«DrumPower» – Annual Report 2021
In 2021, project work in schools was generally severely restricted due to the corona pandemic. Despite this, modified drum power projects were offered to children and young people at various locations.
Projects
In this way, project initiatives could be carried out at various schools in Erlangen, Mengkofen, Munich and Vienna – sometimes with major interruptions.
From the annual report 20/21 of drum power Munich
Since the schools were closed for face-to-face teaching in mid-December 2020, Sonja Ebert collected the texts with the students' wishes and wrote a song during the lockdown, for which she used the students' texts.
Unfortunately, the project had to be paused shortly before Christmas and could no longer be continued in person, since the schools were in distance classes after the Christmas holidays due to the corona pandemic. To keep in touch and to show our appreciation, Ms. Ebert sent the teacher the song she had written and recorded for the class. This was accepted with great gratitude.
DrumPower online
Since the class was in distance learning after Christmas, we tried to get in touch with the students online, which was very much appreciated by the teacher. The online lessons were integrated into the timetable and lasted approximately 30 minutes. In the first lesson, games were tried out and wishes collected. Together they looked for alternative rhythm instruments and experimented with them. Unfortunately, it was not possible to get in touch with all students as many left the screens black and did not want to be visible. Others had technical problems. Finally, the topic of "setting limits" was taken up again with the stop game and the students were given the task of drawing a stop sign for the coming week. Many colorful and different stop signs came out and confirmed the interest and relevance of the students in this topic.
Despite the limited possibility of contact at DrumPower online, it was a good opportunity to round off the project and get an insight into the current situation with distance learning and homeschooling. This also made it possible to react flexibly to the stressful situation in the schools with DrumPower.
In May 2021, Nelli Cardenas went on parental leave at DrumPower Munich. The music therapists Cornelia Helm and Dominic Pavelt took over their representation.
Training
In 2021, an additional qualification was carried out with participants from different educational and therapeutic areas. In addition to the application of the DrumPower method in schools, the changed conditions due to pandemic protection regulations, as well as applications in other countries / regions such as in Palestine and in the outback of Australia, were discussed. New possible modifications were worked out. Initial feedback on the projects taking place there show an interested participation from the children and young people.
Scientific discourse
Accompanying the ongoing projects, a lively discourse took place in the prevention working group on the methodology, theory and research in the various fields of practice, which are expressed in various publications:
- TrommelPower – eine musiktherapeutische Projektmethode zur Gewaltprävention. In: Stegemann, T. & Fitzthum, E.: Kurzlehrbuch Musiktherapie Teil II. – Andreas Wölfl
- Report on the Current State of Practice and Training of Music Therapists Working With Adolescents.Voices. World Forum for Music Therapy. Vol 21, No 2. – Katrina Skewes McFerran, Giulia Fedrigo & Andreas Wölfl
Professional supervision and supervision
All Munich projects are subject to professional support and supervision; in addition, this is provided, among other things, for a grammar school in Erlangen (Emmy-Noether-Gymnasium).
Promote
DrumPower projects with children, adolescents and young adults can usually only be realized thanks to special support and encouragement. In 2021, we would like to thank the Munich Cultural Department, the music foundation Barbara Weidinger and all other sponsors and supporters.