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Lanston Hughes's "I Dream A World", by Word-Beat, live in NY

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Video courtesy of Amir Bey, NY, NY.

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March 2008 Archive

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Schedule

Feb  
Feb 11-15 Word-Beat tour of Fayetteville N. Carolina made possible through the Fayetteville Arts Council.
Feb 19Word-Beat at UDC Jazz Alive concert 12:30 PM --Events Info/Tel: (202) 274-5803
Feb 21 Word-Beat school concert in Fairfax, VA
Feb 22 Original music performance for a production of "Off the Map" for the American group psychotherapy Association Conference.
Feb 26-29 Word-Beat tour of Richmond and western VA
March  
March 2 2:00 pm: Word-Beat –The Music Center at Strathmore, Bethesda, MD, Levine School of Music campus, Room 309; 202-686-8000 (see News >>>)
March 3-7 Residency in VA Beach.
March 10 Tom Teasley – Virginia Beach, VA,- 757-466-7555
March 11 Tom Teasley – Camelot Elementary, Chesapeake, VA – 9 am – 757-466-7555
March 12 Singing A to Z, Drew Elementary School, Washington, DC - 2:00 pm
March 13-14 Word-Beat Tour in Virginia Beach, VA – 757-466-7555
March 16 Galilee UM, Sterling, VA
March 17-19 World Wind & Percussion Tour in Richmond, VA, through a grant from Young Audiences of VA
March 19 World Wind & Percussion – Kersey Creek Elementary, Mechanicsville, VA– 9 am – 757-466-7555
March 19 World Wind & Percussion – Hening Elementary, Richmond, VA – 2:15 pm – 757-466-7555
March 20 Tom Teasley residency at St. Agnes School, Alexandria, VA
March 24-31 Tom Teasley collaborating with dancer Sheila Charih in Tenerife, Canary Islands
March 27-April 19 Constellation Theater production of Bertolt Brecht’s “Good Woman of Setzuan” with original music composed, recorded, and performed by Tom Teasley. Clark Street Theater, Arlington, VA – constellationtheater.org
April
April 2 Singing A to Z- Brent Elementary, Washington, DC – 2 pm
April 5 Singing A to Z Concert – 5 pm
April  18 Tom Teasley – Forestville Elementary School, Great Falls, VA – 9:30, 10:30, 11:30 am & 2 pm – 757-466-7555
April 29 Word-Beat – Rawls Byrd Elementary, Williamsburg, VA – 9:45 am – 757-466-7555
April 29 Word-Beat – Saint Gertrude High School, Richmond, VA – 1:30 pm – 757-466-7555
May 
May 8 Word-Beat Concert at Levine School of Music, Washington, Dc – 7:30 pm – 202-686-6000
May 8-June 1 Constellation Theater performance of “The Oresteia” by Aeschylus with orginial music performed live by Tom Teasley – Clark Street Playhouse, Arlington, VA- constellationtheatre.org.
May 21 Tom Teasley  - Drum Circle – Levine School of Music – 7 pm – 202-686-6000
June  
June 21 Tom Teasley, Summer Solstice Percussion Festival – Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Arlington, VA – 7 pm – 703-352-5900
June 24- 28 – Tom Teasley – Patagonia Percussion Festival, Argentina

News: events not to miss

The power of African American words, music and vision celebrated at UDC's Jazz Alive

Word-Beat performingNothing can replace the voices of Langston Hughes, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Weldon Johnson. But the power and impact of their words come alive again when you hear them pulsing with rhythm and music.

Word-Beat combines musical energy with messages that inspire people, shape history and challenge us to this day.

Hear Tom and Charles Williams as Word-Beat performs in UDC's Jazz Alive Black History Month concert Feb 19, 12:30 pm.

Location: University of the District of Columbia Auditorium, UDC Van Ness Campus, Bldg. 46-East, 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC. 20008. 202-274-5803

Kid's won't sit still? Bring'em to Bethesda --

Kids having fun Sunday, March 2, 2:00 pm – Word-Beat's Tom Teasley and Charles Williams (Levine faculty vocalist/actor) will have you dancing at this one-of-a-kind all-ages concert. It's food for body and soul -- inspirational texts of famous poets and writers, spoken with percussive rhythms and melodies that are based on the words.

Location: Levine School’s Maryland Campus at The Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane, Room 309 --
North Bethesda, MD 20852
Cost: $10 adults; $5 for children 12 and under. Reservation required to 202-686-8000, ext.1599.

Who's that drumming in my store???

If you're shopping and the background music sounds strangely familiar -- you already know who it is.

Tom just signed on with music distributor DMX Inc. Their programming reaches over 100 million people everyday throughout the U.S as the largest supplier of custom music programming for high fashion retail and lifestyle businesses.

Happy shopping and enjoy.

After sell-outs and raves, a new Constellation Theatre project: Good Woman of Setzuan

Good woman of setzuan

After getting rave reviews and selling out several performances last fall, Tom and the Constellation Theatre rejoin forces in The Good Woman of Setzuan.

Tom is writing and recording new music for this epic story of secrecy and the struggle to be "good" in a world that takes advantage of charity. The play runs from March 27-April 19; get your tickets at www.constellationtheatre.org

Thanks to upgrades to Tom's home production studio, and professional editing at Bias Studio with Jim Robeson, chances look good for a new CD featuring selections from The Good Woman and Arabian Nights. Stay tuned.

Sneak Peek

If you like live music with your theatre, Tom is composing music to perform live with Constellation Theatre for the Greek Tragedy, The Orestia by Aeschylus, details coming soon.

Students benefit, thanks to schools and sponsors

Sabian sponsors Tom Teasley program
Roanoke Students enjoy Tom's percussion clinic, sponsored in part by Sabian and Latin Percussion
LP sponsors Tom Teasley clinic in Roanoke

Roanoke, VA students clapped, drummed and made new music in an educational program sponsored by Young Audiences of Virginia, with generous support by Sabian Cymbals and Latin Percussion.

Students in Vinton, VA participated in "Drumming in a Digital Age" -- a much in-demand program combining ancient drumming traditions with music technology. This was possible thanks to a grant from Young Audiences of Virginia.

Students worked with Tom to learn world percussion and traditional techniques for orchestra.

Other recent clinics and master classes included George Mason University, Shepherd College, and Langley High School. These are made possible through the generous support of Vic Firth Sticks, Sabian Cymbals, L.P. Music, Remo, Yamaha Concert Percussion and Cooperman. Thank you!

Upcoming educational presentations include a tour of Fayetteville N.C and the Virginia Tidewater area. Why not your school?

Airplay for Painting Time

Painting Time continues to receive extensive radio play and several stations continue to report it in the top 10 for CMJ charting. You can sample it here:

Going Home to Louisiana

Tom and Charles Williams perform in Louisiana. Word-Beat made a return to Charles' hometown of Haynesville, LA to perform concerts, master classes and even a Sunday Service at Friendship Baptist Church.

Thanks to our Sponsors

Tom proudly performs with instruments from these makers of high quality drums, mallets and percussion including

Video Clips

Enjoy your choice of video recorded Kennedy Center concerts

The Kennedy Center recorded several performances during Tom Teasley's term as Artist-In-Residence there. Listen to the recordings by visiting Tom Teasley's artist page at the Kennedy Center web site, and scroll down to play your choice of performances.