Chung Hwa High School Seremban's troupe will open the grand concerts on Oct 3 with impressive 21 Festive Drum performances (Photo: Lollipop Productions)
“Every time you look at a kaleidoscope, it’s different,” is how Bernard Goh, founder and art director of Hands Percussion, explains the name of the group’s biennial drumming festival. Since its inauguration in 2009, this idea has been the impetus behind Kaleidoscope: bringing together unique, disparate sounds and ideas to form a colourful tableau that celebrates the art of percussion in all its diversity.
Titled ‘Infinite Beats’, its eighth instalment continues to be driven by this purpose. In collaboration with Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre (JCPAC), it gathers artists from five countries: Seppuku Pistols with their punk-meets-Edo style all the way from Japan; La Tribu with their folkloric Afro-Venezuelan and Caribbean beats; acclaimed American master Steve Thornton who has worked with stars like Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson; Juan Carlos Allende whose rhythm draws from Afro-Cuban roots; and, of course, local groups such as Akademi Seni Putera Selangor and The Pulse Quartet by The Temple of Fine Arts Malaysia which bring in multicultural influences our nation is known for.
This assorted medley of drummers introduces a variety of traditional instruments to the main stage, including the Malay kompang, Indian mridangam, Japanese taiko and more. An international symposium on the last day of the festival also gathers these masters and practitioners to discuss the practice and future of percussion in the modern age where AI runs rampant.
body_photo_44.png
Even as overseas rhythmists are put under the spotlight, ‘Infinite Beats’ does not forget to pay homage to local heritage. The four main concerts — taking place at the Grand Theatre in JCPAC from Oct 2 to 4 — will open with 24 Festive Drum performances by troupes from Kwang Hua Private High School, Chung Hua High School Seremban and Yuebeatz. This situates the Malaysia-born artform front and centre. Goh articulates that it is “very important to let Malaysians be proud”; and he provides the platform to do just that by showcasing home-grown artistry before international peers. Beyond the concerts, the daily Little Bulat Arts Market offers an array of handicrafts and snacks made by local artisans, demonstrating the support and connection between creative communities.
Not only does the event endorse inclusivity by representing a breadth of cultures through its performers, but it also draws from Hands Percussion’s long history of working with the differently abled and children with special needs. YMCA Deafbeat, the Malaysian Foundation of the Deaf and neurodivergent students from Breakthru Academy are involved in some of the 11 pocket shows popping up around Sunway Square Mall and Sunway University. Arbitrary boundaries are broken down by something intrinsically shared between each human being — rhythm. It is the North Star of the festival, the idea that drumming is for everyone regardless of hearing, nationality, age, skill and background.
In fact, Goh recalls the sentiments of a friend, a Mexican master of marimba, who once said that one thing everyone has in common is we are all born with a percussive instrument beating incessantly in our chests which only comes to a halt once we leave this world. It is an unstoppable, universal ability that deserves to be explored, and the programme provides accessible opportunities for anyone to do so: the aforementioned pocket shows are free of charge while rooftop drum circles on Oct 2 and 3 are open to anyone, from seasoned players to total beginners, wanting to jam out. Masterclasses taught by the drummers visiting from abroad bring participants a slice of their world with no travelling necessary; while interactive workshops encourage even the inexperienced to try their hand at the professionals’ respective disciplines.
body_photo_43.png
Why plan a festival in the first place? “Because I think [it] brings people together,” Goh says simply. People both within and outside of the music industry, either casual or avid enthusiasts of the instrument, are given the chance to unite and collaborate. As an audience member feeling the thrumming of the drums reverberate through the soles of your feet, or even as someone onstage having that exhilarating connection with a fellow performer, there is no doubt that this year’s edition of Kaleidoscope will break down limitations and help realise the infinite possibilities open to every one of us.
‘Kaleidoscope VIII: Infinite Beats’ will be held at Sunway Square from Sep 29 to Oct 4. Concert tickets from RM98. For more information, visit kaleidoscope.hands.com.my.
