COMMUNITY:

“Lyle Povah has been an integral part of the success of our annual community event called Night Quest. His upbeat attitude and Drum Circle bring a very festive atmosphere to our event – many evaluations name his Drum Circle as the most memorable part of the event. Lyle has worked at Night Quest for eight years (2003-2012 minus 2008), and I hope that this continues into the future.”
Vanessa Lee, Park Interpretation Leader, Metropolitan Planning, Environment & Parks, (2012)

FACULTY OF LAW (UBC):

“I teach a seminar on Modern Jurisprudential at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law. This year the concept we are studying is time and on January 30, 2012, Lyle Povah led a drum circle for the seminar. This was, of course, an unusual class. It was off the usual academic path and I was a little unsure how it would work, but it was excellent. All the students were involved in the drumming and it led the class to talk about things we could not have reached in any other way. It was also remarkably effective for building class cohesion. Lyle’s manner is gentle and inclusive. He provides a wonderful structure. I could imagine Lyle leading drum circles in classes on sociology, political science, history and language, among other things.”
Stephen M. Wexler, Professor of Law (2012)

SPECIAL POPULATIONS (DOWN SYNDROME):

“Lyle, you have an amazing talent! Thank you so much for sharing it with us during the conference. I know that the teen program really enjoyed your work. I hope to work with you again.”
Jonathan A. Bateman, Events and Fund Development Coordinator, Canadian Down Syndrome Society

YOUTH:

“Lyle entered our portable and within minutes his warmth, sincerity and enthusiasm had the students at ease and eager to participate. His demeanour makes it immediately clear to everyone that he is about mutual respect, compassion and fun. Other speakers have noted in past that ours can be a “tough crowd”, but Lyle’s light touch could thaw the coldest crowd…the students loved him.”
Carolee McGillivray, Teacher, Tupper Young Parent Program, VSB

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS:

“Lyle led a drumming workshop with my Grade 6/7 class. I was searching for an opportunity to engage the students in a team-building activity that accessed all ways of learning and multiple intelligences. Lyle’s drumming session was a perfect fit. The students were proud of what they accomplished and were thrilled to try this new musical experience. We were inspired by Lyle’s passion for the art of percussion and the students were surprised at how amazing their music sounded! At this age (11-12), kids are continuing to develop their self-esteem and sometimes struggle with taking new learning risks. Lyle was a patient and positive facilitator, and by the end of the workshop these kids were bursting with excitement when drumming with their peers. Thanks Lyle!”
Jennifer Ng, Teacher, Queen Elizabeth Elementary School

TEACHING

“Without exaggeration, I can honestly say that the two beginner hand-drumming courses I’ve taken with you have been amongst the most positive, rewarding learning experiences of my life. The primary measure of success for me is the great things I’ve discovered about myself… and that drumming in a group, although terrifying at first, can be a truly invigorating and joyous experience. You can bet I will be evengelizing the ‘Povah school of drumming’ for a long time to come.”
Tom McNamara

St. Paul’s Hospital: 2010/2011

African Drum Circle Program and Research Study at the In-Patient Eating Disorders Program, Vancouver B.C., Canada.

1) A sampling of patient responses to the survey question: What did you like best about the drum circle?

>   simple joy of music-making and pleasure of drum vibrations
>   it brought out some honest feelings
>   makes me feel good; brightens me up; I get to sing; contemplative
>   it gets my mind off how much I ate at lunch, something to focus on; over the course of the hour I find I calm down
>   it provided much needed distraction and shifting of emotions to a more positive frame of mind
>   get anger out; learning rhythms; abundance of instruments
>   being able to hit something; keeping a rhythm
>   how empowering it felt to make noise and have fun!
>   big awesome drum sound!
>   being able to exert our frustrations and anxiety out on a drum, a helpful outlet

2) A sampling of patient responses to the survey question: What do you think about the facilitator’s ability to conduct the group?

