Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Ethan is China's Top Junior Drummer
Singapore’s very own drummer boy, Ethan Ong (10), beat 51 other Chinese junior hopefuls to clinch the coveted championship position in the junior drum category at the 4th National Youth Percussion Instrument Competition at Shanghai, China.
Organised by 10 professional music institutions in China (the National Institute of Chinese Percussion Music, the Central Conservatory of Music, the Chinese National Academy of Music, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shenyang Conservatory of Music, Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Tianjin Conservatory of Music, Xi’an Music Academy, Wuhan Conservatory of Music, and Guangzhou Xinghai Conservatory of Music), this annual competition is currently the largest of its kind in the world, attracting more than 300 individual participants and 47 teams comprised of 400 participants from 46 provinces and cities, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Participants competed over 9 days from July 27 to August 5, in 6 different categories featuring teams or individuals performing with percussion instruments such as the marimba, timpani, electronic and modern drums.
Judging this high profile event was a panel of 14 top professionals and authorities in the field of music and percussions, hailing from the Chinese National Academy of Music, the People’s Liberation Army Institute of Arts, Nanjing Institute of Arts and other top orchestras in mainland China. This is in support of the event’s objective to establish credibility, fairness and openness in identifying and developing the best percussionists in the youth sector.
In the junior modern drum category, 52 children aged 6 - 12 competed in the heats by playing 1 out of 5 pre-selected competition pieces. Ethan, along with 11 other competitors, made it to the finals where the bar was raised. Each competitor had to play another pre-selected competition piece and a composition of his choice that will best demonstrate the player’s full skill range and complexity. Ethan chose a fusion jazz piece by Japanese band Casiopea and ventured further to add a 1-minute drum solo immediately after - A bold feat not undertaken by another.
Ethan said [QUOTE]: “I was the last to perform at the finals and I had the chance to observe the others play. They had obviously practised very hard for the competition and it really showed. I knew I had to do something different if I wanted to set myself apart from the rest. Even though playing a solo would put me under heavy scrutiny by the judges, I was confident that I could pull it off.”
Ethan’s championship score of 92.8 was met by the audience’s rapturous applause. Said a judge, Liu Gang, Percussions Deputy Professor at the Chinese National Academy of Music [QUOTE]: “We are thrilled to have met Singapore’s Ethan Ong [at this year’s competition]. He is without a doubt, a drum genius. Aside from having demonstrated mastery in his rhythmic acumen and preparation, it is rare that he already possesses his own musical style at 10 years old.”
Ethan performing at the finals
Organised by 10 professional music institutions in China (the National Institute of Chinese Percussion Music, the Central Conservatory of Music, the Chinese National Academy of Music, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shenyang Conservatory of Music, Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Tianjin Conservatory of Music, Xi’an Music Academy, Wuhan Conservatory of Music, and Guangzhou Xinghai Conservatory of Music), this annual competition is currently the largest of its kind in the world, attracting more than 300 individual participants and 47 teams comprised of 400 participants from 46 provinces and cities, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Participants competed over 9 days from July 27 to August 5, in 6 different categories featuring teams or individuals performing with percussion instruments such as the marimba, timpani, electronic and modern drums.
Judging this high profile event was a panel of 14 top professionals and authorities in the field of music and percussions, hailing from the Chinese National Academy of Music, the People’s Liberation Army Institute of Arts, Nanjing Institute of Arts and other top orchestras in mainland China. This is in support of the event’s objective to establish credibility, fairness and openness in identifying and developing the best percussionists in the youth sector.
In the junior modern drum category, 52 children aged 6 - 12 competed in the heats by playing 1 out of 5 pre-selected competition pieces. Ethan, along with 11 other competitors, made it to the finals where the bar was raised. Each competitor had to play another pre-selected competition piece and a composition of his choice that will best demonstrate the player’s full skill range and complexity. Ethan chose a fusion jazz piece by Japanese band Casiopea and ventured further to add a 1-minute drum solo immediately after - A bold feat not undertaken by another.
Ethan said [QUOTE]: “I was the last to perform at the finals and I had the chance to observe the others play. They had obviously practised very hard for the competition and it really showed. I knew I had to do something different if I wanted to set myself apart from the rest. Even though playing a solo would put me under heavy scrutiny by the judges, I was confident that I could pull it off.”
