The rhythm of faith

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An overhead view showing the performance area and layout of drum kits before a Drumcall showcase at a shopping mall last year.

DRUMMING was likely to have been one of the earliest forms of music created. All one needs is an object to hit and something to hit it with to produce a sound.

Despite all the inside jokes about drummers not being real musicians, the fact is that many of our favourite songs would not sound as good without a steady, catchy drumbeat to anchor the rest of the band.

The power of the drumbeat to draw people from different backgrounds towards a common purpose has long been recognised and utilised by man — whether on the battlefield, in sports arenas, entertainment venues or even in corporate team-building programmes.

A few years ago, friends and musicians Gideon Lanyun and Clement Empaling were invited to a drum shed (improvised drumming session) in Kuala Lumpur.

The experience of drumming collectively in a group with other like-minded individuals made a deep impression on the two young men and they found themselves wondering if something similar could be done here in Kuching.

It inspired them to start DrumCall (DC), a local community of Christian drummers. Since the group had its first meeting in June 2013, DC has been slowly building a name for itself in the local performing arts scene and gaining a following among youth online and fans across the state.

Among the events they performed at last year were the MeetUpKch Youth Festival, 2014 Kuching Entertainer’s Night, and Asia Music Festival in Miri.

In December, they were the opening act at Anugerah Muzik Dayak 2014 (Dayak Music Awards 2014) which recognised the best Dayak singing and music talents in the state.

While DC is unabashedly youth and music oriented, the members are also equally up front about their Christian faith being at the centre of what and why they do what they do.

Recently, thesundaypost met up with the DC founders and a few of their leaders to find out more about this unique community.

Drumcall community members pray before their performance at a shopping mall last year.

Spiritual support

With general growing disenfranchisement towards religion among the youth, it can seem cynical and outdated for anyone to profess belief in any religion at all in this day and age.

This seeming conflict between finding their place in the modern world, staying true to their religious beliefs and fulfilling their religious obligations is something that many young people, including Christian musicians, struggle with.

“I have Christian friends who are professional musicians outside the church in the music and entertainment industry. Many of them started by playing in church, moved into secular music and then stopped serving in church. The question is why did they stop,” DC advisor Gideon said, highlighting their dilemma.

As a freelance musician involved in various churches and church activities over many years, Gideon has heard of and experienced many of the challenges which come with being a musician in church and being a Christian musician.

“For example, most events or performances are held at night or on weekends. If they play on a Saturday night, they might only get to bed by 2am, sometimes as late as 4am. Then they have to get up after only a few hours sleep to attend or play for Sunday

morning service. It is tiring and they may feel tempted to stay home to rest. They experience burnout and lose motivation,” he said.

There is also the perception within some segments of the Christian community that playing secular music for a living is somehow a misuse of God-given talents, which can make young Christian musicians feel further isolated if they choose to pursue a secular music career.

A Drumcall member plays a catchy rhythm on a djembe.

Some conservative churches also see contemporary music as not being a proper form of worship.

“Some church leaders think that only the piano and acoustic guitar should be allowed in worship service, and no other instruments.

“So many young people feel that churches are getting boring, especially those who connect more to contemporary worship music played by Christian groups like Planetshakers,” Gideon shared.

Blessed to bless

One of DC’s aims is to provide support for members to develop their musical talents and calling while learning how to respond to tough life situations in a way which is true to Bible-based principles and values.

“We are trying to help each other to not only be good (musicians and role models) outside the church but also in church, as we believe the true foundation of our lifestyle is there (rooted in Jesus Christ). We believe who you are inside the church should be the same as who you are outside.

“The Bible says we are blessed to be a blessing to others. So this is also about investing in people,” Gideon explained.

DC president Clement echoed the sentiment.

“Previously I was mentored by a professional drummer. He taught me how to invest in people’s lives and I can see how it bears fruits in people. He nurtured me to be a good person and I can say I am a success and more focused because of him.

“It’s not just about skills but also about character, how you make decisions and integrity. From there, I thought why not share this recipe, what I have gained, with others, especially the young. That is why we created this community so we can share it with others. This is the value I got from my mentor. Thank God all of us (in DC) have the same idea.

“I believe we have to give back what we have received from God, like how the Bible says we are called to be the salt and light of the earth. DC is a platform and medium which allows us to do just that.”

Drumcall members wait for their cue to start during the recent filming of the group’s first music video.

Uniting through music

The DC community has a central leadership structure. Leaders hold specific responsibilities and make collective decisions on matters such as organising gatherings and workshops, practices and performances.

Every member is also given the chance to propose or lead projects and events so they can develop leadership skills and abilities, said Clement, who is lecturing at an education institution.

While DC is now focused on bringing together drummers from the various churches and denominations in Kuching, eventually Clement and Gideon would like to see a united community of Christian musicians established here and across the state.

On average, DC holds at least two activities a month — usually a members’ gathering and a drum shed session — not including invitations to perform at events.

DC now has about 30 active members, made up mostly of teenagers, tertiary students and young working adults representing a wide diversity of Christian denominations and churches.

A few are full-time musicians while others play mostly as a hobby as they complete their studies or work full-time jobs. Nearly one third of DC’s current members are female.

Although a faith-based community, they are also musicians and performers at heart — and the group’s activities are just as much about developing musicianship skills, musical chops, and confidence as they are about building character.

The monthly drum shed sessions are not just to strengthen bonds among members but also to expose less experienced members to different

types and styles of drumming, and get more experienced members to help the former add to their music repertoire, drumming skills and music knowledge.

In addition to drum kits, members also play other types of drums and percussion instruments including the djembe.

Among the experienced musicians in the group are two well-known drumming personalities in the Sarawakian and Malaysian indie music scene.

One of them is Leslie Tnay who is also DC’s public relations and event planner. He is easily recognisable as the drummer for SLaP! — one of Sarawak’s pioneering Chinese indie rock bands which has helped to influence the local indie music scene for almost two decades.

The other is Samuel Maoh who is DC’s event coordinator and performance choreographer. Samuel has played drum kit and percussions on a number of studio albums and singles by well-known Malaysian music personalities as well as in live concerts and gigs in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. He is a full-time musician and educator.

Both are ardent supporters of developing local talent and giving them opportunities to shine. Thus, it comes as no surprise that they have undertaken active leadership roles in DC.

Tnay told thesundaypost the group just finished shooting a music video for DrumCall Fiesta — one of their original compositions — which has become a signature performance piece for the group.

“It is our first time doing a music video for DC. I believe this is the first time this type of music video has been done in Kuching. We wanted to do this because it is something fresh and also to raise the public profile of the group,” he said.

The video can be viewed on their YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/1CKNNVb.

For more information about DrumCall and their upcoming activities, visit their Facebook page.

Samuel (left) has a friendly drum battle with a fellow Drumcall member.