---
title: "Where the Drummers Are with Dr. Leah Bowden (Dr. Drums)"

description: "Drums and percussion are more than just the heartbeat of the music. Dr. Drums joins the pod to share her experience developing and performing music for percussion ensembles, letting the rhythm take center stage. ⁠ We discuss the cultural background of modern rhythm, the different musical styles that have evolved, and ways that music fans can support this essential part of the musical arts!⁠"

status: complete

date: 2024-05-28

kind: guest

guestSlugs:
  - leah-bowden

listenUrl: "https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/Where-the-Drummers-Are-with-Dr--Leah-Bowden-Dr--Drums-e2k55bs"

lmwUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAURnBCpzFQ"
appleUrl: "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-the-drummers-are-with-dr-leah-bowden-dr-drums/id1567355195?i=1000657002214&uo=4"
spotifyUrl: "https://open.spotify.com/episode/6wGN2tbjNpxfeJtmoo3DR2"
youtubeUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZYGRTeQABs"

topicsDiscussed:
  - "Drums"
  - "Experience in percussion ensembles"
  - "Leah's musical journey"
  - "Healing power of drumming"
  - "Accessibility of percussion for all"
  - "Cultural significance of rhythm"
  - "Challenges in music scholarship"
  - "Drumming for community building"
  - "Inner drumming practice"
  - "Innovative teaching methods in music"
  - "Perceptions of percussion across cultures"

hostNote: |
  **Dr. Leah Bowden**: Dr. Drums: knew she was going to be a drummer, and that certainty led through percussion performance, music education, cultural musicology, and community organizing around rhythm as a healing practice. "It was just so healing, especially during that very important phase of development."
  
  We talk about the cultural roots of percussion, what she's learned from teaching rhythm across different community contexts, and what it means that you can feel a beat "even if you can barely hear", a claim that connects her musicological research to the embodied experience of drumming. The conversation moves through her personal path and into the broader stakes of what rhythm does for people who need it.

selectedMoments:
  - label: "Introduction to Leah Bowden"
    startSec: 196
    note: "Leah discusses her background in music, emphasizing her passion for drums and percussion."
  - label: "Early Musical Influences"
    startSec: 285
    note: "Leah reflects on her childhood experiences that led her to become a drummer."
  - label: "The Healing Nature of Drumming"
    startSec: 372
    note: "Exploring how music and drumming can provide therapeutic benefits and self-expression."
  - label: "Percussion in Cultural Contexts"
    startSec: 534
    note: "Discussing the accessibility of drumming and its significance within various communities."
  - label: "Cross-Cultural Music Exploration"
    startSec: 1567
    note: "Leah elaborates on the intertwined nature of music, culture, and drumming."
  - label: "The Flow of Music and Trusting Collaborators"
    startSec: 2081
    note: "Insights into improvisation and collaboration within percussion ensembles."
  - label: "Challenges in Music Education"
    startSec: 1976
    note: "Leah discusses the need for better representation and understanding in percussion scholarship."
  - label: "Future of Percussion Music"
    startSec: 2642
    note: "Leah shares her thoughts on how contemporary music can evolve through cultural exchange."

excerptQuotes:
  - text: "I just knew that I was going to be the drummer. I don't know why. It was kind of like in line with my personality."
    startSec: 284
    reviewed: true
  - text: "It was just so healing, especially during that very important phase of development... that feeling of healing and self-expression just stuck with me."
    startSec: 371
    reviewed: true
  - text: "Even if you can barely hear or can't hear at all, you can still experience drumming."
    startSec: 449
    reviewed: true
  - text: "There are so many stories on the stage all at once, you know, and people pick up on that right away."
    startSec: 512
    reviewed: true
  - text: "There's a lot of empathy... a lot of the unsheltered people were musicians just like us."
    startSec: 3640
    reviewed: true
  - text: "Music is for everyone, regardless of whether or not you're going to be a professional performer."
    startSec: 4160
    reviewed: true
  - text: "As I've had great musical mentors, they've really instilled in me this sense of having a continuous learner mindset."
    startSec: 4084
    reviewed: true
  - text: "Music is about taking control and empowerment, it's about how we tell our stories."
    startSec: 1275
    reviewed: true

faq:
  - question: "What is Dr. Leah Bowden known for?"
    answer: "Dr. Leah Bowden, known as Dr. Drums, is a percussionist, educator, and community organizer, celebrated for her work in developing and performing percussion ensembles."
  - question: "How does Leah Bowden describe the role of percussion in music?"
    answer: "Leah highlights percussion as essential to musical expression, emphasizing its accessibility and cultural significance across various communities."
  - question: "What educational initiatives has Leah Bowden been involved with?"
    answer: "Leah has been involved in several educational initiatives, including creating a choir for people experiencing homelessness, which emphasizes the therapeutic and uniting power of music."

transcriptPublished: false

draft: false
---