APRILCENTRONE.COM
APRIL CENTRONE of New York Arabic Orchestra
HOW DO YOU LISTEN WHEN YOU PLAY? Intently and lovingly! Drumming is all about listening to everyone and playing with each person’s melody and ornaments. I love Arabic music, so I listen as an audience member, experiencing the same ecstasy as they do. I am originally a drum set player. The riqq, which came before the invention of the drum set, gives me all the same tools in my two hands and ten fingers. It allows me to play upon the luscious and mysterious subtleties of Arabic music, while giving me the power to command an entire 40 piece orchestra, leading rhythm and tempo.
April Centrone is one of the leading classical Arabic percussionists in America. She has performed with renowned Arab artists such as Marcel Khalife, Bassam Saba and Najib Shaheen. She began playing drum set and western percussion at the age of 9. Since then she has performed in garage rock bands, jazz bands, pit bands, classical orchestras, and marching bands. Centrone holds a MA in psychology from John Jay College and began the first music therapy program at a prominent NY children’s psychiatric center.
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