Grace Schust

Drumming comes naturally to Grace Schust, a woman who comes from a long line of drummers (grandfather, father, brother, two sisters, husband, son, and daughter). Her formal training in drumming began in 1982, studying African/Caribbean hand drumming. Since then she has studied and performed with such masters as Babatunde Olatunji from Nigeria (Ashiko drum), Sikiru Adepoju from Nigeria (talking drum), Sanga Francis from Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean rhythms), Abdoul Doumbia from Mali (d’jembe), Sidi Mohamed Camara from Mali (d’jembe, jun-jun, dance).Grace’s soft-spoken style and humble approach to her craft make her an ideal teacher for people who may be less than confident about their own musical skills. “A lot more is happening than just the music,” Grace states. “My husband Jim, daughter Lindsey, and I have done workshops in schools, corporate settings, and for community and church groups.” Grace has a personal commitment to cross-cultural exchange, and is the director/founder of Arts Bridge the World, a non-profit organization that promotes and produces cross-cultural arts programs. She is co-owner of Timbre Drums, makers of handcrafted African style drums, and offers drumming workshops, classes and performances in the New England area.

Specialty:

• Musician

Programs Offered:

• Workshops, classes, performances

Populations Served:

• preschool, K-12, colleges, adult learners, team-building workshops for hospital staff, corporate settings, community and church groups, youth at-risk, incarcerated, people with disabilities, special needs populations

Availability:

• throughout New England