Lennie Charles

Percussion & Drumming Workshops

Lennie teaches various types of drums and percussion workshops, you can contact him on lennie@caravansary.org tel: 0208 985 4596

Lennie was born in Dominica and came to London at the age of  8yrs. Since leaving a professional career as a dancer lennie has concentred his work within the community arts sector, helping and encouraging children and young people to find and discover their creative path. Since 2004 Lennie has been Associate Director with In Toto Theatre.

Lennie started playing violin at 12 after two short years gave it up for guitar which was a bit more cool but equally demanding. On finishing his career as a dancer lennie turned once again to music, this time he turned his attention towards the Cello all those years listening to Classical music at ballet school and class gave him an appreciation for the music.

He bought his first cello at Record and Type Exchange in Notting Hill for £100.00. He studied with Janet Coles at the City Lit Institute then with David Hughes (James Hesford ) who is married to the formidable Cellist  Alfia Berkova. “just being around them hearing them play and practice was a masterclass there fantastic” . Through David’s teaching and his inspirational Cello band the “Cello Rhythmics” was immensely valuable to his devlopement which bought a deeper understanding of music and the instrument.

As part of his cello education various royal college and the imperial  music academies  to view master classes held by prominent cellist. Later he took up Afro |Cuban Percussion with Neville Murray and joined a group led by him  called “Besta Vista”  He also studied Panderio, Berimbeu and Percussion  with Alex Carlo Texiera & Pedro Lima from Brazil.

Lennie joined Caravansary In 2006 to learn the Persian Daf. Overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of this instrument Lennie and Nihat (Caravansary founder) decided to programme the 1st Caravansary International Frame Festival to spread the word about the world of  Frame Drums. Lennie has gone to dedicate himself to the promotion and exposure of Frame Drums throughout the country setting up classes workshops and Festivals.

As well as playing Panderio and Persian Daf  he is also studying Riq, Ghavel, Tamburelli & Bodhran. As if that wasn’t enough he has taken a break from Cello playing to study Dilruba with Balu Ji Shrivastwa, and African Kora with Maya Jobartha.

Lennie is Frame Drummer and percussionist for Troianova, the band plays classical modal music fro Turkey Greece Crete & the Middle East.

Lennie teaches Introduction to Frame Drums, Lennie is also co ordinating the 2nd Frame Drum Festival scheduled for Sept