ࡱ > , . + G 6 bjbjَ 6 ] J J J J J J J z z z z z z $ H J p J J p p p J J ^ l J J J J p h p J J `lz z Z From Dr. Sacks Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain (Knopf, 2007). The attractions, the joys, and the therapeutic powers of drumming and drum circles are widely known in the Tourette's community. In New York City recently, I took part in a drum circle organized by Matt Giordano, a gifted drummer with severe Tourette's. When he is not focused or engaged, Matt is in constant Tourettic motionand indeed, everyone in the room that day seemed to be ticking, ticking in their own time. I could see eruptions of tics, contagions of tics, rippling around the thirty-odd Touretters therebut once the drum circle started, with Matt leading them, all the ticking disappeared within seconds. Suddenly there was synchronization, and they came together as a group, performing in the moment with the rhythm, as Matt puts ittheir Tourettic energy, motor exuberance, playfulness, and inventiveness all drawn upon creatively and given expression in the music. Music here had a double power; first, to reconfigure brain activity, and bring calm and focus to people who were sometimes distracted or preoccupied by incessant tics and impulses; and second, to promote a musical and social bonding with others, so that what began as a miscellany of isolated, often distressed or self-conscious individuals almost instantly became a cohesive group with a single aima veritable drum orchestra under Matt's baton. " Dr. Sacks was recently interviewed regarding his book Musicophilia on NPR's All Things Considered, (aired on October 21, 2007). During the interview he was asked to comment on the effects of music on Tourette syndrome. Again, Sacks cited the Rochester drum circle facilitator: HYPERLINK "http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15472815_"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15472815_