HumDrum Circle, participatory music programme for the neurodivergent, comes to Thiruvananthapuram

A group randomly playing the drums might not sound like a great idea. But the soundscape at Trivandrum Cultural Centre in Thiruvananthapuram on September 28 proved to be a memorable experience. The group of musicians included neurodiverse children and adults, their parents, and therapists merrily playing on the drums, with some of them singing along.

That was the first session of The HumDrum Circle in Thiruvananthapuram. It is a participatory music programme for neurodiverse individuals, especially for those on the autism spectrum. Rzhude (Rudy) David, a Bengaluru-based musician, composer and sound designer, who developed the concept, led the session organised by Seraphic Play and Learning Development Centre in the capital city.

Rudy, who grew up in Tripunithra, near Kochi, says that the inspiration to launch the programme was his close friend’s son, Sid (Sidharth). “Even though Sid was non-verbal, we had an instant connection. I could channelise his stimming (repetitive body movements or noises) to the drums. But he was not comfortable with the sound of the djembe. So I got him a ganjira and he liked it. Later, I developed a drum based around that using easily available materials,” Rudy says.

Rzhude David
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

The HumDrum has a specific frequency and texture that the neurodivergent is comfortable with. “When we look at the history of civilisations, drumming was the primitive mode of communication. Some communities continue to communicate the same way. Rhythm is part of our existence and music is a source of language. So while working with a child who is disabled and non-verbal, the beats on the drum can become a form of expression. Since it involves humming as we do the drumming, we named it HumDrum.”

Razina PA at The Humdrum Circle
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Eventually Rudy developed the Rudiments of Music, a structured curriculum with 21 exercises for 21 days, which has to be practised daily for 15 minutes. It is the first volume and based around the concept of time. “It is not a way to teach music but to make music a habit,” Rudy says. He has conducted the programme so far in Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Chandigarh. Post pandemic, he is conducting online sessions for students in the US, Australia and Budapest. He also conducts workshops on making the HumDrum.

Experiments with music

Music has always been a part of Rudy who started his career in advertising industry as a copywriter. He has worked with the Raghu Dixit Project, Dr L Subramaniam global music ensemble and Lucky Ali among others besides touring with Bengaluru-based Thermal And A Quarter for nearly a decade.

A HumDrum has the batter head made from school bags and sofa covers. The drum shell is made of 12- or 10-inch PVC pipes cut into two-inch strings. Cable ties are used to secure and tension the head on the frame. A drip irrigation pipe is used for the bottom ring to hold everything together neatly. A bit of fishing line is also used under the head to give it the buzz and distinct tone to connect with the voice. Brass bells or small metal cymbals add the highlights in the high-frequency range,” Rudy explains.

‘Rudiments of Music’ is designed for at least two participants. Volume I of the programme is on time and it focusses on left-right hand and eye coordination to trigger muscle memory. The practice method aims to simplify the language and mathematics of music.

He brought the concept to Kerala at the Kochi Biennale 2019. Dr Lincoln Samuel, a cardio thoracic surgeon-turned-musician, who is neurodivergent, took it forward. “My wife (Dr Susan Zachariah), a developmental paediatrician, was introduced to Rudy through a patient’s mother and she put me in touch with him. On February 1 this year we conducted a HumDrum event in Kochi in connection with the release of my album. Since April, we have been conducting monthly sessions at Imutsa, a space at Kakkanad (in Kochi) on the first Sunday of every month,” says Dr Lincoln.

Razina PA, founder-director of Seraphic Play and Learning Development Centre, happened to attend one of Dr Lincoln’s sessions and wanted to bring it to Thiruvananthapuram. “I did not restrict it to students of our centre since I wanted everyone to know about it. Now we plan to incorporate this in our music therapy sessions at Seraphic. We will also hold monthly sessions for people from all walks of life,” says Razina, mother of 12-year-old Ibrahim Surej who is on the autism spectrum.

The HumDrum Circle in progress at Trivandrum Cultural Centre in Thiruvananthapuram
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

At the session, Rudy was assisted by Chaya Govind, music therapist at Seraphic, who sang as the participants played the drums. Since the event was open to all, among the participants was visually challenged Amrita B, an undergraduate student in music, who regaled the group with her singing.

Razina adds, “While playing the drums, the children feel that they are part of the community since all are equal in a musical setting. It is a stress buster for the children and makes them happy.”

Rzhude David (left) and Chaya Govind (extreme right) leading the HumDrum Circle
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN

A point seconded by Sujina TM, who came to the programme with her five-year-old son, Aaryan Al Anam. “He is non-verbal but loves listening to music. I was surprised by his response, especially when he tried to sing along with Chaya. I was relieved to see him happy. I have never been this stress-free since a long time,” says Sujina.

Manju Krishnan R, another parent who attended the session, says her 10-year-old son, Sriniketh BM, has never played an instrument before although he listens to music. “I could see how much he enjoyed tapping on the drum. Moreover, it was like a social gathering and we could see children communicating through music. The children were probably happy with the fact that they are capable of doing something.”

Anjali Rajan Dileep, a media professional who was part of the session with her 12-year-old son, Ananthashreyas, called it a rare event where “sound so effortlessly connected hearts and minds.”

For details about HumDrum, contact 8089023779 (Razina) or 9895462656 (Dr Lincoln).