Marimba band classes for Youth and Adults. Ongoing Classes begin October, 2022. Sue continues to spread the joy of playing marimba music in a community ensemble.
Sue Ford, former director of Evergreen’s EMBE Marimba Band, is launching a new venture called Village Marimba. Classes will be available to students from any school in Western North Carolina. Village Marimba is a program of Asheville Rhythm, an organization that seeks to create a culture that promotes wellness through rhythm and bridges musical traditions through innovative collaborations. In a 12
-Week Session, students will:
1. Learn a repertoire based on the group’s interest, including popular songs, multicultural songs and original music.
2. Work on proper mallet/stick technique, which is also applicable to other percussion instruments. Have fun making music with other young people and their friends.
3. Work toward a big performance at the end of the session. Winter/Spring Session will begin on January17th and end with a concert on April 8th. All classes (and the concert) will be held at Rainbow Community Center, 60 State Street in West Asheville. Students will be expected to attend all classes in this session. Contact Sue if you'd like to sign up:
[email protected] OR go to the Asheville Rhythm website and click on Village Marimba tab to pay for classes online
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About Sue Ford:
SUE FORD, former director of Evergreen’s EMBE Marimba Band, is launching a new venture called Village Marimba. Mountain Marimba is a program of Asheville Rhythm, an organization that seeks to create a culture that promotes wellness through rhythm and bridges musical traditions through innovative collaborations. Mountain Marimba classes will begin August 31. Sue Ford has been honored to win first place in Mountain Xpress’ poll for “Best Music Teacher” for three consecutive years. Sue is grateful to be one of many dedicated and hard working music teachers. She was first inspired to be a band director by her own junior high school band director who took her under his wing in Salisbury, North Carolina in the early 70’s. He encouraged Sue to try all kinds of instruments and experiment with many styles, which has continued to inform the breadth of her musicality. Sue’s parents loved music and encouraged her to study piano and sing in the choir. Sue Ford’s path to teaching music has been eclectic and non-traditional. She got her BS Biology/Naturalist degree from Appalachian State and married Hobey Ford shortly after graduating. They have three daughters, all musicians and performers in their own right. For many years, while Hobey was on tour, Sue homeschooled their daughters while taking classes in Suzuki cello, singing, songwriting, guitar, African drum and dance, yoga, modern dance and tap. She performed with a two adult marimba bands: Ya Ya and Chikomo and a women’s trio, Singing River. She was Assistant Director of Womansong. When all their daughters finally went to school in 2003, Sue was encouraged by her friends to teach music, which she has passionately pursued ever since at both Rainbow Community School and Evergreen Community Charter School. Throughout the years, Sue has also continued her own music education. She studied drum and mallet technique with Bill Smith and River Guerguerian. When Master bala player Bakaly Camara from Guinea, West Africa lived in Asheville, Sue studied balafon with him. She also took classes in music history, theory and composition and became certified in “Orff Schulwerk”. This music education philosophy is known for holistically engaging a child in music while incorporating poetry, movement, improvisation and composition. ABOUT EMBE
Across her twelve years at Evergreen , Sue founded the EMBE Marimba Band. This afterschool program was designed to involve middle school aged students in a collaborative performance community and to engage them in a variety of techniques, traditions, rhythms and repertoire from all over the world. Guest Artists were brought in to work directly with Sue and her students, including: Kevin Meyame (Ivory Coast), Musikewa Chingodza (Zimbabwe) River Guerguerian (U.S. / Middle Eastern), Ronnie DeLerme (Puerto Rico), Akira Satake (U.S. / Japan), Bobby Fish (U.S.) and Oso Rey (U.S.). These artists were all commissioned to compose new works for EMBE. Five CD’s were produced professionally, three of which can be found on CD Baby. (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/embemarimbaband). EMBE has played at many venues over the years, including music clubs (Orange Peel in Asheville, White Horse in Black Mountain); festivals (LEAF, Montford Arts Festival), conferences (the American Orff Schulwerk Association Conference, the National Children’s Music Network Conference, the NC Charter School Conference, the NC State Middle School United Nations Conference, the Rotary Club Conference); and schools (Warren Wilson College, UNC-A, AB Tech, Carolina Day School). EMBE was awarded the Grand Prize and “Best School Entry” at the Asheville Holiday Parade. The band’s performances have been invariably met with great enthusiasm from crowds and audiences who could not resist EMBE’s youthful energy and talent.
02/05/2023
Announcing!
Spring 2023 Session - 10 weeks - March 26 - May 27.
Please contact Sue Ford, to sign up or ask for more information [email protected]
Here's the info on the upcoming session:
Student Classes - mixed levels
~ Grades 3 - 6 - 3:45 - 4:40 on Tuesdays
~ Grades 7 - High School - 4:45 - 5:45 on Tuesdays
~Adult Class -mixed levels - Wednesdays at 5:00
Tuesdays - 3/14, 3/21. 3/28, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23
Wednesdays - 3/15, 3/22, 3/29,4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24
*No Classes first week of April - Spring Break*
*All students will be required to commit to the whole session.*
Cost for the session is $150 which breaks down to $15 a class.
