Gong Dynamics, a new course imagined and facilitated by Mike Tamburo, is a 5-day creative and dynamic exploration of gong music, open to all levels. The course focuses on the connection between the player, the gong, and the mallet, with participants engaging with a wide variety of gongs and mallets.

Participants will get hands-on experience as they explore how different combinations of gongs, mallets, and techniques affect the sound, helping them refine their skills and play with greater intention and creativity.

Points of Study Include:

• Active Listening: Develop a heightened awareness of how the gong and mallet interact to create sound, enhancing your ability to respond to shifts in tone and dynamics.

• Dynamic Changes: Learn how to manipulate volume, tempo, and strokes using different gongs and mallets, creating contrasts that move fluidly between quiet introspection and energetic expression.

• Tonal Exploration: Uncover the unique tonal qualities of each gong and how different mallets can evoke a broad spectrum of sounds and emotional soundscapes.

• Spontaneous Composition: Develop the ability to create music in the moment, using the gong and mallet to respond intuitively to your surroundings and inner creativity.

• Planned Composition: Focus on intentional structure in your playing, using repetition, patterns, and dynamic variation to craft cohesive, expressive pieces.

• Conduction: Experience the balance of orchestration and improvisation, working with others in group settings to blend structured playing with spontaneous creativity.

• Transitions: Explore how to create smooth transitions between different sections and styles, ensuring fluidity and coherence in your performances.

• Timing: Develop a number of different relationships with time, enhancing both solo and collaborative performances, and allowing for greater precision, flexibility, and expression.

• Volume Control: Explore how different gongs and mallets allow for precise control over volume, from soft and subtle tones to bold, resonant crescendos. 

What Participants Will Gain:

• A greater understanding of how the combination of gongs and mallets shapes the sound and overall musical experience.

• Enhanced active listening skills that improve musicality and allow for more nuanced and sensitive playing.

• Tools for dynamic expression, using a variety of gongs and mallets to explore contrasts in tone, volume, and rhythm.

• Confidence in composing for both solo and collaborative settings, blending intuitive and structured approaches.

• Techniques to create smooth transitions and develop effective timing, with a focus on building multiple relationships with time in your playing.

• A clear understanding of Conduction, enabling you to guide or collaborate with others in group performances, balancing structure with improvisation.

• Opportunities to play, create, and collaborate with fellow participants, working with a wide range of gongs and mallets to explore diverse sonic possibilities.

• A stronger personal connection with the gong and mallet, allowing for performances that are both intentional and spontaneous.

Whether you’re new to the gong or a seasoned player, Gong Dynamics will help you refine your skills, broaden your creative approach, and create profound, dynamic musical experiences with a wide variety of gongs and mallets.