Lorenzo D'Erasmo Frame Drums Course

Frame drums are among the oldest and most globally widespread percussion instruments. Each instrument in this family, along with its specific reference repertoire, belongs to different musical cultures and geographic regions.

The monthly course is organized into five sessions focusing on the main frame drums, detailed study of different techniques, and repertoire.

Program

First Session: Mute Drums

• Introduction to the instrument: fundamental sounds, basic and advanced techniques.
• Lapstyle and Upright techniques: a unified approach.
• Accompaniment methods for the reference repertoires.
• Solo repertoire.

Second Session: The Italian Tamburello

• Introduction to the various instruments within the family.
• Reference traditional instruments and techniques.
• Methods for accompanying early music.
• Modern techniques.

Third Session: The Riq

• Introduction to the instrument.
• Sounds and different playing positions.
• Presentation of the main Iqa’ (rhythmic modes) of the Arabic tradition.
• Use of embellishments in musical contexts, for both soloing and accompaniment.

Fourth Session: Idiophones

• Introduction to the instruments.
• Transposition of tamburello techniques onto idiophones.
• Sgnacchere (castanets) and the transposition of snare drum studies.
• Use of the instruments in accompanying various repertoires.

Fifth Session

• Recap of the work covered and final student concert.

Biography

Lorenzo D'Erasmo graduated in Percussion Instruments with Andrea Pestalozza at the Conservatorio “G Verdi” in Milan, with highest honors and special mention.
He continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg im Breisgau with Bernhard Wulff. Finally, he studied with Claudia Caffagni, at the Civica Scuola di Musica “Claudio Abbado” and finished the Master course in Medieval ensemble music, with highest honors and special mention.

His first field of specialization was contemporary music.
Lorenzo D'Erasmo has collaborated with ensembles such as Sentieri Selvaggi, MDI Ensemble and Divertimento Ensemble. He has participated in contemporary music festivals and seasons in Italy and abroad such as MI.TO, Biennale di Venezia, MilanoMusica Festival, Sound of Wander, Mantua Chamber Music Festival, Sentieri Selvaggi Season, Rondò Divertimento Ensemble, Orlèans Concours International de Piano, Fondazione Spinola Banna, Transart Bolzano and many others. He has collaborated with musicians and composers such as Beat Furrer, Simon Steen-Andersen, Unsuk Chin, Francesco Filidei, Chaya Czernowin, Robert HP Platz, Toshio Hosokawa, Yoichi Sugiyama. He has also collaborated with Conductors Tito Ceccherini, Emilio Pomarico, Filippo Perocco. In 2013 and 2015 he recorded two CDs with Divertimento Ensemble for the “Stradivarius” label, and in 2016 with “Limenmusic Label.”

Since 2017 he started studying frame drums with Andrea Piccioni and Murat Coşkun.

He attended and completed his studies at the Frame Drum Academy of the Festival “Tamburi Mundi” in Freiburg im Breisgau with Murat Coşkun. Specialization in frame drums and other instruments (such as percussion idiophones, dulcimer, jaw-harp and various percussion keyboards) brought him closer to early and traditional music, in a constant quest to increase dialogue and ideal exchange between the various fields acquired.

He has given Masterclasses and Courses at various institutions and Festivals such as the Conservatorio “G. Verdi” in Milan and at the Civica Scuola di Musica C. Abbado, Conservatorio “G. Verdi” in Como, Conservatorio “L.Perosi” in Campobasso. He collaborates as a teacher for short and annual courses with Studio Salotto in Prova.

Thanks to his specialization in early music, a dynamic and profound relationship has been established between classical and historical percussion.

Lorenzo D'Erasmo has collaborated with Early Music Ensembles such as La Reverdie, Les Haulz et le Bas, Ensemble Acadèmia Capella de Ministrers, Puy de Saint-Cyr, Musica Antiqua Latina. He has participated in Monteverdi Festival Cremona, Stresa Festival, Festival MAG, Goede Rede Concerten, Early Music Sweden. He has recorded with Ensemble La Reverdie for Arcana.

In the field of Arabic Music he works with Mirna Kassis, Salah Namek, Missak Baghboudarian. He engages in improvisation projects, works and plays with electronic music artists such as Otolab, MMT, Go Dugong, Muovo Musica and others.