Global Drummers Alliance for Hunger Relief to Host ‘Hunger Beat-Down’ on January 14th, 2012

Drummers will simultaneously play the same solo to raise awareness of world hunger

St. Paul, Minn—The statistics are staggering. More than 925 million people around the world—many of them children—are malnourished, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.Are we doing enough to help feed the starving children of the world? The Global Drummers Alliance for Hunger Relief doesn’t think so. That’s why on January 14th, 2012 at 12 noon Pacific Time, thousands of drummers from communities across the world, including ensembles in each of the 50 states of the U.S. and internationally, will host a “hunger beat-down.” They will simultaneously play the same drum solo to raise awareness about world hunger and to encourage citizens to help feed the starving children. They will play a commonly known drum solo called “Three Camps,” which replicates the kind of drumming used by army camps during the Civil War to communicate with each other.
In Ashland, the drumming will be led by Dr. Terry Longshore, Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Southern Oregon University, and will feature the SOU Percussion Ensemble, as well as SOU alumni and drummers from the southern Oregon community, playing in the courtyard in front of the Stevenson Union at Southern Oregon University at noon. These drummers will be encouraging people to donate to charities working to end world hunger. All drummers are invited to participate and may access the music to “Three Camps” at: https://www.drummercafe.com/global-drummers-alliance-for-hunger-relief.html. Drummers will need to bring their own drum and meet at 11:30 AM on Saturday, January 14, at the Stevenson Union Courtyard at Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland. Monetary donations or donations of non-perishable food items may be made at the event to the Ashland Emergency Food Bank.

According to Terry Longshore, “We’re participating in this event because world hunger is something we, as a country, need to do more about. We’re looking forward to joining our fellow drummers across the globe to raise awareness about starving children.”

The idea for the hunger beat-down came from Marv Dahlgren, a nationally known percussionist from the Twin Cities. “I’m concerned that the world is not paying enough attention to the incredible famine that exists in Africa and other countries across the world,” Dahlgren said. “I believe those of us who live in the richest nation on earth owe it to the starving children of the world to help them survive the ravages of famine. I want to keep beating the drum to make sure we don’t forget about the millions of children who are losing their lives every day to starvation,” Dahlgren said.
Dahlgren has worked closely with Twin Cities percussionist David Stanoch to organize the hunger beat-down. Stanoch is a prolific Twin Cities drummer who has played with some of the best- known musicians around the world.

About Terry Longshore

Terry Longshore is active as a performer, composer, and educator of percussion and has performed nationally and internationally. He performs regularly as a soloist and with the ensembles Skin & Bones, Caballito Negro,Compás, and Dúo Flamenco. He can be heard on numerous CD and motion picture recordings and has premiered many compositions for solo percussion, percussion ensemble, chamber ensemble, and symphony orchestra.
Longshore holds bachelor’s degrees from California State University at Fresno and Sacramento and the master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of California, San Diego where he studied under percussion virtuoso Steven Schick. He has studied Indian classical music extensively under tabla maestro Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri and sitarist Kartik Seshadri. Longshore has taught at several universities and currently holds the position of Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Southern Oregon University. Terry Longshore is a Yamaha Performing Artist and an artist endorser for Remo drumheads, Vic Firth sticks & mallets, and Zildjian cymbals.

About Marv Dahlgren

Marv Dahlgren is a nationally known figure in the drumming world, having authored and co- authored many influential books on drumming, including 4-Way Coordination, Accent on Accents, and Drumset Control. 4-Way Coordination was recently named by Modern Drummer magazine as one of the 50 best percussion instruction books ever written. Marv was the former principal percussionist and assistant timpanist for the Minnesota Orchestra, now retired. In addition to the albums he has made with the orchestra, Marv has also recorded with Cat Stevens and Leo Kottke and has performed on many jingles. Marv is also known as an excellent mallet player and performs on vibes with his own jazz group in venues around the Twin Cities. As a part of the percussion department at McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Marv conducts frequent master classes. Other teaching experience includes Augsburg College and the University of Minnesota, both in the Twin Cities.

About David Stanoch

David has performed globally with a highly eclectic array of talent, including Sheryl Crow, Richard Davis, Herb Ellis, Robert Goulet, Col. Bruce Hampton, Scott Henderson, Shirley Jones, Keb’Mo’, Jack McDuff, New Kids On The Block, Bernard Purdie, Bonnie Raitt, Don Rickles, Martin Short, Ben Sidran, Clyde Stubblefield, Timbuk3, Butch Vig, and Mary Wilson. In the Twin Cities area he juggles live and studio freelance work with regular duties for several bands, including the progressive trio TRIPLICATE. He has been described by DRUM! magazine as being “so good that it’s intimidating.” Since 1999, David has co-produced several critically acclaimed CD’s on his own Rhythmelodic Records label. He has studied with master drummers Max Roach, Alan Dawson, Jeff Hamilton, Ignacio Berroa, and Chad Wackerman, and has been a McNally Smith faculty member and co-author of the curriculum for the percussion school since 1990.

Some recommended charities working to reduce world hunger

Unicef – Somalia
Feeding America
Regional USA

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