More info at:
https://ncaosa.org/events/
Rhythms and Melodies of India for the Orff Classroom
Join educator and percussionist Jim Santi Owen in exploring the rich intersections between the classical music traditions of North and South India and the elemental approach of Orff-Schulwerk. Though they may seem worlds apart, these traditions share key pedagogical foundations such as oral/aural learning, language-based rhythmic training, and the use of modal scales. In this hands-on workshop, participants will engage with traditional and original compositions for vocal percussion, body percussion, and the Orff Instrumentarium—each one kid-tested and classroom-ready. Participants will leave with teachable pieces and adaptable strategies to inspire student creativity and composition, grounded in the vibrant rhythmic and melodic language of Indian classical music.
About Jim:
Jim Santi Owen is an American percussionist and educator with over 30 years of experience teaching music to students of all ages, from preschool through postgraduate levels. A specialist in the classical percussion traditions of India, he has studied tabla with Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri for over 35 years, South Indian percussion with Vidwan T.H. Subash Chandran, and was privileged to also learn from the late Ustad Zakir Hussain. Jim holds a Master’s degree in World Music from the California Institute of the Arts and is an Orff Levels graduate. His teaching career spans a wide range of settings, including public, private, and international schools such as the San Francisco School, Park Day School, Marin Country Day School, Creative Arts Charter School, and Shu Ren International School, a Mandarin-immersion IB program in Berkeley. He has served on the faculties of the California Institute of the Arts, Dominican University, the California Jazz Conservatory, the Ali Akbar College of Music, and REACH University, where he mentors future music educators. A frequent presenter at Orff-Schulwerk conferences and workshops, Jim has also taught internationally in India, China, Hong Kong, and Spain. His work bridges traditional and contemporary music education practices, integrating the rich rhythmic and melodic systems of Indian music into engaging, inclusive, and culturally responsive classrooms.
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