Chichester professor takes ‘Science Behind The Sticks’ to Northern Ireland

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Professor Marcus Smith from the University of Chichester shared insights from nearly two decades of research about the health benefits of drumming at the Northern Ireland Science Festival last week.

Professor Smith is one of the founding members of the Clem Burke Drumming Project which was set up with the support of legendary Blondie drummer Clem Burke, who sadly passed away last year. Alongside fellow researcher Professor Ruth Lowry from Ulster University, Marcus lead two sessions at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast.

Professor Smith said: “We welcomed over 50 drummers from around Northern Ireland to join us for ‘Dreaming of Rhythm’, showcasing the research that explains why drumming is good for your physical and mental health and wellbeing.

“Our public session was a sell-out, introducing a wider audience to the ‘science behind the sticks’. It’s only when you sit behind a drum kit and try to play that you experience the unique challenge of learning to drum. Trying to sync multiple limbs while playing in time is not as easy as the professionals make it look. As Clem Burke once said: ‘’There’s more to drumming than having a beer and walking on stage!’”

The Clem Burke Drumming Project was founded in 2008 by Dr Clem Burke (drummer, Blondie), Professor Steve Draper (Hartpury University) and Professor Marcus Smith (University of Chichester).

The project initially set out to examine the physiological demands of playing ‘live’ during one-off performances and tours. It has since grown into a centre of excellence for conducting research exploring the physical, mental health and wellbeing benefits of drumming.

During their visit, Marcus and Ruth were invited on to BBC Radio Ulster for a live interview on their evening show, ‘The Ticket’.

Marcus added: “It was great to be invited to share our research in a fun, interactive way for a wider audience. We made some useful contacts during our stay, which will hopefully allow us to set up some future drumming-based research projects in Northern Ireland.”

To find out more about the health benefits of drumming, visit https://clemburkedrummingproject.org/