The Mission of Malicounda
The mission of Malicounda is to enhance communication, personal integrity, teamwork, and collaboration worldwide through our interactive drumming workshops and events tailored to all types of audiences.
Our goal is to help people experience the power of rhythm and the joy of making music together as a community and to provide a multicultural experience with musical instruments from around the world. In just a few minutes, percussion will deeply influence the soul, generating positive changes and happiness!
Louise Raymond’s personalized approach and Malicounda’s unique, dynamic, and engaging options stand out for their originality.
Founder: Louise Raymond, Artistic Director
Malicounda’s founder, Louise Raymond, was fortunate to study with master drummers and dancers from around the world. Louise is extremely grateful and appreciative that she has been able to experience the beauty of dance and the power of rhythm through these generous artists.
Louise Born and raised in Quebec studied traditional dance, percussion, and ice skated professionally for several years. She traveled extensively in Central and South America, West Africa, Europe, and California where she studied at San Francisco State University and the Bay Area. These studies have greatly expanded Louise’s worldview and life vision.
For 30 years, with all her love, Louise has shared her passion and respect for this vital culture, touching the lives of several thousands of people– children, youth, adults, and elders- through rhythm.
The Company was awarded several grants from Arts Start in Vancouver, the Foundation for the Arts in Alberta, and Culture in Schools in Québec. Louise is an inspiring presenter and a motivating facilitator and provides a unique, memorable, and dynamic rhythmical experience!
Malicounda’s workshops can be conducted in English, French, and Spanish.
Meet the Team
Meet our expert musicians in team-building drumming workshops, ready to do whatever it takes to make your business grow.
Derrick Adams
Derrick Adams starting playing and making African style rhythms and drums in Santa Cruz, California in 1995. He has studied drum and dance with many West African master teachers since then. Including two study trips to Senegal. Mali, Guinea, Gambia and Burkina Faso West Africa. He has played in many percussion groups over the years. And is currently the djembe player for In the Sticks drum dance collective. Derrick started making drums with Drumskull Drums in Santa Cruz and has been making them on his own ever since. He joined the Malicounda teams in 2005!
Jordan Becker
A percussionist professional Jordan Becker is a music instructor and percussion performer based in Nanaimo BC. He has over 18 years of experience playing jazz, rock, blues, reggae, samba, country, folk, pop, classical, and heavy metal styles of music.
He plays with many local bands and musicians including Elise Boulanger, Cosmosaurus, Michael Patrick blues band, and many more. He has also played drums on two studio-recorded albums by Cosmosaurus.
His style of keeping time and expressive musicality have won him many musical accolades and awards. He values the team building that music can provide by working as a Music Therapist for children with disabilities.
Feel free to sit back, relax, and let the music flow through you.
Rick Becker and his son Jordan
Adjudicator, clinician, educator
Concert Band, Jazz Band
Rick Becker has been a music director in Nanaimo, British Columbia for 27 years. His teaching experiences include concert bands, jazz bands, combos, choirs, and musical theatre. His students have had opportunities to excel in performances at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, the West Coast Jazz Festival, the Vancouver Island Concert Band Festival, and the Comox Valley Concert Band and Choir Festival, as well as performance excursions to Cuba.
He is also co-founder of JazzFest Nanaimo, a showcase for young musicians and guest artists at Nanaimo’s Port Theatre. Rick served over 15 years as Brass and Woodwind chairperson for the Mid-Island Performing Arts Festival. Previously, Mr. Becker was music director and music education coordinator for Kelsey School Division in The Pas, Manitoba. His career also led him to a position as an Educational Music representative in Alberta for St. John’s Music, LTD, with a focus on Concert Band literature and band-teaching materials. His Bachelor of Music Education degree is from Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM), where he studied tuba performance and conducting. Rick is now enjoying retirement as co-director of the Mid-Island Community Bands Society and as a member of several performance groups as a trombonist and bassist.
Rick and Jordan Becker joined the Malicounda Teams in 2022!
