Art Center East program is open to ages 12 and older

LA GRANDE — With a few semesters of drumming behind her, Ella Golden doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

“I’m the youngest in the class by a long shot,” said Golden, 15, “but despite that I feel treated the same way as anyone else there, especially because of how nice and supportive everyone is to each other.”

Golden signed up for Community African Drumming “because of my mom and my love for music.”

“This class is also helping me find new ways to express myself, and I find that I’m getting more and more into playing my own music every day because of it,” Golden said.

The drumming class, a program of Art Center East, starts again on Jan. 6. The winter term runs through March 10 with classes on Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. in Loso Hall’s Room 123 at Eastern Oregon University.

Drums are provided, and no experience is necessary. The class is open to ages 12 and older.

The cost is $45 for current ACE members and $55 for non-members. The center has youth scholarships available for participants under age 18 — contact outreach@artcentereast.org for more information.

Register at artcentereast.org under the “Music” tab.

From student to instructor

The instructor is Celine Burke, who holds a bachelor’s in music with a focus on percussion performance from EOU.

“I first joined Community African Drumming as a student at EOU, and it quickly became one of my favorite hours of the week,” she said. “It is a space to play, laugh, and connect through rhythm. I love how CAD brings together people from all walks of life, and for that hour, we’re simply part of the same beat. There’s structure and focus, but also spontaneity and a sense of shared discovery that makes every session feel alive.”

Students learn how to play the djembe, a goblet-shaped drum played with bare hands.

“It’s a lively class that attracts people of many different ages and drumming skill levels,” said Moira Madden, ACE outreach director.

Burke said the class has increased her own confidence and adaptability.

“I’ve learned to embrace that music doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful, it just has to be felt,” she said.

Drumming, she said, creates a “collective energy.”

“And when someone new relaxes into the rhythm and finds their groove, it’s pure joy to witness,” she said.

For Golden, the class offers more beyond music instruction.

“I think a few key things I’ve been learning from this class aren’t just how to play the drums, but also being a part of a community, no matter how small, and just enjoying the things in your life as they come and go,” Golden said.

A sponsorship

Madden thanked EOU for their sponsorship of the Loso Hall room rental fee.

“The ACE board of directors and I are grateful to EOU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences for their support,” she said. “We also appreciate the music department faculty’s willingness to allow Community African Drumming students to use the department’s djembes. The partnership between ACE and EOU has continued through many decades and it is very meaningful and important to us.”

Learn more

Learn more about ACE classes, art exhibits, and events at artcentereast.org. ACE, 1006 Penn Ave., is open Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The center is currently closed for the holidays, and reopens Jan. 7. (Classes scheduled during the closure will continue.)

ACE was founded in 1977 and is a member-based nonprofit arts services organization that brings arts opportunities and education to 10 Eastern Oregon counties. For more information, visit artcentereast.org.

=====

Still time to see ‘The Big’

Art Center East’s annual open exhibit “The Big” continues through Jan. 31, 2026, in the center’s main and Orlaske galleries.

This exhibit celebrates works by artists from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and across the greater Northwest who work in a variety of mediums.

A closing reception is scheduled for Jan. 31 from 6-8 p.m. The reception is open to the public and offers another opportunity to meet “The Big” exhibiting artists. Complimentary light refreshments will be available.