Ethan with representatives from Mapex and his drum coach (extreme right)
Ethan’s championship score of 92.8 was met by the audience’s rapturous applause. Said a judge, Liu Gang, Percussions Deputy Professor at the Chinese National Academy of Music [QUOTE]: “We are thrilled to have met Singapore’s Ethan Ong [at this year’s competition]. He is without a doubt, a drum genius. Aside from having demonstrated mastery in his rhythmic acumen and preparation, it is rare that he already possesses his own musical style at 10 years old.”
Ethan with Liu Gang (Judge and Deputy Professor of Percussions, Chinese National Academy of Music)
Ethan is Youngest Performer at China Drumfest 2009
Ethan was invited by his sponsors, Mapex and Zildjian to perform at the prestigious China Drumfest 2009 in Beijing on 24th July. It was truly a privilege as Ethan got to perform alongside China's top professional drummers and internationally acclaimed drummers such as Brady Blade (Dave Matthews Band), Cindy Blackman (Lenny Kravtiz) and his all time favourite, Akira Jimbo. Ethan got the event started by playing Galatic Funk, The Continental Way and a drum solo featuring his newly picked up left foot clave which he picked up from 'Uncle Akira'. The enthusiastic crowd was very supportive as they watched this kid from Singapore do his thing. At the end of the event, the crowd queued up for autographs and pictures with the drummers. It was really funny as Ethan had just developed his autograph that afternoon in preparation!
Waiting for sound check....calm before the storm...
Letting the reality sink in...performing with famous international drummers (see his picture on the lower left corner of the billboard?)
That's me! (While in the green room, Ethan spotted his photo in Z-Time 2009 - Zildjian's Annual Magazine
Take it away, Ethan!
Akira Jimbo - Wowing the crowd!
(L-R) Brady, Ethan and Akira holding up their autograph postcards
This is like manuscript practice, but a whole lot more fun!
Drummers posing for a picture after a hard day's work
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Ethan performs at International Charity Fun Fair
Ethan performs a drum solo for an International Charity Fun Fair in China. He has started practising the double pedals recently and used it in this solo. Hope you will enjoy it!
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Ethan is Opening Act for Steve Smith's China Tour
Praise God! Ethan has been blessed with the opportunity to be the opening act for renowned drummer and fellow Zildjian artiste, Steve Smith when he goes to Guangzhou as part of his China Tour in commemoration of 30-years of partnership with Sonor. Click below to view a clip of his drum solo...
Ethan Aces China-wide Youth Talent Competition
In August 2008, Ethan took part in the China-wide Youth Talent Competition organised by the Ministry of Culture, and aced the drum section with a score of 97.4 from 5 judges. He clinched the Gold Medal Award to become China's Junior Drum Champion (6-12 years old)!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Ethan Becomes Zildjian Artist!!!
Ethan made Singaporean history once again by becoming one of the
youngest Zildjian Artist worldwide. Zildjian is the most popular and established cymbal brand in the world, with its roots dating back to 1623. This is indeed a dream come true for Ethan as he now joins his favourite drum maestro, Akira Jimbo and many of the world's top drummers as part of the Zildjian Artist Family.
youngest Zildjian Artist worldwide. Zildjian is the most popular and established cymbal brand in the world, with its roots dating back to 1623. This is indeed a dream come true for Ethan as he now joins his favourite drum maestro, Akira Jimbo and many of the world's top drummers as part of the Zildjian Artist Family.Click here to see Ethan's Zildjian Artist Page
Musical Exposure (by Bernard Ong – Ethan’s Daddy)
When Ethan was still in the womb, we (Mommy and Daddy) would often sing to him before bedtime. Our favourite songs for him were “Jesus Loves Me”, “Jesus Loves the Little Children” and “This Little Light of Mine”. We sang purely out of a desire for him to know Jesus’ and our love for him. After all, we both used to be in our church choir and thus singing songs to our baby felt like a very natural thing to do.
Immediately after delivery, we welcomed him into the world by singing “Welcome to the Family”.
After that, his main regular exposure was attending church services with us. We would always hold him in our arms and bounce/ sway along with the music. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary, actually. No special efforts to inculcate a sense of rhythm…
With time, Ethan always followed me to our worship band practices (I played the bass guitar). I started to notice during worship sessions (particularly the fast paced sings) that he would “drum” on my shoulders. My initial thoughts were, hmm, we might have a little drum talent on our hands….
As time passed, I observed that he was able to drum along to practically any tune with the right groove, accents and fills. The rest, as they say, is history…
Immediately after delivery, we welcomed him into the world by singing “Welcome to the Family”.
