3rd Annual Texas BigBeat Makes History and Funds Local Music Education
HOUSTON (Oct. 9, 2009) – The 3rd Annual Texas BigBeat, a drumming charity event, will occur from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. The event will be hosted by the Houston Airport System at the Bush Intercontinental Airport Services Complex, 4500 Will Clayton Parkway, Houston, TX 77032. Setting a world record, the BigBeat will be held in 11 cities across North America with more than 1,200 drummers playing the same beat at the same.
Texas BigBeat drummers will set up drum sets in a 60,000 square foot warehouse and play along with celebrity drummers Chris Layton (drummer for the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughn), Herman Matthews (drummer for Kirk Whalum, Tower of Power, Tom Jones, Bob James, Stevie Wonder, The Isley Brothers, “Baby Face” Edmonds and many others) and Rick Latham (featured long-term member of the Edgar Winter Band and author of “Advanced Funk Studies” and “Contemporary Drum Set Techniques”).
“Music is a universal language and Texas BigBeat’s goal is to give drummers a chance to do what they love (drumming) while at the same time making a difference for our youth and communities,” said Donna Fisher, Texas BigBeat event co-chair. “We have found that many drummers feel like music played an important and positive role in their development as children. At the Texas BigBeat, they get to pass on the gift of music to the younger generation. It’s an emotional experience to hear hundreds of drummers, ages 4 to 70, playing in unison.”
Texas BigBeat will drum up dreams for two nonprofit organizations, Cherish Our Children International http://www.cherishourchildren.org and The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation http://www.mhopus.org. In Houston, Cherish Our Children International supports No More Victims Program, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent the cycle of addiction, abuse, violence and incarceration. The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation donates new and refurbished musical instruments to schools and community music programs in the greater Houston area in an effort to give youth the many benefits of music education such as improved academic performance, and inspired creativity and expression through music. Teachers and parents see every day how the simple action of giving a child an instrument can change his or her life forever.
More than 20 vendors have donated over $16,000 in musical instruments and accessories for drummers who raise the most money, the first 200 drummers who register, and the “Drumming up Dreams” drawing for drummers who raise a minimum of $200. Also, the event includes a “World’s Fastest Drummer Contest.”
Drummers of all ages and all levels of experience are invited to participate and make a difference for our youth, families and communities. For more information, to register, sponsor or make a donation, visit http://www.texasbigbeat.com or call the Percussion Center at 713.468.9100.
About Texas BigBeat
Texas BigBeat is a drumming charity event raising funds to provide educational programs for unserved and underserved youth. Event proceeds benefit Cherish Our Children International and The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. For more information about Texas BigBeat, visit http://www.texasbigbeat.com. The organizing event sponsor is the Percussion Center http://www.percussiononline.com, Houston’s only music store that specializes in drums and percussion instruments, lessons, clinics and accessories.
