Musical Celebrations Around the World – International Drum Month

International Drum Month, taking place every May, encourages people to learn about different types of drums, drumming styles, and percussion.

In 1995, the Percussion Marketing Council (PMC) was formed to be the industry’s not-for-profit trade organization and association. PMC members are drum and percussion retailers, manufacturers, and dealers. Members are deeply committed to creating more musicians, especially drummers and percussionists, as well as music lovers. Besides catering to garage bands and drum circles (and learning how to shoot canons in Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture), PMC creates and implements educational programs and campaigns (like International Drum Month), while striving to serve schools and community centers. PMC supports four large-scale programs: Drum Set in the Classroom, Percussion in the Schools, Drums Across America, and International Drum Month. These programs are intended to reach across racial, social, and economic boundaries to bring music to all participants.

Want to bring International Drum Month to your organization, school, or ensemble? Visit PMC’s website to find a teacher, learn how to buy a drum kit, or find a retailer that may work with your institution on providing various kinds of drums. International Drum Month doesn’t simply cater to garage bands or kit drummers – it’s for all kinds of drums! Do you have a Tom Tom, bongos, Djembe, Tambla, or Cajón sitting around? Start a drum circle! Teach different kinds of drum patterns, learn the cultural history behind an Ashiko or Davul, or watch a video of Neil Peart, one of the greatest drummers of the 21^st century.

For more ways to get involved with International Drum Month, check out the hashtag: #InternationalDrumMonth on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Institutions like the Percussive Arts Society, Urban Jungle Play, and Youth Music use the hashtag to promote the celebration of the percussive arts and draw attention to their own programs. 

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This blog post is part of a series linked to our Music Celebrations Around the World calendar. Download the calendar for access to information about musical celebrations and holidays with strong musical components to share in your music classroom or with your ensemble members! Music + Travel = Encore Tours.