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Press Releases

Majestic Drums II
The Final Round of the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition and Closing Concert of the Hong Kong Drum Festival

This will be the grand finale of the Hong Kong Drum Festival. After many exciting rounds of the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition, groups that have won in the semi-finals will be gathered here for the finals. See who will walk away with the crowning title! But before they do, get ready for a surge of fanfare and lots of movement on and downstage! There will be drum groups from different parts of China: the Yonghong Peace Drum Troupe of Lanzhou from the northwest, the ethnic minority drum troupes of Yunnan from the southwest, the Shanxi Jiangzhou Drum Troupe from the central region and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra from Hong Kong. The Cultural Centre Concert Hall will vibrate with the most exotic, dramatic sounds representative of China's drum culture as the programme of the evening culminates to the climactic point that marks the end of months of drum music activities, the announcement of the champion drummers in all three sections. So, prepare to feel the heat!

The programme opens with the semi-finalists of the three sections of the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition competing for the championships. This will be followed by a big fanfare of drums at the door of the Concert Hall, which leads in the drummers of the Yonghong Peace Drum Troupe of Lanzhou. As they proceed through the aisles to the stage under swinging follow-spots, the audience will be able to experience at close proximity the virility of drum music from China's northwest. The procession will be met by the Shanxi Jiangzhou Drum Troupe on stage, ready for a head-on challenge with The Ox Fighting the Tiger. After the "ox" and the "tiger", the Water Drums and Wooden Drums of Yunnan appear, bringing with them colourful legends of the ethnic tribes. A witty dialogue follows, with the bangu quartet imitating human voice in chitchat and gossip. The first half of the programme ends when the Shanxi Jiangzhou Drum Troupe returns with The Meandering Yellow River, an overwhelming piece that displays the highly expressive features of Chinese drums.

In the second half of the programme, the highly vivid Rolling Walnuts, the fun-filled tale of A Mice's Wedding and the powerful Prince of Qin Crashing the Battle Line demonstrate the versatility of Chinese drum music. The announcement of results of the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition brings the concert to a climactic close, as the audience is invited to clap in time to the rousing sound of drums in the finale, Let the Thunder of Drums Roll.

# Just a note: The concert starts at 7:45 p.m. If you don't want to miss out on any part of the excitement, or if you want to witness the birth of the champions, make sure you are in your seat before the curtain rises!

Winners of the Junior and Intermediate sections will be announced on the first evening and winner of the Senior section, on the second.

Water Drum >> Wooden Drum >> Lagua

Gelengdeng (means water drum in the language of De’ang) - the Water Drum is a unique percussion instrument of the De’ang tribe. Before playing on the drum, the player needs to pour some water into the drum through a small hole made on the body to keep both the body and the mounts moist. This moistening process keeps the tone colour rich and unique.

The Wooden Drum is one of the most highly regarded percussion instruments of the Wa people of Yunnan, used only for shows of the largest scale. It is considered a sacred instrument that helps Man communicate with the gods.

"Lagua" is the rustic language of Jiangzhou, Shanxi for chit-chat. Villagers love to gather together to talk about new things and events, and usually get quite excited in the process. Through four different combinations of drums and clappers at various pitches, it paints a picture of happy rustic life.