Big Drum Adventure
The Big Drum Adventure is a gateway music programme takes a class on a musical journey with drums, percussion and voice. It introduces pupils to the exciting world of music making, building rhythm, playing and performance skills to give each pupil the confidence to progress to the next level.
The Big Drum Adventure has been successfully run in hundreds of Scottish classrooms since 2006 – firstly in Edinburgh and currently in Scottish Borders and East Lothian primary schools. It can be used to achieve a school ‘P6 target’, as a special project, or help pupils work towards a specific celebration in their school or community. Features of the programme include:
The Big Drum Adventure is usually taught over 9 weekly sessions for 2 classes-a-day, usually P4-7 age: one whole class after morning break until lunch, and the second class for the whole afternoon. The total cost includes all tuition, instrument provision, travel and administration. Shorter project lengths are possible.
For a taste of what to expect, please take a look at this film about the project in the Scottish Borders. Theres also lots of great pics from past adventures here on the gallery page.
Recent praise for the Big Drum Adventure
“Mat Clements has been delivering the Big Drum Adventure in the Scottish Borders for 7 years. The project takes classes of P4-7 aged pupils, regardless of previous music experience, on a musical journey in rhythm and song. On the journey, each pupil learns musical skills and terminology, warm up games and songs as well as how to become competent playing a variety of percussion instruments from around the world.
The project not only develops music-specific skills in participants, it also nurtures soft skills such as team working, listening to each other and self-confidence. Cross curricular learning is integrated through links to areas such as the science of sound and geography.
Mat covers some important building blocks of music appreciation and learning such as rhythm and group playing whilst making learning extremely fun and engaging for pupils. Mat’s energy and skills in classroom management are exemplary. Participants experience success in learning and have gone on to study drumming and music at high school level due to this input.
The feedback from school staff, pupils and parents regarding the Big Drum Adventure is always 100% positive. At the end of each project, schools ask when Mat can visit them again. As a coordinator of YMI, the Big Drum Adventure lends so much to our programme in the Scottish Borders and I can’t recommend it enough to other local authorities.”
- Kelsey Jubin, Creative Learning Assistant, Scottish Borders Council, Jan 2017
“Mat’s enthusiasm kept the attention of the pupils, he had endless patience with them too. The pupils were keen to learn and perform. I was extremely impressed with many pupils progress – playing skills, confidence, retention of information and rhythm patterns”.
- Class teacher, Wilton Primary School, May 2016,
“I would like to thank you on behalf of the whole school for your outstanding work with the pupils of Lilliesleaf Primary School. The children have loved the project and the process of putting a band together right through to the performance. This has been evident in the feedback from pupils and watching them at the concert. There was so much enthusiasm and talent! Parental feedback has been extremely positive and there is an overall feeling of pride in the work and the school.”
- Head teacher, Lilliesleaf Primary School, Dec 2015
“Mat! I blame you for the pots and pans being banged with wooden spoons in my kitchen! I blame you for the random Brazilian chanting. Dear God the girl now wants to learn drumming!!”
- Parent, Lauder Primary School, April 2016
For any further information, or to discuss a Big Drum Adventure programme in your school, please contact Mat Clements. Many thanks!
The Big Drum Adventure is a gateway music programme takes a class on a musical journey with drums, percussion and voice. It introduces pupils to the exciting world of music making, building rhythm, playing and performance skills to give each pupil the confidence to progress to the next level.
The Big Drum Adventure has been successfully run in hundreds of Scottish classrooms since 2006 – firstly in Edinburgh and currently in Scottish Borders and East Lothian primary schools. It can be used to achieve a school ‘P6 target’, as a special project, or help pupils work towards a specific celebration in their school or community. Features of the programme include:
- 13.5 hours tuition over 9 weeks (approx. 1.5hours/week per class).
- Designed for P3-7, but applicable to younger, older classes and composites
- Edinburgh-based tutor Mat Clements brings 20 years of professional experience to the programme, which he aims to be ‘best practice’ in Scotland for this type of group-work.
- Whole classes taught with every pupil actively involved, regardless of prior musical experience
- All the music codes for 2nd Stage Curriculum for Excellence are covered in depth
- Pupils learn a variety of percussion instruments and techniques, accompanying songs and how to play together as a band. All the instruments are provided
- Use of warm-ups and musical activities that encourage personal and musical development along with teamwork and leadership
- Integration of musical content with class projects, e.g country studies, tropical climates, ancient Egypt, fractions, sound and light, poetry…
- Wider learning opportunities taken in English, maths, geography, physics, and presentation skills
- Making of bamboo practice sticks for every child to keep
- Weekly story-time visits to the ‘Museum’, where pupils are introduced to unusual and inspiring world percussion
- In-school assembly performance, presented by the pupils
- Upload of a band recording to Soundcloud so pupils can share their achievements outside school with families and friends – see https://soundcloud.com/mat-clements-1
The Big Drum Adventure is usually taught over 9 weekly sessions for 2 classes-a-day, usually P4-7 age: one whole class after morning break until lunch, and the second class for the whole afternoon. The total cost includes all tuition, instrument provision, travel and administration. Shorter project lengths are possible.
For a taste of what to expect, please take a look at this film about the project in the Scottish Borders. Theres also lots of great pics from past adventures here on the gallery page.
Recent praise for the Big Drum Adventure
“Mat Clements has been delivering the Big Drum Adventure in the Scottish Borders for 7 years. The project takes classes of P4-7 aged pupils, regardless of previous music experience, on a musical journey in rhythm and song. On the journey, each pupil learns musical skills and terminology, warm up games and songs as well as how to become competent playing a variety of percussion instruments from around the world.
The project not only develops music-specific skills in participants, it also nurtures soft skills such as team working, listening to each other and self-confidence. Cross curricular learning is integrated through links to areas such as the science of sound and geography.
Mat covers some important building blocks of music appreciation and learning such as rhythm and group playing whilst making learning extremely fun and engaging for pupils. Mat’s energy and skills in classroom management are exemplary. Participants experience success in learning and have gone on to study drumming and music at high school level due to this input.
The feedback from school staff, pupils and parents regarding the Big Drum Adventure is always 100% positive. At the end of each project, schools ask when Mat can visit them again. As a coordinator of YMI, the Big Drum Adventure lends so much to our programme in the Scottish Borders and I can’t recommend it enough to other local authorities.”
- Kelsey Jubin, Creative Learning Assistant, Scottish Borders Council, Jan 2017
“Mat’s enthusiasm kept the attention of the pupils, he had endless patience with them too. The pupils were keen to learn and perform. I was extremely impressed with many pupils progress – playing skills, confidence, retention of information and rhythm patterns”.
- Class teacher, Wilton Primary School, May 2016,
“I would like to thank you on behalf of the whole school for your outstanding work with the pupils of Lilliesleaf Primary School. The children have loved the project and the process of putting a band together right through to the performance. This has been evident in the feedback from pupils and watching them at the concert. There was so much enthusiasm and talent! Parental feedback has been extremely positive and there is an overall feeling of pride in the work and the school.”
- Head teacher, Lilliesleaf Primary School, Dec 2015
“Mat! I blame you for the pots and pans being banged with wooden spoons in my kitchen! I blame you for the random Brazilian chanting. Dear God the girl now wants to learn drumming!!”
- Parent, Lauder Primary School, April 2016
For any further information, or to discuss a Big Drum Adventure programme in your school, please contact Mat Clements. Many thanks!