After that, his main regular exposure was attending church services with us. We would always hold him in our arms and bounce/ sway along with the music. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary, actually. No special efforts to inculcate a sense of rhythm…
With time, Ethan always followed me to our worship band practices (I played the bass guitar). I started to notice during worship sessions (particularly the fast paced sings) that he would “drum” on my shoulders. My initial thoughts were, hmm, we might have a little drum talent on our hands….
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As time passed, I observed that he was able to drum along to practically any tune with the right groove, accents and fills. The rest, as they say, is history…
Drumming Evolution (by Bernard Ong – Ethan’s dad)
Version 1: Daddy’s shoulders, palms, and lap (a.k.a. daddy custom)
Yup, that’s right. Ethan’s first ever drum set was the ever present, ultra mobile shoulders of mine. During church services (especially the fast paced songs), Ethan would readily bounce along in my arms and drum on my shoulders when he was somewhere between the age of 1 to 2. Before long, we noticed that he had a very natural sense of rhythm and was rather precise in his groove and crashes (on the “cymbals”). Needless to say, he looked forward to every worship service!
During the weekdays, Ethan would drum on my lap and palms whether we were in the car or on the MRT. We would either be listening to music from the car stereo or I would be singing, with him drumming along to practically any tune or groove.
Version 2: Milo/ Neslac Tins, pot and pans and what have you
Naturally, Ethan started to source out every container he could lay his hands on and started to create his own rhythms on tins, pots, pans and boxes (yes, he was actually more interested in the boxes his toys came than the toys themselves). Armed with his very own pair of “Ethan Signature Series” disposable chopsticks, he drummed along to songs primarily from Hillsongs Australia (Christian Praise and Worship songs commonly referred to nowadays as Contemporary Christian Music).
Even when we visited our relative’s homes, they would actively display some of their pots and pans for Ethan to drum when we visited. Despite the noise that this created, they were always supportive of Ethan’s emerging talent.
Version 3 - 6: Toy Drum Set(s)
We decided before he turned two, that it was time Ethan got his first toy drum set. We used some of the Toys ‘R’ Us vouchers which my colleagues gave (for his 2nd Birthday gift) to purchase a toy drum set. Though this was a bare bones drum, he took to it like a fish in water. Since the drum had only 2 toms and a cymbal, he used the rims of his right tom as the hi-hat. With this basic set up, his drumming really started to take on a definite shape and form. It was also during this time that Ethan started to watch “Live Worship” VCDs from Hillsongs. He could literally sit in front of the TV and drum away everyday (for hours on occasions). Being made of relatively cheap plastic, the drum set didn’t last very long (especially with the long hours of practice) and Ethan went through about 4 of these drum sets. After that, we convinced ourselves that it made economical sense for us to invest in a drum set that was less “disposable” in nature.
Version 7: Our 3-Seater Sofa (a.k.a. softest drum set in the world)
The more Ethan watched drummers (be it TV or in church) perform, the more he realised that his toy drum set somehow didn’t look like the real thing. It lacked the snare, some toms and quite a few cymbals. The fact that he was now watching drum videos by Akira Jimbo/ Modern Drummers also heightened his awareness of a significant between the set up of his own toy kit and the “real thing”. Being the creative child that he is, he started to re-arrange the cushions on our 3-seater sofa in a very precise fashion to simulate the set up of a drum kit. Having said that, we lost our ability to use our sofa for quite a long while as any attempt to use the sofa for what it is (to sit on!) was met with a rather emphatic response from Ethan. After all, we were messing up his “drum set”. This situation was not sustainable and we decided that it was time to equip him to another level…plus we wanted to have our sofa back!
Version 7: Yamaha DD-55 (Electronic Drum Pad)
Other than the reasons mentioned above, another limitation of the toy drum/ sofa “drum set” was the lack of pedals. We felt that the next phase of Ethan’s drumming development should be the kick drums, since his grooves were now consistent and steady. The decision that lay ahead was whether to get a true blue acoustic drum set or an electronic drum pad/ set. We decided on the Yamaha D-55 Electronic Drum Pad as it offered the much needed volume control. Additionally, the drum pad was much more affordable compared to an acoustic set…after all, Ethan was still very young (3+) and we didn’t want to fork out a huge investment and then have him change his mind on drumming (parents will testify that this is a very common trend amongst young kids taking up instruments/ hobbies). In any case, Ethan’s 2002 Christmas present was settled!
