Return to where it all started...

 

When my friends in JB Drums invited me to a drum show as the finale of their Annual Performance and Primary School Exchange Camp, I noted that this show would be held in their alma mater, Foon Yew High School Johor Bahru.

 

Inside the Dewan Sekolah Foon Yew

JB Drums is a professional drum troop, established to preserve and promote the art of the 24 Festive Drums, a globally renowned performing art that had its humble beginnings as a school drum troop in Foon Yew High School.

 

Over the years, I have covered countless stories on the art of the 24 Festive Drums and co-founders, the late Tan Hooi Song and Tan Chai Puan, who have promoted this performing art nationwide and abroad since its founding in 1988.

 

I have never entered the premises of the Foon Yew High School, the largest independent Chinese high school in the nation and the largest Chinese education secondary school outside of Mainland China, so I must say that I was looking forward to both: entering this highly regarded bastion of education and enjoying the drum show in the place where it all started some 36 years ago.

 

Facade of the hall, Dewan Sekolah Foon Yew

Armed with an e-parking ticket, I was welcomed smoothly into the carpark reserved for visitors and simply followed the visitors ahead of me who were heading to the entrance of Dewan Sekolah Foon Yew, which appeared to be the event hall.

 

I must clarify that I do not read Chinese and have limited command of the language so on arrival at the lobby, I was pleased to see some familiar faces whom I had met at the Drum Shows previously staged at the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House.

 

When I received my tickets, I was also directed to enter by which door to find my seats which, I was told, were clearly marked with my name.

 

My entrance ticket

So when the doors opened and I entered the hall, it was easy to spot my name pasted on the back of the chairs because all the other seats were labelled in Chinese.

 

In the next few minutes, the seats in the hall quickly filled up and when Tan Chai Puan arrived, he took his seat next to me.

 

After we exchanged pleasantries, I asked Tan about how he felt about returning to his alma mater, the place where the first drum troop was formed in Johor Bahru.

 

This question seemed to open the floodgates to his memories as Tan started by sharing about this very hall which was a gift, presented by the late rubber plantation tycoon, Tan Sri Lee Kong Chian.

 

Tan recalled that it was probably 1966/67 and he was in his second year of Junior High School when this hall was opened with a celebration that included the staging of a drama show.

 

My seats in the hall, clearly labelled

This drama had a character of a naughty boy and it so happened that they needed a student to play this role so Tan was tasked to step into it.

 

It was an unforgettable experience for Tan because this role entailed getting his ear pulled and he recalled the agony of his ear being often pulled – from rehearsals to the actual showtime.

 

This unfortunate experience, however, sparked his interest in stage and drama and Tan eventually became the Vice-President of the school’s Drama Society.

 

In 1988, Tan collaborated with Tan Hooi Song to stage a performance for the opening ceremony of the Ninth National Dance Festival in Johor Bahru, with their creation of a dramatic drums show that developed into a global sensation.

 

Tan, a gifted poet and cartoonist, wrote the poetry and created the choreography while Hooi Song, a renowned musician, composed the music for the theme song of the festival.

 

These cultural activists, popularly known as the two Tans, shared their vision in using drums, a musical instrument that traditionally echoed the rhythm of life, to create a festive mood. 

 

This first performance by nine drummers on nine drums at the festival, was the humble beginnings of their creation of the dramatic art of the 24 Festive Drums.

 

Tan fondly recalled that in 2000, he along with Hooi Song and Tan Ching Swee, organized the grandest performance in Johor school history for a fund-raising dinner with 700 tables, held on the school field.

 

He explained that there was a quota for Chinese independent high schools since the 1940’s so it was significant for Chinese education when a branch of the Foon Yew High School was officially opened in Kulai in 2005.

 

Then it was time to turn our attention to the live performances on the stage of this school hall that holds a treasure trove of memories for Tan.

 

The Xi Yau Drum team presented
their performance of Teng-Fei, or 'Flying'

As always, Tan helped to translate the all-in-Chinese drum show programme into simple English for me to learn that there will be eight performances that featured two guest drum teams, with a brief intermission in between.

 

I enjoyed the familiar sight and sound of the JB Drums troop who opened the show with a classic performance of the art of the 24 Festive Drums, complete with dramatic drumming and creative choreography.

 

Then the Xi Yau Drum team, made up of drummers whose ages ranged from 15 to 50 years old, presented their performance of Teng-Fei, simply translated as “Flying.”

 

This drum troop reflected the spirit of determination in drummers who committed themselves to train for a public performance such as this, regardless of age or gender.

 

The Stone Percussion team from Seremban presented two pieces titled, ‘Big Rock’ and ‘Hot Day in the Summer’ that creatively blended the traditional art of the 24 Festive Drums with the additional use of Malay musical instruments like the gong.

 

While the art of the 24 Festive Drums was the original source of this dramatic art of drumming, professional drum troops established throughout the country have taken drumming performances to the next level with the creative incorporation of traditional percussion instruments from our multi-cultural community.

 

The evening’s showcase came to an end with a visually spectacular grand finale performed by the JB Drums troop along with their two guest drum teams.

 

Presenting a token of appreciation to
the guest drum troop

Then all the drummers came on stage to take their final bow.

 

While the leaders of the three teams formed the first row, JB Drums presented a token of appreciation to the guest teams for their partnership in this year-end showcase.

 

As drumming enthusiasts in the audience made their way out of the hall, many paused to capture photo mementoes with Tan and members of the drum troops.

 

It was very encouraging to see a healthy interest from drumming enthusiasts as families continue to support young people in their training with drum troops to hone their skills and to proudly perform in drum shows such as this.

 

The JB Drums troop trains regularly at their center located at 11-2, Jalan Permas 11/1C, Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru. For more info, email: jbdrums.24fd@gmal.com or Tel: +6016 797 3533.

 

Note: My story on the Art of the 24 Festive Drums is featured among the Johor brands in My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, the third and final instalment in the trilogy of My Johor Stories.

 

My Johor Stories books are available from MPH bookstores nationwide and online from mphonline. In Johor Bahru, some books are available in JARO, shortform for Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation.