History
Tchá Degga Da
Brazil’s National All-Star Rudimental Drumline
In 2001 John and his sister Michelle Grant arrived in Brazil with a group to study Capoeira and Brazilian culture for what was supposed to be a four month trip. After four months they began to understand the language and decided to stay.
Living in Brazil, John and Michelle began working. They started teaching English in schools in many different cities. John also began working in a Brazilian musical instrument factory teaching them how to make Marimbas, Xylophones, Vibraphones and other percussion keyboard instruments. By working in the factory, John began to meet people involved in the music industry and John and Michelle began to help teach percussion in bands throughout the country.
Bands in Brazil were similar to concert bands in the United States only with very limited access to quality instruments and information. On the release of the film ‘Drumline’ a new culture in Brazil was born. Many groups were to formed inspired by what they saw in the film. Rudimental percussion equipment is very expensive in Brazil and very difficult to find to the groups end up using the instruments they have available. Rudimental Percussion did not exist in Brazil in neither did the instruments used in rudimental percussion.
In 2004 John and Michelle bought a lathe and started making drum sticks and practice pads in their garage for the kids. American sticks and pads were so expensive by the time they got to Brazil that it was impossible for the kids to buy. Many different types of Brazilian wood were tested but nothing came close to Hickory and still quality sticks were desired and needed.
In teaching these groups John and Michelle noticed that generally each band had one or two kids that really studied and really wanted to know more about rudimental percussion and music theory but were being held back in their bands or groups.
The idea came about to have a Sunday ‘rehearsal’ where each of these more advanced kids could come together and have the opportunity to play with other people at the same level of interest and have the opportunity to receive more advanced information.
After a few of these Sunday rehearsals it became apparent that these rehearsals needed to be full weekend rehearsals. People were coming from across the country to participate and to provide more information it was decided to try to have “camps” similar to ‘Drum Corps’ camps where the kids would have the opportunity to play together for a full weekend and to receive more information. These camps have lasted up to 11 days.
In these monthly camps/workshops a group began forming and the name “Tcha Degga Da” was decided upon, using the musical notation of the rudiment known as a “Flam Drag” as a logo, a great rudiment to teach a person starting to play rudimental percussion. The idea was that maybe people would come to the camps already knowing how to play and read at least a “Flam Drag”. It works.
After a few years of having these weekend rehearsals and teaching in many different bands and groups of percussion throughout Brazil John and Michelle had opportunity to meet Patrick Seidling and to teach a workshop together with him. Mr. Seidling is involved in the Drum and Bugle Corps community in the United States and gave the idea to ‘take these kids to WGI’.
Some of the kids attending these camps are really starting to play at an advanced level and if this work continues it will be possible to give these kids the opportunity to compete at a high level. A few kids have actually gone out to the United States and played in DCI (Drum Corps International).
In 2009 Tcha Degga Da was invited to play in a clinic for three days at the Conservatory of Music in Tatui, Sao Paulo. Video recordings of these clinics were posted on the internet where a national television station saw them and invited Tcha Degga Da to play in the television program “Brazil’s got Talent” (Qual e o Seu Talento). Tcha Degga Da went on to the semi-final competition and received attention and recognition throughout Brazil and in the world.
Tcha Degga Da has had up to 140 students at a camp and as little as 12. Each camp is held at different locations. Sometimes it is necessary to rent a house to rehearse, sometimes schools are available. The costs of food and rent are divided and everyone involved helps to pay to keep Tcha Degga Da going. There have been camps in many different states and cities throughout Brazil. Tcha Degga Da has had the opportunity to teach hundreds of people since formation in 2005.
The instruments used in the camps are borrowed from schools or bands of the students who come to the camps. Tcha Degga Da has had many camps with no instruments where the kids played on the ground or even set up a board on saw horses. In 2010 Offworld Percussion sponsored Tcha Degga Da with 20 professional practice pads as a donation to the kids. To decide who would get a pad the kids posted videos on facebook as a competition and received constructive comments from teachers and professionals throughout the world. This attention really helps and makes a difference. Kids who are unable to attend camps send videos to receive instructional information. These videos are also utilized to help other people learn the exercises that are posted on our site. A person can very easily find a video of the exercise they want to study just by looking for “Tchadeggada” and the name of the exercise they want to study.
Tchá Degga Da is a non-profit organization. The group is maintained by the members and teachers paying their own way to participate. Any support or help really makes a difference.
For more information: Send an email to JOHN GRANT at:
Thank You!
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