Version 8: Tama Stagestar
A year passed and we were now convinced that Ethan’s interest in the drums would not be a passing fad. Besides, he had been featured on Channel U News during the year (2003) and we made up our minds to finally purchase his first acoustic drum set. We decided on the Tama Stagestar as it carried a 18” Kick Drum and a low profile hi-hat stand and stool. With this set, his footwork really started to develop. We also bought him a set of Paiste 402 cymbals as the original cymbals really sounded very bad.
As Ethan's drumming progressed, we started to expand his cymbals set. We added a Paiste 502 18" Ride and a Sabian 10" HH Splash. In October 2005, Ethan received a set of Zildjian ZXT from the Zildjian's Asia Pacific Marketing Manager (Kim) - such a wonderful gesture and blessing! The most amazing this is this - on the same day we received the kind offer from Kim, we discovered that Ethan's Paiste 402 crash had developed a crack - talk about God's wonderful provision once again!
Yup, that’s right. Ethan’s first ever drum set was the ever present, ultra mobile shoulders of mine. During church services (especially the fast paced songs), Ethan would readily bounce along in my arms and drum on my shoulders when he was somewhere between the age of 1 to 2. Before long, we noticed that he had a very natural sense of rhythm and was rather precise in his groove and crashes (on the “cymbals”). Needless to say, he looked forward to every worship service!
During the weekdays, Ethan would drum on my lap and palms whether we were in the car or on the MRT. We would either be listening to music from the car stereo or I would be singing, with him drumming along to practically any tune or groove.
Version 2: Milo/ Neslac Tins, pot and pans and what have you
Naturally, Ethan started to source out every container he could lay his hands on and started to create his own rhythms on tins, pots, pans and boxes (yes, he was actually more interested in the boxes his toys came than the toys themselves). Armed with his very own pair of “Ethan Signature Series” disposable chopsticks, he drummed along to songs primarily from Hillsongs Australia (Christian Praise and Worship songs commonly referred to nowadays as Contemporary Christian Music).
Even when we visited our relative’s homes, they would actively display some of their pots and pans for Ethan to drum when we visited. Despite the noise that this created, they were always supportive of Ethan’s emerging talent.
Version 3 - 6: Toy Drum Set(s)
We decided before he turned two, that it was time Ethan got his first toy drum set. We used some of the Toys ‘R’ Us vouchers which my colleagues gave (for his 2nd Birthday gift) to purchase a toy drum set. Though this was a bare bones drum, he took to it like a fish in water. Since the drum had only 2 toms and a cymbal, he used the rims of his right tom as the hi-hat. With this basic set up, his drumming really started to take on a definite shape and form. It was also during this time that Ethan started to watch “Live Worship” VCDs from Hillsongs. He could literally sit in front of the TV and drum away everyday (for hours on occasions). Being made of relatively cheap plastic, the drum set didn’t last very long (especially with the long hours of practice) and Ethan went through about 4 of these drum sets. After that, we convinced ourselves that it made economical sense for us to invest in a drum set that was less “disposable” in nature.
Version 7: Our 3-Seater Sofa (a.k.a. softest drum set in the world)
The more Ethan watched drummers (be it TV or in church) perform, the more he realised that his toy drum set somehow didn’t look like the real thing. It lacked the snare, some toms and quite a few cymbals. The fact that he was now watching drum videos by Akira Jimbo/ Modern Drummers also heightened his awareness of a significant between the set up of his own toy kit and the “real thing”. Being the creative child that he is, he started to re-arrange the cushions on our 3-seater sofa in a very precise fashion to simulate the set up of a drum kit. Having said that, we lost our ability to use our sofa for quite a long while as any attempt to use the sofa for what it is (to sit on!) was met with a rather emphatic response from Ethan. After all, we were messing up his “drum set”. This situation was not sustainable and we decided that it was time to equip him to another level…plus we wanted to have our sofa back!Version 7: Yamaha DD-55 (Electronic Drum Pad)
Other than the reasons mentioned above, another limitation of the toy drum/ sofa “drum set” was the lack of pedals. We felt that the next phase of Ethan’s drumming development should be the kick drums, since his grooves were now consistent and steady. The decision that lay ahead was whether to get a true blue acoustic drum set or an electronic drum pad/ set. We decided on the Yamaha D-55 Electronic Drum Pad as it offered the much needed volume control. Additionally, the drum pad was much more affordable compared to an acoustic set…after all, Ethan was still very young (3+) and we didn’t want to fork out a huge investment and then have him change his mind on drumming (parents will testify that this is a very common trend amongst young kids taking up instruments/ hobbies). In any case, Ethan’s 2002 Christmas present was settled!
