Ref. 75619-129MUSICIANS have been drumming up support for Swindon's first Dhol drum band.

Around 30 volunteers, including adults and children, attended the first workshop at the Punjabi Community Centre in Kembrey Street on Saturday for their first introduction to playing the large drum.

Taj Seehra, a Dhol drumming tutor from Birmingham, said the aim of the project was to get a group of volunteers playing the Dhol in time for the upcoming Swindon Mela in the summer.

He said: "We are looking for anyone to come along and have a go at playing the Dhol, young or old and from any community.

"It's a great instrument to play lots of power and the rhythm is guaranteed to get your feet tapping."

The Dhol drum, originates from the Punjab in Northern India and is made from wood and goat skin.

It is played using two sticks. A large carved wooden stick called the Daga is used to create the thunderous bass sound while a small thin bamboo stick known as the Teeli creates the treble in the drum.

Within just a few minutes of Taj teaching, the assembled class had grasped the basics of Dhol drumming.

Ravi Samant, 12, from West Swindon, was among the youngsters at the first class, and despite almost being dwarfed by the huge instrument, he was enthusiastic.

He said: "Playing the Dhol was quite good fun. It is something I have always wanted to have a go at and the noise it makes is fantastic."

Fellow player Sapna Munro, 14, from Highworth, said: "It's the first time I have ever played the Dhol and it's excellent. Taj made it look really easy, but it isn't. You always find yourself wanting to go faster."

Jason Dhillon, who has been playing the Dhol for six months, along with his brother Danny, also attended the workshop. He said: "It's a fantastic experience to play the drum.

"It is surprisingly heavy, and when you have been playing it for a little while, you can really build up a sweat. It's like a good workout at times."

The Dhol Drumming workshops are taking place over the next 30 weeks at the community centre at 2pm on Saturdays.

To find out more visit the Swindon Artscape website at www.swindonartscape.co.uk or www.madeofmusic.com

Anthony Osborne