October 3-4, 2026: Darbuka Workshop with Raquy Danziger

Description

Instructor: Raquy Danziger

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

Saturday-only Workshop: Darbuka Fundamentals, Concert, 12-9pm, includes dinner

Full Weekend Workshop: Darbuka Fundamentals, Concert, Darbuka Open Level, includes Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch

Sunday-only Workshop: Darbuka Open Level, 9:30am to 3pm, includes lunch

Location: 80 Bassett Road, Shelburne MA 01370

Workshop Cost: $125-200

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.

This 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 is limited to 20 participants.

The workshop will take place at Fabric of Life’s beautiful farm in Shelburne, MA on Saturday and Sunday October 3rd and 4th. 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.

Workshop options:

Click Here to Register for the Concert Only

Saturday-Only Workshop, Darbuka Fundamentals & Concert: $125. This Saturday-only option 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.

Sunday-Only Workshop, Darbuka Open Level: $125. The Sunday-only option includes two workshop sessions: the first from 9:30-11:30, the second from 1-3 pm. A delicious lunch will be served in between by our host, Becky Ashenden. These sessions are for more experienced players, and their content will depend on the needs of the participants. They will feature a short private lesson, learning a drum composition, and accompanying Raquy as she plays Kemenche.

Full Weekend Workshop & Concert: $200. The full weekend option will include both the Saturday and Sunday workshops and meals, we well as the Saturday evening concert. For those traveling from out of town and registering for the full weekend, we do have a limited number of lodging options available. Click here to reserve overnight accommodations.

Workshops are limited to 20 participants.

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.