Oct 05, Wednesday
Leon Mobley Visits School
We are so lucky to have had our first visit from Leon Mobley, world famous drummer! This visit and his role as "artist-in-residence" at the elementary school in early 2012 will launch an arts curriculum that will take students on a journey which will explore West African culture. Chickering students will work with Leon in music, chorus, band, and gym classes in preparation of a performance which will celebrate African-American History Month on February 3, 2012.
Leon Mobley, a former METCO student, spent many years weathering the elements at 5:00 am to get from the Cathedral housing projects in Roxbury, MA to school in Dover, MA. He first attended Chickering School for third grade. When a student at Dover's Caryl School, Leon became an original cast member of PBS's Emmy award-winning children's television show, ZOOM, filmed at WGBH. Leon is a protégé of legendary Nigerian drummer, Babatunde Olatunji, and has worked with the most-noted recording artists of today. Leon returns from the recent Distant Relative Tour with Reggae / Hip-Hop artists Damian Marley and Nas, ready to continue the his personal legacy of giving through music and education. Leon has developed a curriculum which engages and inspires students using African drumming, dance, and culture. The students will learn drumming techniques, drumming as communication, chants, and songs of celebration. All of which will be showcased in an unprecedented performance with Leon Mobley on February 3, 2011.
Leon has been a "signature series artist" for Remo World Percussion Inc., the drum manufacturers who have produced his personally-designed Djembe drums for the last 20+ years. His commitment to West African drumming and education has touched the lives of hundreds of youth in Los Angeles and audiences around the world. His vision of, “creating Common-Unity, heart to heart, one drum at a time” is the fuel that fires this event to reach beyond the Dover and Sherborn communities to an international level.