Version 8: Tama Stagestar
A year passed and we were now convinced that Ethan’s interest in the drums would not be a passing fad. Besides, he had been featured on Channel U News during the year (2003) and we made up our minds to finally purchase his first acoustic drum set. We decided on the Tama Stagestar as it carried a 18” Kick Drum and a low profile hi-hat stand and stool. With this set, his footwork really started to develop. We also bought him a set of Paiste 402 cymbals as the original cymbals really sounded very bad.
As Ethan's drumming progressed, we started to expand his cymbals set. We added a Paiste 502 18" Ride and a Sabian 10" HH Splash. In October 2005, Ethan received a set of Zildjian ZXT from the Zildjian's Asia Pacific Marketing Manager (Kim) - such a wonderful gesture and blessing! The most amazing this is this - on the same day we received the kind offer from Kim, we discovered that Ethan's Paiste 402 crash had developed a crack - talk about God's wonderful provision once again!Version 9: Yamaha Manu Katche Hipgig Junior
Typically, after the weekend busking sessions, I have to re-setup at home so that Ethan and Noah have a chance to play on the drums at home. Having gone through this routine at least 50 times, I convinced myself that I had to figure out a better way to do this. Hence, the decision to buy another drum set.
After countless checks on reviews and recommendations, we decided on the Yamaha Manu Katche Hipgig junior. The tone was beautiful and the kick drum had oomph indeed. Very hard to imagine when you first set eyes on it as it is only 16” in diameter (the size of many regular floor toms).
We had initially thought of using it for busking. But we changed our minds and decided to keep it nice and pristeen at home, and leave the Tama Stagestar to rough it out on the streets!
After countless checks on reviews and recommendations, we decided on the Yamaha Manu Katche Hipgig junior. The tone was beautiful and the kick drum had oomph indeed. Very hard to imagine when you first set eyes on it as it is only 16” in diameter (the size of many regular floor toms).
We had initially thought of using it for busking. But we changed our minds and decided to keep it nice and pristeen at home, and leave the Tama Stagestar to rough it out on the streets!
Version 9: Roland V-Drum TD-12
Living in space constrained Singapore, we eventually had to purchase an electronic drumset to remain a welcomed neighbour in our apartment. This time round, the choice was easy as Roland makes the best electronics drums. Hence, we bought Ethan the Roland V-Drum TD-12.
What’s In A Name (by Bernard Ong – Ethan’s Daddy)
Ethan: (Hebrew name meaning constant, perseverance, firm)
There was once a heavily bearded man who approached me after one of Ethan’s performances and asked me, “Where did you get Ethan’s name from?” My immediate reaction was one of surprise. After all, how often do you get someone coming up to you to question the origin of your name.
He then explained that he is from Israel and that Ethan is a Hebrew name that meant “constant” - much like a river that is constantly flowing, as opposed to one that is dried up. It suddenly dawned on me that God must have led us to choose the name Ethan as a sign that the Lord’s blessings will be upon his life, just like a river that is constantly flowing. Of course for this river, the source is the ultimate provider, the Almighty God!
Bible Passage
One day, I chanced upon a passage in the Bible describing the occasion when King David brought the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. It was a grand affair, with singers and musicians all assigned to their various duties. One verse read,” The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; (1 Chronicles 15:19).” So even in the Old Testament, there was an Ethan who was a percussionist (even before Zildjian cymbals were invented)!
Ethan, was of course very thrilled to learn that there is so much behind his name…
There was once a heavily bearded man who approached me after one of Ethan’s performances and asked me, “Where did you get Ethan’s name from?” My immediate reaction was one of surprise. After all, how often do you get someone coming up to you to question the origin of your name.
He then explained that he is from Israel and that Ethan is a Hebrew name that meant “constant” - much like a river that is constantly flowing, as opposed to one that is dried up. It suddenly dawned on me that God must have led us to choose the name Ethan as a sign that the Lord’s blessings will be upon his life, just like a river that is constantly flowing. Of course for this river, the source is the ultimate provider, the Almighty God!
Bible Passage
One day, I chanced upon a passage in the Bible describing the occasion when King David brought the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. It was a grand affair, with singers and musicians all assigned to their various duties. One verse read,” The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; (1 Chronicles 15:19).” So even in the Old Testament, there was an Ethan who was a percussionist (even before Zildjian cymbals were invented)!
