-I am half Italian, half British. I live and work in London. I work as head of percussion at the Merton Music Foundation in London and I do a lot of freelance work in Europe. The workshop today is going to be based on rhythm, and the way you perceive rhythm, you feel rhythm. It is going to be away from the drum kit or any other instrument, just using your body for the first half. Then we move on to more practical studies for drum kit, some history of drums, and probably rudiments and transcriptions. Let’s see where we get to and what the level of today’s class is like -says Flavio Li Vigni, drummer percussionist just before the drum workshop organized during the 8th International Jazz in the Ruins Festiwal 2012 in Gliwice, Silesia.
He is a son of a drummer who began playing at age seven and performed his first professional concerts and recording gigs during his early high school days. I wondered if Flavio considers formal education for a musician as a must. –I think in these days it is pretty important because the level is high, especially in the UK and in the United States. Education is really an advantage today. The level of music college is getting higher so it is important to be at least at that level-he explains. Flavio himself is not only talented, but also highly qualified in the field of music. He studied at The Prince Claus Conservatory, where he received his degree under the direction of American jazz master Ralph Peterson. He also studied with Conrad Herwig, Grammy award winner, Brian Lynch, David Berkmann and Don Braden. In 2008 Flavio moved to London where he obtained a Masters Degree in Jazz from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Now, Flavio Li Vigni acts also as an educator and gives workshops in Italy, Lithuania, Albania and the Netherland and has worked in several music institutions in Italy, Holland and the UK. During his studies he also taught drums for D.O.M.U, a course at the Prince Claus Conservatory aimed at training professional musicians to become music educators.
It is his third time in Poland for concerts and workshops. -The first thing that strikes me every time I get here is young peoples’ interest for jazz. If you look at the rest of Europe, often jazz is not perceived as music for young peple. If you look at the audiences they are usually over forty five. Here in Poland I found that a lot of young people, not only musicians, come to jazz concerts. The people I’ve met and worked with there are extremely nice and really welcoming-adds Flavio with a smile.
We invite you to visit the 8th International Jazz in the Ruins Festiwal 2012 where you can listen to Flavio Li Vigni playing with Przemysław Strączek International Group (Poland/Italy).