Tryon Fine Arts Center will present Joy Planet, a drumming group drawn from staff and residents of CooperRiis, on Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m. in the Peterson Amphitheater. The group led by Chris Blalock is trained in traditional West African drumming and is the product of a therapeutic drumming group from the Mill Spring organization.
Chris Blalock, woodshop manager at CooperRiis, first got into drumming seven years ago when he wanted to provide drum building as a therapeutic activity for residents at the Healing Farm.  The teacher who taught him to make the drums was also a student and teacher of traditional African rhythms, and became his drumming teacher.  The drums used by Joy Planet have all been made by the members of the group.
Blalock says of the Sunday performance, “The concert at TFAC is an opportunity to exhibit the results of the therapeutic drum group at CooperRiis.” Blalock also leads the monthly Polk County Library Drum Circle in Columbus.
Following the concert by Joy Planet, members of the public will be invited to join in the drumming. Audience member may bring drums, but there will be some available at the event.
This free event is open to the public and is the first in a series of Sunday afternoon community events to be held outside at TFAC, thanks to a Polk County Community Foundation Free Event Grant. The program will move indoors in case of rain. Please call 828-859-8322 for information or visit www.tryonarts.org.

– article submitted by
Marianne Carruth