“First Beat” orchestrated by Mindy Abovitz & Tom Tom Magazine. Commissioned by Perez Art Museum Miami in December 2013. “First Beat,” was a special drum performance that took place throughout the Perez Art Museum Miami. Each hour, on the hour, 15 female drummers (from Miami and New York City) filled PAMM with beats that were intended to be performed exclusively by men, but were re-written to be performed by everyone! Visitors were invited to create their own percussion instruments and join in the fun! The commissioned performance is composed by Mindy Abovitz, founder and publisher of Tom Tom Magazine, the only publication dedicated to female drummers.
Schedule of Events:
“First Beat” orchestrated by Mindy Abovitz
(Inside, throughout the museum)
1pm – Act 1: Wham, Bam, PAMM
A piece written by women that can be performed by all. This is a rite of passage beat, calling on tradition and innovation. It transports us to this new meeting place for art and culture.
2pm – Act 2:2
We commemorate the museum’s opening with a movement based on a 2/2 time signature signifying PAMM’s monthly second Saturday program. This piece will last 2 minutes and 22 seconds.
3pm – Act 3: 12/14/13
We celebrate the date of the event with a piece inspired by the numbers 12, 13 and 14.
4pm – Wham, Bam, Jam
We invite museum-goers to play music with each performing drummer at their station – bring your own instruments along for this drumming jam finale!
Photos by Gesi Schilling. Snare art by Itta. Drummers: Mindy Abovitz, Sean Desiree, Chloe Saavedra, Kiran Gandhi, Emile Blair Milgrim, Inez Barlatier, Venus Rising: Women’s Drum & Dance Ensemble, Zeva Soroker, Adonnas TheDrummer Jones,Maia Mac, Maria Llorca, Ale Campos, LaToya Akilah Serwaa Weste, Nikki Fernandez, Tricia ‘Etana Jali’ Thompson. Thank you to all the wonderful and beautiful Pérez Art Museum Miami staff.
Read some press about the event here:
· Miamiartzine. http://monicamtorres.com/2013/12/12/15-female-drummers-will-kick-start-the-perez-art-museums-free-second-saturdays-with-first-beat-2/
· Artburst Miami: http://artburstmiami.com/2013/12/12/female-drummers-to-rock-pamm-for-inaugural-second-saturdays/
· artfixdaily.com – http://www.artfixdaily.com/calendar/details/9473-pamm-free-second-saturdays-presented-by-target
· downtownmiami.com – http://www.downtownmiami.com/events/second-saturdays-at-pamm2.html
· allevents.in – http://allevents.in/miami/pamm-free-second-saturdays-presented-by-target/386522748149591
· events.miamiherald.com – http://events.miamiherald.com/miami_fl/events/show/368840354-pamm-free-second-saturdays
· nbcmiami.com – http://www.nbcmiami.com/blogs/latin-beat/What-Youre-Doing-This-Week–December-9-17-235279781.html