Testimonials

“Out of this world! One major thing that stands out to me is the ability to meet people from all walks of life and find common ground and develop a respect for one another’s differences. We really got to interact with and build friendships with the locals.”

“I am a public school music teacher in Philadelphia. The music and dance I learned with ThisWorldMusic in Ghana completely transformed my inner city music classroom. Absolutely life changing and worthwhile!”

“Ghana was everything it needed to be: beautiful and difficult and perfect. Everyone who wants to call themselves an artist should go on this trip in order to be flung so far outside of their artistic box that you cannot help but be reborn as a student and as an artist.”

“A once in a lifetime experience for learning drumming and dance. Trip leader was knowledgeable, informative and helpful. The cultural immersion was great in all aspects.”

“There were music lessons that I’ll hold on to forever, but also cultural experiences that taught me more than I thought possible.”

“The most life-changing class I’ll likely ever take. I gained an understanding of what it means for music and dance to truly be your life, rather than your career. The experience was absolutely worthwhile, and I will absolutely do whatever it takes to have this experience again some day.”

“We at The Center for Music National Service look to organizations like ThisWorldMusic as models for the kind of creativity, innovation and true grit required to do the difficult and important work of reviving music education in our nation’s schools. With African drumming, they have found a real solution to a fundamental dilemma: how to engage and inspire students without forsaking rigor or discipline. Their drumming curriculum exposes young people to the power of music and leverages that power to broaden their cultural horizons.”

“ThisWorldMusic’s Jeremy Cohen teaches discipline and musicality in a structured, contagiously energetic program. I saw him take disinterested middle school students and turn them into passionate drummers. His techniques were engaging and fun.”

“Hiring Jeremy Cohen is the single best decision I made in my years as principal. To say that he simply created a great music program for the our school does not begin to do justice to the sheer magnitude of his contribution. From an awesome, one-of-a-kind African drumming ensemble to a cutting-edge digital composing and keyboarding curriculum, the visionary and multi-faceted program that Jeremy designed breathed new life into Umana Middle, creating a palpable sense of excitement that is felt throughout our school’s diverse community.”

“I had the pleasure of working closely with Jeremy Cohen to create the Umana Middle School Academy music program. What so impressed me was the rare combination of organizational skills and ability to deeply connect with students. They had a vision for a first rate music program and made it a reality through hard work, determination and attention to detail.”

“ThisWorldMusic runs a top-notch program for UMass in Ghana — not an easy task, from a logistical standpoint. Student reviews of the program have been phenomenal.”

“Brandeis Beats, which aims to bridge the gap between college students and the surrounding community through rhythm and music workshops, was founded at the beginning of 2013 as a new club at Brandeis University. As a budding club, we needed the advice and guidance of an expert in drum circle facilitation and music education to provide us with the skills to transform our ideas into an accessible, legitimate project for everyone to benefit from.

“Jeremy Cohen of ThisWorldMusic graciously took on this task. As the Brandeis Beats resident drum instructor, he demonstrated flexibility and professionalism, which are qualities we needed to stay on track as a new club. At our drum workshops, he was patient with people who came from all types of musical backgrounds. Jeremy also guided us in purchasing a new set of drums for our future drum circles. Overall, Jeremy instilled confidence in Brandeis Beats participants by passing down his valuable skills. Brandeis Beats members can now facilitate community drum circles for years to come. It was a pleasure working with him, and we look forward to future workshops!”

“As a pianist, African music and drumming are not something that I get to explore everyday; however, I picked up so much useful information that would be directly helpful in my own playing and teaching. I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with my students!”

“Mr. Cohen held a dynamic three-day workshop for professional teachers here at UMass. The students were lavish in their praise of his knowledge, his musicianship, and his energy; all 23 requested for him teach a second, more advanced workshop. His practical experience with integrating Ghanaian drumming into inner city middle school general music classes provided credibility as a teacher and clinician who understands the real world of today’s schools.”

“I asked Mr. Cohen to come work with the staff as a professional development activity. It was a wonderful experience for all of us and I received marvelous comments from all involved. We learned a lot about Ghanaian drumming, dance, song and culture and it was presented clearly. It was also a lot of fun! Highly recommended!”