AVL GO brings beginner hand-drum rhythms to Pack Memorial Library

AVL GO turned Pack Memorial Library into a low-pressure first stop for anyone curious about drumming. Its Drumming and Rhythms 101 session, held Thursday, May 14, offered an hour-long guided introduction to hand drums, basic beats, timing, and the kind of group groove-building that can make rhythm feel immediate instead of academic.

The class was built for beginners, and that mattered. No drumming experience was needed, and the session was described as a hands-on way to get into foundational rhythm patterns without the barrier of a full kit or formal lessons. Participants who wanted to use one of the provided djembes had to register, and the class was capped at 12 people to make sure there were enough drums. Anyone bringing a personal drum or other percussion instrument could show up without registering. The class was best suited for adults and kids age 10 and up.

That setup made the library a smart fit. Pack Memorial Library is the main branch of the Buncombe County Public Library System, located in downtown Asheville, and the building itself has deep local roots. The first Pack Library was built in 1911 and named for George Willis Pack. The current 56,000-square-foot facility opened in 1978 and was renovated in 2012, giving AVL GO a civic space that already serves as a public doorway into learning and community programs.

The class also fit into a wider Asheville rhythm scene that leans heavily on accessible, community-based instruction. Explore Asheville says Larry McDowell has been teaching hand drumming in the Asheville area for decades and remains a respected fixture in the local drumming scene. The Well describes his weekly community drum class as free, by donation, and open to beginners and intermediate students, with drums available to borrow. AVL GO also lists a separate summer program for elementary-aged learners that combines hand drumming, body percussion, movement, and collaborative visual art.

For anyone intimidated by the idea of formal drum lessons, this was the appeal in plain terms: one hour, a library setting, a small group, and a real chance to feel rhythm in the hands before ever sitting down at a kit. AVL GO made hand drumming look less like a specialized discipline and more like the easiest possible way to start.