Classes & Workshops
The Handphibians offer small group introduction to Brazilian percussion classes a few times per year. The class cycle is usually 8-12 weeks long with one class per week.
This class schedule is open to people of all levels of percussion experience.
What is The Handphibians?
The Handphibians are a group of percussionists from the Madison, Wisconsin area who study and perform various styles of Brazilian music.
The Founding Story
In the summer of 1997, Madisonian and Handphibians’ founder, Robert Schoville, took a trip with a few friends to Brazil.
After traveling the country for about a month, taking classes and acquiring instruments, Schoville invited UW-Madison music students and community members to join him in playing what he learned during his travels.
For over ten years, Schoville hosted educational drumming sessions with these students and locals, teaching them the instruments and specific rhythms and parts associated with the various regional traditions.
The Handphibians emerged from this process and the Madison Escola de Samba, or Samba School, was born.
Madison Carnaval
Beginning in 1998, Handphibians have hosted an annual music and dance party named Madison Carnaval. The Handphibians perform in collaboration with and alongside a mix of about a dozen local music and dance groups.
