West Kowloon Cultural District Authority &
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Bring You
"Festive Drums for a Roaring New Year"

The drum is considered the most important of all Chinese musical instruments, and its history goes back to ancient, or even prehistoric, times. Through millennia of developments, drum music has become a rich musical idiom in Chinese culture. To welcome the Year of the Snake, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will jointly present the first ever outdoor Chinese music concert in the West Kowloon Cultural District on February 17, 2013, between 2pm and 6pm. Admission is free and all members of the community are welcome. In keeping with the Chinese tradition of beating drums to invoke blessings, there will be a huge drum measuring 3.47 metres in diameter set up for all those wishing to ring in the New Year with a few auspicious drum beats. The drum carries the Organisers’ best wishes to the community, hoping that it will instill strength, stamina and solidarity among the people of Hong Kong. The programme of the day also includes performances by the winning teams of the HKCO’s highly popular Synergy 24 Drum Competition of Hong Kong, the strength-testing game of “Rock’n Roll – Know Your Drumming Index”, the kung fu-like fun session of Learn the Synergy 24 Routines, game stalls with Chinese New Year themes, traditional arts-and-craft classes, and many more. It will be a fun day out for the family, children and adults alike.