Mega drum fest
Drumming fans can look forward to two mega showcases — the National Championship and the International Show — during the 5th International Festival of 24 Festive Drums 2018, writes Peggy Loh
THE rhythm of the 24 Festive Drums fills the forecourt of the Johor Gu Miao or Old Temple, much like how it did 30 years ago on this day when the drums were first performed here on June 12, 1998 for the opening ceremony of the 9th National Chinese Dance Festival.
A new form of percussion art created by Tan Chai Puan with music composed by the late Tan Hooi Song, it has developed into a unique drumming art dubbed the 24 Festive Drums.
Back then, the two Tans had not imagined the far-reaching impact of this proudly Johor-born tradition that was later exported back to China.
As students from the first drum troop in JB’s Foon Yew High School went abroad to study, they introduced this drumming art and established drum troupes in colleges and universities worldwide.
It’s fitting that the birthday cake for the celebration is designed in the shape of a
Chinese drum, complete with two drum sticks and the Chinese characters for 24 Festive Drums, inscribed on the drum.
Just as the first event was witnessed by representatives from the five Chinese clans, their current representatives are at the temple along with Khalid Syed Ali, director of Department of National Heritage.
A few members of the original drum troupe are also present at the celebration, who after the cake-cutting ceremony, cannot resist from picking up the drum sticks to beat a familiar rhythm, just as they did 30 years ago.
While delivering his speech, everyone can hear the emotion in Tan’s voice and it’s clear that his dearest wish is to share with Hooi Song, who passed away in 2008 after losing the battle with cancer, the joy and pride when the 24 Festive Drums was recognised as a Malaysian National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.
DRUMS FEStIVal
Tan continues to actively promote this art through International Drum Festivals held every alternate year since 2010, for local drum troupes to compete in the National Championship and for international drum troupes to showcase their drumming skills.
The coming 5th International Festival of 24 Festive Drums 2018, to be held on Aug 24 and 25, is part of the 30th anniversary celebration. It will be held at the Pasir Gudang Corporation Stadium, an indoor stadium with 2,600 seating capacity.
Drumming fans can look forward to two mega showcases — the National Championship and the International Show — over two nights during this drums fest.
On Aug 24, some 300 drummers in 10 troops from five regions will take the stage to show off their creativity and drumming skills to thrill their fans.
To earn a place to compete in the National Championship, regional competitions were held in the north, central, south, east coast and east Malaysia where the two most outstanding drum troupes were picked to represent each region.
The show on Aug 25 will be a celebration of drumming with performances by troupes from China and Singapore, and a guest appearance by Hands Percussion Malaysia. The top three winners of the National Championship will also perform.
COMING OF aGE
Tan aspires for Johor Baru to become the home for international drumming and is proud that data collected from schools, colleges and universities, including international schools, shows that there are currently 6,000 groups and a total of 25,000 drummers since 1988.
As he watches the live drumming performance, Khalid is impressed by how this art has developed into a huge and healthy cultural community of multiracial and professional drummers.
While drumming may have started as a school activity, it has spawned festivals, promoters, trainers, team managers and even musical and cultural researchers, up to PhD levels.
In Chinese culture, a man is believed to mature at age 30 and the four Chinese characters on the Drum Festival’s poster, artistically rendered in brush strokes by celebrated artist Tan Swie Hian, is translated as “a celebration for drumming up and standing firm”.