NASHUA – Piano, keyboard and percussion are the musical specialties of Merrimack’s Marie Mendelow-Balcom, a music teacher for more than 30 years. Now, she’s offering African drum lessons to youth and adults who find that making loud noises in class is an activity that has no reprimands, only encouragement.

Mendelow-Balcom began musical instruction in her native South Africa and completed piano studies in London at the Royal Schools of Music. She was for many years the lead percussionist for the National Symphony Orchestra of South Africa, broadcasting on TV and radio.

Her local roots go back to 1991. Merrimack is where she and her husband, Jack, made their home. Gov. John Lynch, in 2007, proclaimed Mendelow-Balcom as New Hampshire’s Music Teacher of the Year. And it’s likely that each of her hundreds of former students would agree with his decision.

Slapping, tapping and scraping are some of the actions students use when striking the heads of the drums during Mendelow-Balcom’s percussion classes at the Nashua Community Music School, 5 Pine St. Extension. The second-floor music school, in a refurbished mill building, is offering a wide range of classes for adults and youth.

One program, Harmony Road, is open to ages 3 and older, and involves singing and keyboard playing. Children’s choir and jazz band, flute choir and a percussion ensemble are other selections. Mendelow-Balcom is also the teacher for the early childhood programs there.

Mendelow-Balcom said the aim of those at the school is to provide music education to anyone who wants it. The school is mostly supported through grants and funds from the city of Nashua and the Frederick Smyth Trust, and to a lesser extent by Darrell’s Music Hall, a local business permitting students to sue its pianos and offering discounts on other music-related items.

One recent African drumming class brought together Mendelow-Balcom, her drum-playing husband, and some Merrimack students Jacob Whiton, 9, Lucia Neumann, 11, and Elizabeth “Liz” Shearman, 10. The musicians, full of high energy and talent, joined in a semi-circle with Ayva Petrocelli, 8, of Nashua.

Jacob, who attends Thorntons Ferry Elementary School, has four years of piano lessons to his credit. His pursuit of African drumming permits him full use of another talent – the impersonation of the sounds of at least a dozen African animals. His renditions of the trumpeting of an elephant, the hissing of a snake and the hooting sounds made by African monkeys are quite realistic.

“I’m like an animal encyclopedia,” Jacob said. “I like playing the drums and adding all the kinds of animal sounds that go with it.”

Lucia, a fifth-grader at the James Mastricola Upper Elementary School, said she likes all kinds of music. In addition to playing African drums, she plays piano and xylophone and trombone.

“At the end of the drumming lessons, we get time to do whatever we want, sort of freestyle,” she said. “It’s kind of a fun, crazy time.”

Liz, who has a black belt in karate and is an advanced vocalist, said she likes the grand finales.

“I like the jams,” she said. “It gives us a chance to express how we feel, in our own way.”

Ayva, a third-grader at Amherst Street School in Nashua, said while she enjoys ice skating and art, she finds the tactile sensations of drumming one of its attractions.

“I really like that we get to use our hands on the drums,” Ayva said. “It feels kind of like thunder; like I have electricity in my hands.”

Mendelow-Balcom said the youngsters and adult students are initially surprised at the way different strikes on the drumheads produce different sounds.

A strike in the center of the drum, she said, produces a deep, resonant sound called gun – pronounced “goon.” The sound godo is a middle tone produced by striking the edge of the drumhead. High sounds called pata are made by slapping the edges of the drums.

She said there is a lot to be learned in technique and notation. The lessons are modestly priced at $100 for semesters consisting of 10 weekly sessions of one-hour lessons. The group, billed as “Mumbo Jumbo,” performs on occasion at Barnes & Noble in Nashua, at school events and at Nashua’s Art Walk celebrations.

“They learn so much and have so much fun,” Mendelow-Balcom said. “A music education is a wonderful thing, and these students have so much talent.”

For more information on the various music programs taught by Marie Mendelow-Balcom at the Nashua Community Music School, call 424-8422.