Steve Turner

Steve Turner Has been playing drums for over 40 years and making drums for 25 years. Steve went to college for music performance and education. In 1999 he started Giving Tree Music to facilitate drum circles and sell his handmade drums in festivals and art shows across the USA. Since 2004 Giving Tree Music has primarily facilitated large and small drum circles for corporate groups, schools, youth detention centers, churches, special needs groups, and more.

Steve's Story

Welcome! Thank you for wondering about what inspired me - I hope my story can inspire you to take that next step towards facilitating deeper connections and community where YOU live!

I have been a drummer as long as I can remember. My earliest memory is playing drums on my coffee table at four years old. An American classic television show with a catchy theme caught my attention - and I realized I could "catch" the groove! I looked up to my father and I exclaimed "I'm going to grow up to be a bongo player!"

I can be stubborn.

I finally convinced him to buy me a drum set by the time I was 12 and started taking lessons at my local music store and continued to study music as a Music Education and Performance major at USF. I was ambitious and played in many bands locally, and even had the chance to tour nationally with a few different groups.

During this time I also began to learn how to make my own drums and started selling them wherever I could. As my success grew as an artist and drum maker I began to travel the country showing my work at different art shows, festivals and occasionally from the back of my van at concerts!

One theme remained constant as I sold my drums — I would put a whole bunch out for folks walking by to come and play. My hope was people would fall in love with the drums they were playing and take them home.

It worked!

But something else happened too — I fell in love with being part of the connections people made with each other when they made music together!

Then as luck would have it, I met Arthur Hull and everything changed. I went to my first training in Hawaii in 2005 and never looked back.

For the past 15 years I have been facilitating drum circles and drum making programs, as well as other enrichment programming across the USA with my company Giving Tree Music. Although we are based in the Tampa Bay area of Florida we travel the state and nationally drumming with corporate groups, schools, youth detention centers, special needs groups and many others.

The knowledge and experience I gained during my experiences at the different VMC Playshops has truly shaped me professionally and personally, and has inspired me to share that passion for music and rhythm with others as much as possible.

It only seemed a natural step to take when Arthur asked if I participate in the "Train The Trainers" program — to eventually become part of the Global Team of VMC Trainers. And what an amazing team of teachers, musicians and incredible human beings.

I am both honored, and humbled to be a part of such an amazing team and I am excited for the opportunity to share these tools and techniques with you, and hopefully inspire you to share YOUR spirit and serve your community!

Thank you,
Steve Turner