Mary Ellen Donald has been a nationally acclaimed author, instructor and performer in Middle Eastern percussion for over thirty years. She entered upon her path into the field of Middle Eastern percussion via the gateway of belly dance. She studied with two of the legends: Jamila Salempour and Bert Balladine. Jamila led her to take up the study of the doumbec and Bert led her to take up teaching the drum. Mary Ellen's progress on the drum was helped by her rich musical background: years of classical piano, singing in many choirs and choruses, a year of flamenco guitar in Spain and studying the folk guitar during her early years in the San Francisco Bay Area, having migrated from Philadelphia.
In 1976, Mary Ellen dared to do what hadn't been done before: she, one of the only women drummers in a field dominated by Middle Eastern men, wrote teaching manuals on how to play the doumbec and finger cymbals. In 1985, she added a manual on how to play the Arabic tambourine and frame drum. Over the years, CD's were also added to her collection: Practice Music for Drummers and Dancers, Middle Eastern Rhythms Series including musical notation and Gems of the Middle East......Belly Dance Favorites from Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece, including books analyzing the tracks on the CD's.
Mary Ellen is a natural born teacher, loving to impart her knowledge and share her enthusiasm with students in her home studio in Oakland, California and throughout the country. Mary Ellen plays her drums with joy and passion. She played for 15 years with her late partner, Mimi Spencer, on the qanun and for a number of years with her current musical partner and friend, Nazir Latouf, Syrian born oudist and singer.
Mary Ellen produces two Middle Eastern Treasures concerts each year presenting her student percussion ensembles with her original compositions; herself playing solos and accompanying Nazir Latouf on oud; several first rate belly dancers; music from outside cultures such as flamenco, Indian, Chinese, jazz, rock fusion and audience dancing.
Over the last ten years, Mary Ellen has been studying and expressing her latest musical passion, that of singing jazz standards and more recently, creating vocal music that defies categories. One of her special contributions to the jazz genre is her adding Arabic tambourine and finger cymbals to jazz pieces with a Latin flavor. Her major outlet for her jazz vocals and percussion is her annual production of her Birthday Bash around August 15.
To learn more about Mary Ellen, her CD's and books, her workshops and shows, visit www.maryellendonald.com.
To experience Mary Ellen performing in her many genres, sit back, relax, and click onto the many video clips on this site. Enjoy!
p.s. Mary Ellen Donald is blind; therefore her accomplishments are all the more noteworthy.
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