>   Lyle is such a kind hearted man and a very skilled musician, very personable, yet professional
>   Brings joy and fun to 4 Northwest.
>   Lyle is so creative and picks up on people’s internal ‘music’; he is receptive and attentive; awesome!
>   Thank you for following your call in life, we are blessed for it
>   Lyle’s enthusiasm and welcoming nature is contagious and fun
>   He has just the right tone and approach. I like his ability to roll with it and be flexible and inclusive
>   Amazing! Very kind and motivating, a great musician, lots of fun!
>   Really awesome job! Makes trying to play drums really fun, especially if you have never played before
>   He’s great, gets the energy going and always smiling, which brings up the mood and energy of the group. Keeps the group running, motivates those that (like me) are feeling crappy and anxious after lunch.

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BC Children’s Hospital – 1991-2011

MusicWorks has shared music and drumming with children, parents and staff one day a week for over 20 years.

from Sal K Denny, MD, FRCPC.
Pediatrician – BC’s Children’s Hospital

Re: Mr. Lyle Povah

I am writing to endorse the superb talent, dedication and professionalism of the music services provided by Mr. Lyle Povah at British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital. Lyle’s ability to relate to children of all ages (and their parents), to seemingly effortlessly adapt to a myriad of challenging clinical situations and to bring smiles and giggles from little patients and families make him an integral member of the health care team. His contributions to the well-being of both patients and staff are phenomenal.

I am a pediatrician on staff at Children’s for a decade. Over the years I have worked in several departments from Emergency to Cardiology and for the last few years on the ICU Step-Down ward. I have watched Lyle work his magic in all these most improbable places. Children in this setting are acutely ill, having had open-heart operations or other life-saving procedures. Some are newly diagnosed with devastating conditions. Most have just weaned off ventilators, often starting to rouse from comas. All are hooked to an array of monitors and invasive medical devices. They are anxious, sometimes in pain and generally heavily medicated. Their families are exhausted and scared; some speak little or no English. The future is uncertain.

Into this techno jungle strolls Lyle with his ever-changing trolley of the oddest instruments that you could imagine. Countless times I have seen infants and toddlers come alive to the songs and sounds and antics at the bedside. They open an eye, turn their head and cautiously join in, banging bells and drums and throwing themselves into the action. Older children and teens immerse themselves in the familiar strains – Lyle’s intuition is so attuned that his performance engages all ages and cultures. Often this is the first flicker of response and hope that the families (and the docs) see. The heart rates, blood pressure readings and breathing patterns settle in a response far greater than that to any medication that we have to offer. Smiles, sometimes tears cross the faces of the nurses as the whole team takes a break from the stresses of the ward to enjoy the Lyle moments – rewarding human moments in a sea of high-tech critical medicine.

I have studied Lyle’s approach with interest and awe over the years. As a physician-scientist I have come to appreciate and respect the power of this most soothing yet invigorating and human interaction. It is beyond the realm of my medical practice yet is such an effective and valuable tool that “Lyle at the bedside” has become my favourite prescription. Lyle’s gift is unique, his manner contagious and his reliable presence is one of our greatest assets.

Sincerely,
Sal K. Denny, MD, FRCPC

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Other Testimonials:

“Lyle Povah has been part of the instructional team in a variety of leadership courses at the Sauder School of Business at UBC, including our Executive Education and EMBA in Health Care programs. He uses music and drumming to teach many important leadership lessons, including how to energize your workforce. Over the 10 years that he has been part of the program, students have consistently rated his contribution as “exceptional.” Lyle is truly a gifted musician, singer, teacher, and facilitator. ”
Daniel Skarlicki
Edgar F. Kaiser Professor of Organizational Behavior
Sauder School of Business
University of British Columbia

“Lyle is not only a highly gifted and accomplished musician, but he also has amazing talents as a teacher… John loves his sessions with Lyle.”
Nelly Auersperg M.D., Ph.D. – Grandmother to John (12 year old autistic boy)

“Lyle Povah is an inspiring instructor. He blends his exceptional talents with brilliant leadership, group and teaching skills, creating a positive, stimulating and comfortable environment for participants….learning should be fun, and this course is fun.”
Ruth Hildebrand, psychiatrist
“Drum Talk – African Drumming for Creativity, Passion and Healing” Participant, the Haven retreat

“Lyle is excellent – a great group leader – the session was fun informative, and energetic. A++! I felt like I’d had my money’s worth in one session!”
Participant, “Drumming into Health – a Dynamic Prescription for Wellness” – Society for the Arts in Healthcare (SAH) International Conference, Edmonton Alberta, Canada