I am planning to have a concert featuring all groups at the end of the session - either outdoors or in the auditorium at Rainbow.
All classes will be held at the Rainbow Auditorium, part of Omega Middle School, 60 State Street, in West Asheville.
Each class will require a minimum of 6 people and a maximum of 11.
Classes will cover proper techniques and warm ups, mallet and stick techniques applicable to other percussion instruments, Students are given the opportunity to play with others, learning individual parts to a variety of songs and creating a marimba band experience. All instruments and mallets are provided for the class. Students will enjoy playing all of the Zimbabwean style marimbas which include a big bass, a baritone, a tenor and several soprano marimbas. The experience of playing in a marimba band is to become part of a polyrhythmic synergy, creating something larger than the sum of its parts.
Village Marimba is a program of Asheville Rhythm, an organization that seeks to create a culture that promotes wellness through rhythm and bridges musical traditions through innovative collaborations. https://www.ashevillepercussionfestival.com
Please contact me, Sue Ford, to sign up or ask for more information [email protected]
10/16/2022
NEW Fall Session beginning this week! I have a few spaces open to more students in these four classes. Please contact Sue Ford if you would like to sign up or need more information- [email protected]
Student Level 2 - Tuesdays -4:30 - 5:30 - for students in middle school and high school who have experience with marimba
Oct. 18, 25, Nov. 1, 8, 15, 29, Dec. 7 & 14.
—NO CLASS Nov. 22
Adult - mixed level class - Wednesdays -5:00 - 6:00
Oct 19,26, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 30, Dec. 7, 14 )
—NO CLASS Nov. 23
Student Level 1 - 3:45 - 4:45 - for beginners ages 9 - 12. Thursday Oct 20, Oct 27, Tuesday, Nov 1 (ends at 4:30), Thursday, Nov. 10, Monday, Nov. 14, Thursday, Dec. 1, 8 and 15 - Last class - informal showcase (invite your friends and family)
—NO CLASS Nov. 24
Adult Level 2 Class - 5:15 - 6:15 - for experienced adults - also high schoolers if they would like to join.
Thursday, Oct 20, Oct 27, Monday, November 7, Thursday, Nov. 10, Monday, Nov. 14, Thursday, Dec. 1, 8 and 15 - Last class - informal showcase (invite your friends and family)
—NO CLASS Nov. 24
*All classes will be held at the Omega Middle School Auditorium (part of Rainbow Community School), 60 State Street, in West Asheville.*
Classes will cover proper techniques and warm ups, mallet and stick techniques applicable to other percussion instruments, Students are given the opportunity to play with others, learning individual parts to a variety of songs and creating a marimba band experience. All instruments and mallets are provided for the class. Students will enjoy playing all of the Zimbabwean style marimbas which include a big bass, a baritone, a tenor and several soprano marimbas.
The experience of playing in a marimba band is to become part of a polyrhythmic synergy, creating something larger than the sum of its parts.
Village Marimba is a program of Asheville Rhythm, an organization that seeks to create a culture that promotes wellness through rhythm and bridges musical traditions through innovative collaborations. https://www.ashevillepercussionfestival.com
Thursdays - 5:00 - 6:00
Adult Level 2 - adults who want to move at a faster pace and have
some experience
All classes will be held at the Omega Middle School Auditorium (part of Rainbow Community School), 60 State Street, in West Asheville.
Classes will cover proper techniques and warm ups, mallet and stick techniques applicable to other percussion instruments, Students are given the opportunity to play with others, learning individual parts to a variety of songs and creating a marimba band experience. All instruments and mallets are provided for the class. Students will enjoy playing all of the Zimbabwean style marimbas which include a big bass, a baritone, a tenor and several soprano marimbas.
The experience of playing in a marimba band is to become part of a polyrhythmic synergy, creating something larger than the sum of its parts.
Village Marimba is a program of Asheville Rhythm, an organization that seeks to create a culture that promotes wellness through rhythm and bridges musical traditions through innovative collaborations. https://www.ashevillepercussionfestival.com
Starting some new classes the week of October 17. Accepting new students and students with previous experience. Ages 9 to adult. Please contact Sue Ford for more information: [email protected]
Contact Sue Ford to sign up for upcoming classes in January [email protected]
12/13/2021
Want to play music in a community setting?
Want to learn new skills and have more fun in the new year? Consider signing up for Village Marimba classes
directed by Sue Ford.
Gift certificates are available.
Introductory workshops on January 4 and 5, 5:15 - 6:15.
Weekly classes begin the following week.
Student classes for any student, from any school,
4th grade and up : Thursdays - 5:15 - 6:15.
Adult classes: Wednesdays - 5:15 - 6:15.
Contact Sue Ford for more information: [email protected]
12/09/2021
Sign up now for marimba classes starting in January!
contact Sue Ford - [email protected]
02/05/2023
10/16/2022
09/22/2022
11/11/2021