, plans its biggest edition yet with an extensive line-up of online and offline events to reenergize the city post-pandemic.){kind=link}
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO) is reviving the Hong Kong Drum Festival this July, 20 years after its inception, with an expansive program designed to rejuvenate the city in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Founded two decades ago in response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak, the festival aims to energize the city and ‘scare away bad things,’ according to Celina Chin Man-wah, the executive director of the HKCO.
In 2003, the festival made history by setting a world record with over 3,000 participants playing Chinese drums simultaneously at Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. This year, the HKCO is planning an even bigger celebration, with a host of online and offline events, including drum lessons, live performances, a competition, and a grand finale carnival.
The event series “One Beat, One World: Connecting through the Drum” features a collaborative effort between the HKCO and music tutors to run group drum classes for children, ethnic minorities, and communities across all 18 districts of Hong Kong. Following their training, the participants’ performances will be recorded and compiled into a two-minute film, which will be presented online and at the festival’s grand finale at West Kowloon Art Park on October 14.
The orchestra also hosts a global #DrumChallenge, inviting participants worldwide to upload their performances to the orchestra’s social media channels for a chance to feature in the festival film.
On October 7 and 8, the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition, open to everyone, including those with special needs, will take place at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza in Tsim Sha Tsui. The festival’s finale on October 14, at West Kowloon Art Park, will showcase the community’s engagement in the event.
The festival finale will include drum workshops, game booths, live performances, and a concert featuring renowned drum ensembles and virtuosos from across the globe. Visitors will also have an opportunity to play a large drum measuring 2.6 meters high and 3.46 meters wide.
Chin emphasizes the importance of arts education for children, encouraging parents to bring their kids for an enjoyable afternoon at the Art Park. “I’ve read in studies that the best age to conduct arts education is before the age of 12, which is why the HKCO has put in many efforts in arts education for children,” she says.
This year’s Hong Kong Drum Festival highlights the power of community and culture in revitalizing a city and its inhabitants in the wake of a pandemic.
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