Clem Burke Drumming Project
Honorary Doctorate of Music for Clem Burke
The Clem Burke Drumming Project is pleased to announce that the University of Gloucestershire is to bestow an Honorary Doctorate of Music to Clem Burke on 30th July 2011. The award recognises not only his excellence as a musician but also the pioneering work he has undertaken exploring the physical demands of drumming and the use of drumming as an intervention to help promote enhanced physical and psychological wellbeing.
STOP PRESS: 50 places are available to see
Clem Burke receive his Honorary Doctorate of Music on Saturday,
30th July 2011 at the University of Gloucestershire.
Tickets will cost £5.00 and
be limited to two tickets per email application.
For tickets please
email: [email protected]. Applicants
securing tickets will be notified by email.
The event will take place at the University
of Gloucestershire, Park Campus, The Park, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL50 2RH
Room location: TC007 off Elwes reception (8)
Blondie Drummer Clem
Burke is to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the
University of Gloucestershire for his groundbreaking involvement
in a project that bears his name.
The Clem Burke Drumming Project
(CBDP) was launched in July 2008 in collaboration with Clem Burke,
the University of Gloucestershire and the University
of Chichester.
The seminal research revealed that professional drummers had
a heart rate profile similar to professional footballers and
expended a significant amount of energy per performance.
The award
recognises not only his musical excellence, but also the pioneering
work he has undertaken to explore the physical demands of drumming
and the uses of drumming to promote physical and psychological wellbeing.
Subsequent
work by the Project has included the positive effects of drumming
amongst primary school children with a range of educational needs
and drumming as an intervention to super-obese children. The
Project is also about to publish data on 15 professional drummers that
shows that the initial findings on Clem’s
performance are typical. Darrin Mooney, drummer for Primal Scream,
Matt Tong from Bloc Party, Rob Rolfe of Enter Shikari, Kevin Figueiredo,
drummer with Extreme and musician Jeremy Hickey, known as R.S.A.G. have
been working with the research team in physiological testing that measures
heart rate, oxygen uptake and blood lactate levels in rehearsal testing
and during live shows.
Dr Steve Draper, Co-founder of the CBDP, University of Gloucestershire
said:
This is a proud moment for all involved with the Clem Burke
Drumming Project and a fitting recognition of the achievements
of its figurehead. Clem is a respected, world renowned and
Grammy Award winning artist who has enjoyed a long and varied
career in music. It has, and continues to be, a privilege to
work with him.
Co-founder, Dr Marcus Smith from the University of
Chichester added:
The award of an Honorary Doctorate of Music to Clem Burke
recognises not only his longevity and excellence as a musician
but also his willingness to engage with academics to investigate
the science of drumming
Over the past 12 years our understanding of the physiological
demands of playing the drums has become clear and the potential
role drumming may have as an intervention to enhance health
and wellbeing.
Clem is delighted with the award. He said:
I would never have expected that my work with the Clem
Burke Drumming Project would result in such an award. It is
truly a great honour and I accept this award on behalf of my
brother drummers everywhere in the world.
The honorary award will be conferred on July 30 at
the Rhythmfest drumming summer school taking place at the University
of Gloucestershire’s
Park campus in Cheltenham.
Further research findings are to be presented at the 2011 Wellbeing
Conference in Birmingham in July and the 2012 International Convention
on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport in Glasgow.
More information about the Rhythmfest event can be found at www.rhythmfest.co.uk