"The unifying theme of my music, and my approach to education, is community – to build strong, thriving communities of people who make and enjoy music together. "

Through tireless experimentation, Todd Hammes has developed musical education and outreach programs that offer an unmatched level of interactive quality and stimulation. He has formulated and modularized his educational offerings to satisfy the wants and needs of an extraordinarily diverse clientele.

It is Todd’s musical background and experience – a life steeped in performance, composition, and musical innovation – that fosters the rich musical experience which he brings to each teaching/learning opportunity. Combined with his natural gift for connecting with others as individuals or in a group of any size, it makes for a powerful community-building capability that has touched the lives of thousands – both children and adults of all ages and backgrounds.

In this one-of-a-kind learning experience, Todd creates the opportunity for percussionists to explore new ways of making music with hand drums. This program, adaptable to half-, full-, or multi-day formats, provides unique musical growth that is comfortable, yet stretches the “comfort zone” in vital ways.

A typical Hand Drum Exploratorium combines technique, composition, and musical inquiry, as well as intensive practice sessions for the development of hand drumming “chops”. Many participants report that the focused listening and related discussions of percussion music-making issues are a highlight of their study, bringing them to new levels of musical expressiveness and gratification.

"While I don’t require previous hand drumming experience, the Exploratorium is an intense workshop designed for serious percussionists who want to expand their musical vocabulary. You’ll work out your own compositional ideas with a group of hard-working musicians, and participate in intense, growth-producing practice sessions."

In the Exploratorium, Todd provides an extensive assortment of hand drums from around the world for participants to explore hands-on. In addition to a myriad of world drumming techniques, Todd sheds light on the mysterious nature of North Indian tabla drumming, and draws on his mastery of tabla as a basis for creating a true multi-disciplinary “world hand-drumming technique”.

The Love of Drumming is available to groups of up to fifty adult participants. Previous musical training is not required. For the program, Todd provides an array of percussion instruments (drums, bells, shakers) that are accessible and playable by people of any skill level.

This is a fun hand drumming workshop/drum circle, designed to help adults explore music-making and drumming in a safe and nurturing environment. The greatest fun is seeing participants learn that they can make music, can do it well, and can share their new-found capability with others in the group.

One of Todd’s favorite offerings – and one of the most musically stimulating – is this improvisationally-focused workshop. While the event itself seems to unfold as an act of improvisation, beneath it all there is a well-grounded plan that results in notable growth and musical expression. And, remarkably, it works with both trained musicians and the musical novice. The only requirement is a willingness to express a thought or feeling through music.

One of the musical world’s the greatest gifts to mankind is the drum. And, in recent years, the power and mystique of this most ancient of musical instruments has touched people around the world. Drawing on myriad cultures and musical practices, Todd shares the universal appeal of drumming – as well as the fascination of the instrument itself, in all its forms – with captivated audiences. Along the way, this percussive/musical journey stops off at some of the world’s great drumming communities. Come along for the ride!

"As an active artist-in-residence, I’ve had the opportunity to create relevant musical experiences for thousands of school children. To me, there’s no greater thrill than seeing young hands take up instruments for the first time…young faces light up with the thrill of music-making…and young hearts set alive with inspiration and motivation."

Todd’s in-school residency programs have earned him a reputation as one of the most caring and competent teachers at work today. Programs can be geared to groups large or small, for both the artistically oriented and the newcomer alike. As an artist-in-residence, Todd works with faculty in the arts and other fields to connect music with geography, history and musical instrument construction. The result is an astonishingly complete musical/ cultural/academic experience, a learning opportunity unlike any other offered in the school environment.

“Todd is exceptional, playing drums and working with students. We all loved him. He knows how to manage even the ‘hard to handle’ ones…He works very well with children”
Public school teachers, Tucson, AZ

You have a most special touch.”
- Joan Ashcraft, Director of Arts Education, Tucson Unified School District

As a highly trained musician and a skilled percussion pedagogue, Todd offers private lessons for serious students who will benefit from the one-on-one teaching/ learning experience. Material can cover everything from orchestral technique, to hand drumming, to composition and improvisation. Many of Todd’s private students have gone on to enjoy rewarding musical careers.

"Musical expression is a gift I’m privileged to share with the world. Through my clinics, workshops, artist residencies and the Hand Drum Exploratorium, I’ve seen thousands of students become engaged and enthralled by the sheer joy of making music. In the process, I’ve been witness to countless moments of inspiration and personal growth. And for me…that’s really what it’s all about."

Organizations of all sizes and types benefit from the experience of group
creativity. This workshop works for a corporate executive team, a school’s academic or administrative staff, the board of a non-profit organization, or countless other teams and organizations. In it, group members see their own potential and capabilities – and those of their co-workers – in a new light. The result is enhanced organizational effectiveness, and a new sense of purpose and direction.

Todd: My Teambuilding Program allows coworkers to interact outside of their normal hierarchal roles. This shift in perspective can be very enlightening and empowering, to say the least. With gentle guidance, and a palette of sounds to work with, the group creates an original piece of drum music. I’ve seen remarkable group transformation take place through this inspiring experience.