MORE than 500 primary school pupils and children and adults of all ages will have a chance to try their hand at djemebe drumming this week.

The West African drumming group, Kakasitsi, are laying on a drumming workshop at the Wiltshire Music Centre on Friday before giving a performance in the evening.

The workshop begins at 6pm before the group performs in concert at 7.30pm.

The music centre is also taking them into primary schools in Wiltshire this week, reaching over 500 children, as part of its Creative Learning Programme which now reaches over 5,000 children a year.

The drummers will lead fun and educational music workshops and assemblies with the children.

Wiltshire Music Centre spokesperson Camilla Johns said: “The workshops will give children the chance to join the master drummers of Kakatsitsi to try out traditional djembe drumming.

“On Friday, the people attending the workshop at 6pm will be able to learn the basic techniques and play as a group to create fun dance grooves. The workshop is open to all children and no prior experience is required.”

In the evening, the Ghanaian master drummers Kakatsitsi will perform rhythms and chants from their own Ga tribe and other West African cultures.

The drummers have collaborated with the !Gubi Family from the Namibian Kalahari for a dynamic fusion of drumming, dance and song.

With djembe, mouth bow and chants from the San and Bwiti people, Kakatsitsi will perform authentic, hypnotic dance grooves.