Kuala Lumpur - Foon Yew High School 24 Festive Drums Team, Johor Bahru managed to conquer the judges' favourite with their piece “THE JOURNEY”(《征》) and became the Gold Award winner of the 6th International 24 Festive Drums Festival and Malaysia 24 Festive Drums Competition.
In the judges' scoring, Foon Yew High School 24 Festive Drums Team, Johor Bahru scored 85.6 points, which was only one point different from the Silver Award winning Seremban Chung Hua High School 24 Festive Drums Troupe (84.6 points).
The other Silver Award went to Tsun Jin High School 24 Festive Drums Team, while the Bronze Award went to 5 drum teams, namely Kuching Chung Hua High School No. 1 24 Festive Drums Team, Kuala Terengganu SMJK Chung Hwa Wei Sin, 24 Festive Drums Team, SMJK Jit Sin SKK 24 Festive Drums Team, Bukit Mertajam, Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School 24 Festive Drums Team and SMJK Yu Hua Kajang 24 Festive Drums Team.
The 6th International 24 Festive Drums Festival and Malaysia 24 Festive Drums Competition Final Results：
Tsun Jin High School 24 Festive Drums Team - Score: 80.6
SMJK Yu Hua Kajang 24 Festive Drums Team - Score: 79.6
Kuching Chung Hua High School No. 1 24 Festive Drums Team - Score: 73.6
Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School 24 Festive Drums Team - Score: 77
Kuala Terengganu SMJK Chung Hwa Wei Sin, 24 Festive Drums Team - Score: 74.1
Seremban Chung Hua High School 24 Festive Drums Troupe - Score: 84.6
SMJK Jit Sin SKK 24 Festive Drums Team, Bukit Mertajam - Score: 76.5
Foon Yew High School 24 Festive Drums Team, Johor Bahru - Score: 85.6
Gold Award
Foon Yew High School 24 Festive Drums Team, Johor Bahru, THE JOURNEY
Silver Award
Tsun Jin High School 24 Festive Drums Team, MIRROR Seremban
Chung Hua High School 24 Festive Drums Troupe, THE BIRTH
Bronze Award
Kuching Chung Hua High School No. 1 24 Festive Drums Team, THE FOREIGN LAND
Kuala Terengganu SMJK Chung Hwa Wei Sin, 24 Festive Drums Team, EMBER’S ASCENSION
SMJK Jit Sin SKK 24 Festive Drums Team, Bukit Mertajam, “BORN AT DAWN,STEP ONTHEWAVES”
Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School 24 Festive Drums Team, HARVEST
SMJK Yu Hua Kajang 24 Festive Drums Team, BUILD
Best Formation Award
Foon Yew High School 24 Festive Drums Team, Johor Bahru
Best Arrangement Award
Seremban Chung Hua High School 24 Festive Drums Troupe
Best Drum Technique Award
Tsun Jin High School 24 Festive Drums Team
Best Concept and Creativity Award
Foon Yew High School 24 Festive Drums Team, Johor Bahru
Chairman of 24 Festive Drums Association Malaysia Bernard Goh, in his opening speech, said that the art form of 24 Festive Drums is timeless, and as the saying goes, ‘It does not become obsolete because of its heritage, and it does not fade away because of its time’, the 24 Festive Drums have not only become the cultural heritage of Chinese celebrations, but also the common heritage and pride of all the ethnic groups in Malaysia.
“We have proved that our students include Malays, Chinese and Indians, and even foreigners who have settled in Malaysia, and our drum team has family members ranging from 4 years old to 70 years old.”
He pointed out the development and popularity of such an art form, as well as its spread from Malaysia to other countries and regions such as Singapore, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Africa. Today, there are recorded to be 500 drum teams (100 of which are in China) and 40,000 drummers worldwide.
“For the sake of Malaysian culture and arts, our goal and vision is to showcase the skills, talents and artistic values of each team, demonstrating the continuous development, achievements and positive impact of the 24 festive drum as a traditional art form.”
Tan Chai Puan, the co-creator of 24 Festive Drums, said in his closing speech that under the facilitation of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the 24 Festive Drums of Malaysia will be applying for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) status from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) by 2026, which will enable the drums to go to the United Nations and the world.
‘What we once thought was impossible, the country is now allowing drum teams across the country to work together with the Chinese community to better organise the festival drum culture and then gradually move towards the United Nations, allowing us to work towards the very high goal of intangible heritage.’
He said the festival drum teams at Tsinghua University in China informed that there were 21 master's and doctoral theses on festive drums on the Chinese academic network, showing the importance of Chinese literature.
‘Since the Malaysian students brought the 24-season drum to Huaqiao University in China 27 years ago, today 24 Festival Drum Team of Huaqiao University is the largest in the world; and the Chaozhou Chao Xiang Ensemble has recently brought the 24 festive drum to Hungary in Europe, and perhaps in two years' time, we are going to bring African festival drums to Malaysia for the International Festival of Drums. ’
The 6th International 24 Festivals Drums Festival and Malaysia 24 Festive Drums Competition was held recently at the Plenary Hall of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC). Eight teams from six regions performed today and competed for the title of Malaysia's Best Drum Team.
The 6th International 24 Festive Drums Festival and Malaysia 24 Festive Drums Competition, organised by the Malaysia 24 Festive Drums Association and presented by Hands Percussion, will be held again after a six-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally scheduled to take place every two years , this prestigious national competition took place in 2018, and the anticipation to crown the ‘champion of champions’ is immense.
This year's event, themed ‘Infinite Legacy, Endless Innovation,’ celebrates the 36th anniversary of the founding of 24 Festive Drums. The international festival, which has been held for the past 14 years, for the first time, move from its birthplace in Johor Bahru to Malaysia‘s capital, Kuala Lumpur.
International drum teams attending include Kecheng Lichun Drum Club, Chaozhou Chao Xiang Ensemble, 24 Festival Drum Team of Huaqiao University, Drummover, and Zingo Festival Drum.
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