YMCA in Medina hosting 2 steel drum workshops

Press Release, GO Art!

MEDINA – GO Art! is offering a free steel drum workshop for families or individuals at the YMCA in Medina at 306 Pearl St.

The workshops are run by Ted Canning, a percussionist and native of Cleveland, Ohio. His experience includes extensive freelance work in the northeast United States performing classical music, theater, big band and jazz.

The workshops will be held at 6 p.m. on May 31 and June 21 and are open to participants age 12 and older. The cost is free, and all materials (drums and mallets) will be provided. Pre-registration is highly encouraged. To register please email jfisher@goart.org.

Canning’s world music studies and performances include Ghanaian, Haitian, Brazilian and Senegalese drumming in a variety of ensembles. From his start as a lead pan player and founding member of the Pandemonium Steelband of Wesleyan University, Cannin now performs with the steel drum here in the US as well as in Europe and Latin America. He performs in numerous styles, from Caribbean dance music to new classical works.

He has performed as well with national champions “Phase II Pan Groove” in Trinidad and Tobago, and with numerous steelbands in Brooklyn, New York. Ted now leads the Panloco Steelband, the “Steel Alchemy” Community Steelband, and the RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) Steel Band.

He performs with the Trinidad and Tobago Steelband, and has performed with “pan” players from Trinidad and around the world. Since 1993, Ted has been devoted to arts in education as a lead teaching artist. He has presented performances, workshops and residencies in schools, colleges, and community settings throughout Western New York and Pennsylvania.

In addition to presentations of steelband and other world musics, Ted has used music to teach fundamental curriculum skills such as math, language skills, social studies, history and science, illuminating concepts to students and opening doors to multiple styles of learning.