Ethan, was of course very thrilled to learn that there is so much behind his name…
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Ethan is Singapore's Junior Drum Champion!
Ethan won Singapore's inaugural drumming contest in May this year. We want to thank all of Ethan's friends and supporters for turning up and cheering him on. It has been a pleasant experience for him indeed! Thanks also to Boon from Singapore Drum Fest for organizing this excellent event!
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Ethan's Song Performance!
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Ethan's Drum Solo Performance!
Ethan giving it his best shot!
Ethan with Dad (in green) and Boon (Drum Fest Organizer and Judge)
Ethan with younger brother Noah (who also loves playing the drums)
Ethan's Drumfest 2007 Trophy
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Why Busking? (by Christina Lim – Ethan’s Mommy)
Busking (performing in public places) is perhaps the next best thing to having one’s own performing arena and audience, done at one’s “own-time-own-target”!
The idea of busking first dawned upon us when we read about a young local boy who plays the traditional Indian drum along Orchard Road.
At that time, Ethan was a mere four-year-old but demonstrating great drumming talent. He wowed a large crowd into a music store one day while testing out a child drum set. Thrilled with the response Ethan was commanding, the shop owner then invited him to perform at an upcoming Christmas show, organised by the shopping mall. The tremendous reception and cheers Ethan received during his performance strengthened our resolve to carve out more of such opportunities for him. Our hope was that through public affirmation and exposure, Ethan would grow in self-confidence as well as assurance of his special talent.
Our church youths have been a great source of encouragement and support. Yet the challenge for us as concerned parents was to provide him with such public exposure without the attendant pressure from scheduling, stress and public demand.
Another priority for us was to ensure that Ethan enjoys his childhood and retains his right to “personal autonomy” (within the boundaries of reason) even at such a tender age. Busking proved to be the perfect fit as Ethan only busks as and when he feels like it (after homework and some leisure time). He enjoys the freedom of artistic expression and time spent with his family, well-wishers and friends. Above all, busking is, to us, a great form of “street testimony” of Ethan’s talent and God from whom all blessings flow.
Ethan plays songs mostly from his favourite Christian rock group (“Hill song”) or Japanese Drum Guru, Akira Jimbo’s repertoire.
He auditioned for his busking licence with the National Arts Council when he was five and made history by becoming Singapore's Youngest Busker. Ethan has been busking outside Paragon almost every weekend since then, much to the amazement and enjoyment of truly appreciative crowds.
On the side, for someone like his mother whose noise tolerance is unusually low, the ushering of this boy’s drum practices out to the streets could not be a more welcoming idea. For the little drummer boy, it’s child’s play all the way!
The idea of busking first dawned upon us when we read about a young local boy who plays the traditional Indian drum along Orchard Road.
At that time, Ethan was a mere four-year-old but demonstrating great drumming talent. He wowed a large crowd into a music store one day while testing out a child drum set. Thrilled with the response Ethan was commanding, the shop owner then invited him to perform at an upcoming Christmas show, organised by the shopping mall. The tremendous reception and cheers Ethan received during his performance strengthened our resolve to carve out more of such opportunities for him. Our hope was that through public affirmation and exposure, Ethan would grow in self-confidence as well as assurance of his special talent.Our church youths have been a great source of encouragement and support. Yet the challenge for us as concerned parents was to provide him with such public exposure without the attendant pressure from scheduling, stress and public demand.
Another priority for us was to ensure that Ethan enjoys his childhood and retains his right to “personal autonomy” (within the boundaries of reason) even at such a tender age. Busking proved to be the perfect fit as Ethan only busks as and when he feels like it (after homework and some leisure time). He enjoys the freedom of artistic expression and time spent with his family, well-wishers and friends. Above all, busking is, to us, a great form of “street testimony” of Ethan’s talent and God from whom all blessings flow.Ethan plays songs mostly from his favourite Christian rock group (“Hill song”) or Japanese Drum Guru, Akira Jimbo’s repertoire.
He auditioned for his busking licence with the National Arts Council when he was five and made history by becoming Singapore's Youngest Busker. Ethan has been busking outside Paragon almost every weekend since then, much to the amazement and enjoyment of truly appreciative crowds.On the side, for someone like his mother whose noise tolerance is unusually low, the ushering of this boy’s drum practices out to the streets could not be a more welcoming idea. For the little drummer boy, it’s child’s play all the way!
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