: December 15, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - There was once a time when libraries were quiet as tombs, when even a loud stage whisper might warrant a stern "Shhhh!" from the librarian.

That was hardly the case one recent evening, as the noise from inside the Tarpon Springs Public Library could be heard out in the parking lot. From the rhythmic pounding coming from inside, unsuspecting patrons might have arrived thinking someone was on the warpath.

On the contrary, about 30 library patrons were having a festive time, participating in a drum circle. Pounding away in a library conference room, the guests were getting a hands-on educational experience in the truest sense as they discovered the primal exhilaration of taking part in a communal musical activity.

Steve Turner of Dunedin was leading the drum circle. Through his business, Giving Tree Music, Turner is like a Pied Piper of percussion, extolling the virtues and benefits of this most primitive and universal of instruments.

In one fashion or another, Turner has been introducing people for about 15 years to the stimulating, even therapeutic, benefits that can be found in drumming.

"I take this program to schools, youth detention centers, senior centers, corporate team building, libraries and churches," Turner said. "I try to get people to make music together because it promotes the feeling of community and teamwork.

"I let it happen; I point out the fact that we have to work together. I kind of point it out, but I don't try to drive it home; I let it be one of those unspoken lessons."

The group at the library was getting the message. Ranging in age from toddlers to seniors, and including a wide cross-section of ethnic identities, they were overall a roomful of strangers. But as they drummed together, the rhythm created harmony among the group. Some, mostly the children, got up and danced around as they drummed.

Whether they got to their feet or stayed seated, everyone was nonstop grinning.

Judith Ann Terwilliger of Tarpon Springs, one of the older participants, had come only because her brother talked her into it. By the time the drumming was done, her take on the experience pretty well spoke for just about everyone who took part.

"I didn't know what to expect; I was very surprised," Terwilliger said. "It was educational. I'd like to see him come back."

Terwilliger added that participating in the drum circle gave her a sense of having had a cultural experience, though it was a little vague what culture it was.

Her perception was right on the money.

Turner provides the drums to be used in his drum circles. He makes them himself, and said their designs are West African in origin. So are most of the songs he uses.

But really, he said, the culture isn't the important part. Drumming is a part of all cultures, and his events are about the universal effect drumming has on all people.

"I know it seems it's all about the drums, but really the drums are my vehicle," Turner said.

The whole thing might sound a little New Age-y for some, but there are some very down-to-Earth reasons why group drumming does what it does, Turner explained.

"It's the unison; it's the noise," he said. "There are studies that link drumming to increased IQ, to increased white blood cells.

"It's one of those things that just brings people together. In part, it reminds us of our heartbeats, of our mothers' heartbeats when we're in the womb."

In short, when people participate in a drum circle, they tap into something that's in all of us. In a group setting, that can create a lot of goodwill and camaraderie.

Turner has found this to be true when he visits corporate groups. While it isn't surprising that children would be apt to get up and dance, Turner said, it's the corporate groups that really cut loose once the rhythm sets in.

"It's one of those weird things, the more they feel like they're held in, this is a chance for release," Turner said. "People come up to me and say, 'I've sat in the cubicle next to this guy for 15 years, and we didn't know each other.' "

As Turner was loading up his drums, several of the people who participated came up to thank him and said they hoped he'd be back again soon.

Turner was appreciative of the response, as was Erika Thomas, the library assistant who arranged the event after hearing about Turner from colleagues at other libraries at which he has appeared.

"We have all different kinds of books about drumming," Thomas said.

But in this day and age, she added, libraries have become more well-rounded learning centers that seek ways to engage all the senses.

"Libraries are more about information and technology," Thomas said. "The days of just quietly sitting and reading a book are pretty much gone."

As this event showed, direct participation is a learning method that can't be beat.

To learn more about Turner's drum circle events, visit the Giving Tree Music href=http://www.givingtreemusic.com> Web site or call 727-736-7789.

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