*scape Youth Park was loud and alive on the first weekend of June as Drum Circle inaugurated Singapore Drum Fest 2008, which runs through September. Although drumming is seen as a niche area that requires skill and knowledge, Drum Circle showed how anybody and everybody can enjoy and create rhythms without prior knowledge of the instruments. Led by internationally acclaimed Drum Circle Facilitator, Christine Stevens from the USA, the event was a resounding success with more than 650 attendees over the course of two days joining in the music of the Drum Circle. An hour before the Circle started, Christine led a group of enthusiastic participants down the streets of Orchard Road, grooving and jamming amidst the crowd. The sound of their drums had on-lookers intrigued and many stopped to enjoy the impromptu ‘performance’. This was a mere preview of what was in store for the Drum Circle later. With the catchy rhythms and Christine’s fun-loving attitude, the spectators were happy to participate, some asking for instruments to play along, while others decided to showcase their dancing skills to the music of the drums. As the group made their way back to the venue at *scape Youth Park, with many street pickups no less, the seats were already starting to fill up with people of all ages and families who were there for some good, quality bonding time. On Saturday, the kids from Bishan Home for the Intellectually Disabled joined in the Drum Circle and had a ball of a time, with some inspiring, spontaneous dancers moving to the music. Sunday saw a gathering of drumming groups such as Lila Drums, a school teaching African hand percussion, and Kallang Community Club’s own community drumming group. The next three hours were filled with fun and laughter, as non-drummers and non-musicians got a chance to try their hand at making music. For that short period of time, everyone was brought together, united by the universal language of rhythm. After the Drum Circle’s festivities, the participants were in for a treat with some great performances. Brandon Khoo, one of the best drummers in Singapore, took stage on Saturday with his band and gave a rousing performance featuring a dazzling drum solo. Drum Circle also gave budding drum talents the platform to showcase their talents. Er Chow Kiat, one of the talented participants of last year’s Drum Challenge, shared the stage with Brandon and entertained the crowd with an exciting drum battle. Last year’s Drum Challenge 12-and-under category winner, Ethan Ong, also wowed the audience with his technique and skill on the drums on Sunday. Other performers included Mohammad Noor, Singapore’s best percussionist, who performed on Sunday on the drumset and even had impromptu drum battles with the Drum Circle! Also, talented local singer Nana was on hand both days to provide the Drum Circle with a dab of her amazing vocals. The final night ended with a performance from Singapore’s largest street percussion team, Strikeforce, who gave the audience a rousing finale with their very own water and lights drums performance.
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