October 3-4, 2026: Dumbek Workshop & Concert with Raquy Danziger

Description

Instructor: Raquy Danziger

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Date: Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4, 2026

Duration: 2 days

Location: 80 Bassett Road, Shelburne MA 01370

Workshop Cost: $125-250

Concert: sliding scale of $15-30

Program Description

Fabric of Life is proud to offer an exciting workshop for darbuka (dumbek) players with Raquy Danziger, one of the world’s premier middle-eastern drummers. She is a musician of stunning virtuosity who has performed and taught all over the world. Raquy also is a composer who has released 15 albums of original music, a teacher with more than 2,000 students enrolled in her online classes, and she has published several darbuka methods.

The October workshop is designed for people who have some experience playing the dumbek, who can make the dum and tek sounds and have played one or two basic middle-eastern rhythms. If you need a drum, one will be provided. Raquy will focus on making sure you know how to get the best sound out of your drum and teach various ways of creating middle eastern rhythms on the drum; there will be lots of individual attention.

The workshop will take place at Fabric of Life’s beautiful farm in Shelburne, MA on Saturday and Sunday October 3rd and 4th. There are three ways to take part:

1) The Saturday-only option (limited to 15 players) will begin at noon with a two-hour class focused on technique, gauged to the level of the participants who come. There will then be a 30 minute break with a snack. Next there will be another two-hour session from 3 to 5 pm focused on creating different rhythms, again gauged to the level of participants. At 6 pm our host Becky Ashenden will offer a delicious and wholesome vegetarian meal in the farm’s lovely barn. At 7:30 there will be a one-hour concert during which Raquy will show off her fabulous musicianship. In addition to playing darbuka, she will perform on the Kemenche, a stringed instrument from Central Asia.

2) The weekend option (limited to 6 players) will include overnight accommodations at the farm and breakfast on Sunday morning. There are several “tiny houses” on the farm which have heat and electricity but no plumbing (with access to bathroom and shower in the farmhouse); you’ll need to bring a sleeping bag. On Sunday there will be two additional sessions, the first after breakfast and the second after lunch. The workshop will end at 3 pm. The content of these sessions will depend on the needs of the participants, but will feature a short private lesson, learning a drum composition, and accompanying Raquy as she plays Kemenche.

3) Finally, if you don’t play but are intrigued by the sound of middle eastern music and would like to experience the excitement of Raquy’s performance, there is an option to come only to the concert on Saturday night.

If you play darbuka, this is a really great opportunity to take your playing to the next level; Raquy is a wonderful teacher in addition to being an amazing performer.

Limited on-site lodging is available Saturday night.

About Raquy Danziger

Raquy Danziger is an internationally acclaimed musician, artist, teacher and composer. Considered to be one of the foremost experts and virtuosos on the oriental goblet drum known as the darbuka, Raquy is renowned for her electrifying performances. Through her concerts, compositions, and teaching methodology, Raquy has made a significant contribution toward elevating the darbuka from a humble folk drum to a shining solo instrument fit for a concert hall. Through her mission to introduce the darbuka to people all over the world, Raquy has inspired a new generation of players.

In addition to drumming, Raquy plays the mystical twelve-string King Kemenche Tarhu, and is a disciple of the Azeri kemenche master Imamyar Hasanov and Arslan Hazretti.

Learn more about Raquy and see videos of her playing on her website

Please contact us with any questions at [email protected]. We are committed to keeping our programming accessible to a wide range of individuals. Please contact us if you would like to register for this program at a reduced rate.