IT looks like an exciting and busy year ahead for local percussion ensemble, Hands Percussion.
This year marks their 20th year in the performing arts scene and in conjunction with this, the organisation welcomes its first ever patron, Tunku Zain Al-’Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhriz, the second son of the reigning Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan and the founding President of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas).
Hands Percussion’s founder and artistic director Bernard Goh said: “This year marks two decades of us surviving the
trials and tribulations of the performing arts scene in the country. Tunku Zain has always been a faithful supporter of the arts and we are thankful to have him on board as patron.
“He has been to all our productions and has never failed to provide us with support and show his appreciation for the arts. In fact, Tunku Zain himself is a pianist,” he said.Tunku Zain said he loved the fact that there was so much diversity in what the group did, from experimental genres to the actual dancing that accompanies the music.
“What I like also about Hands Percussion is how they give back to the community. They teach percussion to underprivileged children, introduce drumming to the
kids in the villages and organise fundraising concerts.
“There’s so much to share from Hands Percussion in every corner of Malaysia,” said Tunku Zain.
In addition to welcoming their patron, Goh also unveiled a few exciting programmes in store from Hands Percussion for the year. Among them, a nationwide tour which sees the group travelling to four cities to perform 80-minute shows starting with Johor Baru, followed by Ipoh, Penang and Kuantan. This begins April 1.
They will also be a Wind of Nomads Concert, a full-length concert featuring African and Asian percussion slated for August (further details to be confirmed), and a concert called DeafBeat 10th Anniversary Concert, featuring eight hearing-impaired youths. It was formed by Goh himself in 2007, and the concert is slated for September at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC).
Hands 20th Anniversary Concert, on the other hand, will be part of the Kuala Lumpur International Arts Festival, Diverse City 2017, to be held at the end of September.
Goh added that Hands Percussion was also planning to organise a separate concert featuring Tunku Zain.
“It’s in the pipeline. He is very kind-hearted and besides wanting to give back to the community, he is keen on performing as well. This is definitely something we’re looking forward to, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed,” he said.