Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:10:43 — 48.8MB)
Drummer and music educator, Joe Hamm, joins the conversation as we learn about the El Sistema philosophy of providing music programs to under-resourced kids, the social value of music, the role of the drums within the context of a band, and touring.
Joe Hamm gives us his musical and educational background, and we talk about melodic drumming, ear training, and the deprivation of sounds and colors.
The philosophy of El Sistema was created in Venezuela in 1975. It focused on the idea that an orchestra is a community and thus models the larger society. Organizations that adhere to the El Sistema philosophy provide under-resourced students with consistent access to intensive music education. Joe Hamm tells us about his program, Soundscapes, with which he and ~9 other teachers work with students in Newport News, Virginia.
We talk about Joe Hamm’s former rock band, Chasing Arrows, their tour schedule, and the impact of the financial crash of 2008 on the music industry.
More information about Joe Hamm can be found at https://www.joehamm.com/
More information about El Sistema can be found at https://elsistemausa.org/
More information about Soundscapes can be found at https://soundscapes.org/