November 10-13, 2010 are the dates for The 2010 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, IN.  For anyone with an interest in percussion this convention is paradise!  Percussionists from all over the world come together to meet, present, share ideas, and play.  This is a description from www.pasic.org:

PASIC is the largest percussion event in the world featuring over 120 concerts, clinics, master classes, labs, workshops, panels and presentations. The finest artists from all over the world are invited to present and perform at PASIC. The program showcases all areas of percussion, including: drumset, marching, keyboard, symphonic, world, recreational, education, music technology, new music, and health & wellness.

PASIC also features the International Drum and Percussion Expo, which includes over 115 percussion related manufacturers, publishers and organizations. They exhibit the latest instruments, sticks, mallets, accessories, music, and related products and services.

At every PASIC there are so many unique opportunities to learn about the percussive arts.   Each day workshops and clinics focus on every percussion instrument you can imagine.  From drum set, marimba, drum circles, congas, djembe, frame drums, tambourines, cymbals, accessories, and drums you’ve never heard of PASIC has you covered.  The leaders in the field offer clinics and workshops to build your skills and throughout the day and into the night you can also sit back and enjoy concerts from these world class percussionists.

Bill and I were fortunate this year to be selected to offer a presentation: Music Therapy: Using Percussion to Change Lives.  It’s our hope that we will be able to both turn percussionists on to the field of Music Therapy and assist University Professors in recognizing the unique percussion skill sets non-percussionist music therapy students need to enter the field and become effective clinicians.

As we move forward learning about the roots of the instruments we use with our clients it is exciting to have opportunities to attend conventions that can open our eyes to the deep traditions and allow us to tap into future possibilities of this family of instruments.