Picture for a moment, if you will, a group of people sitting together with instruments. There is no conductor, no music score and seemingly no order and somehow they manage to make beautiful music that is both enchanting and haunting. While many people look at this and immediately think the people are either Beatniks or Hippies, the fact of the matter is that this tradition has been going on for a very long time and is still practice in many parts of the country by Native Americans. Drumming or
flute circles are wonderful, creative social events at which everyone is welcome.
The main problem that many people have with a drumming or flute circle is that misconception that it is something that is only attended by Hippies or some other counterculture movement that is trying to make some sort of statement. While it is true that the Hippies embraced the idea of the circles, they are not the first and certainly not the only ones to take this approach to making communal music. Not only the Native Americans do it, either. While there may not be flutes or drums involved, the people from other countries have their own forms of this entertainment. In North Africa, for example, entire families will sit down after a meal around the table and sing traditional songs while other accompany them on percussion or other instruments.
But what is the attraction of these drumming or flute circles? Why do people go there and what is great about them? Aside from the social interaction with various different people there is the shared atmosphere of creativity that hangs heavily in the air. People are social creatures, but they also like to create. In these circles people can come together to create music together and rely solely on their expertise, their creativity and on each other. It fosters a sense of community amongst the members of the circle and as the music starts to flow, the group can become as one. But not only are these circles great opportunities to live out your musical desires, it is also a great place to learn.
There are always people that tend to be better than you at something and no matter how much you know, you can always learn something new. Another great things about drumming and flute circles is the fact that you can meet others who can teach you more about your instrument, show you new ways to do things and teach you new songs to add to your repertoire. In exchange they learns songs that you know but they do not and perhaps you know a trick that they have not discovered yet.
It is the communal feeling of being part of a larger group and the sharing of knowledge and experience that makes these drumming and flute circles so alluring. While others may scoff at the idea, they have simply not joined in. Find yourself and make new friends by joining in at one of these circles. You will be surprised how much you can learn.
