Moe Jerant
Professional Drummer
"When folks first come in to a HealthRHYTHMS Drum Circle, their body language is very stiff & calculated. But as we go through the protocol you can almost see them melting like butter..."
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts
East Stroudsburg University
Maureen ‘Moe' Jerant is a teaching artist who lives in the Lehigh Valley, Pa. She completed HealthRhythms training in September 2005.
Moe began playing drums when she received an inexpensive snare drum as a gift from elementary school class mates. In high school her baby sitting money funded her first very used drum set and her passion to play has fueled her ever since.
In 1996 Moe took up djembe on a challenge. "The djembe changed my thinking about how to play drums and be a time keeper" she said. "It also introduced me to a world of healing and understanding that can only be achieved through drumming."
Facilitation training introduced Moe to community drumming. She's since created a local drumming scene that never stops. Drum circles happen on the first Wednesday of the month and at local festivals and gatherings. Moe's drum circles and drumming programs also reach out to school children, youth at risk, the business community, special needs students and senior groups.
Moe is especially proud of the annual Stress Buster Drum Circles that take place in December right before the holidays. Based on the HealthRhythms protocol and targeted specifically at stress reduction, this circle has consistently grown over the past few years.
Last but not least Moe maintains a very active performance schedule. She can be seen with all women's djembe group the Jamani Drummers, playing world percussion for Celtic band Emerald City, and playing guitar, drums and singing for the Large Flowerheads a band recreating the "groovy" music of the 1960's.
Articles by Moe: Drumming with Dad:An End of Life Rhythmical Journey