Moving to a triumphant beat

THE recent Indonesia Drum Corps International 2024 (IDCI 2024) championship stood as a triumphant battle for SMK Bintulu Marching Band as the members marched through their challenging, yet exciting, journey in this arena.

This international competition, organised by the Indonesia Drum Corps Association (IDCA) in collaboration with Drum Corps International (DCI) of the United States, gathered teams representing many countries including the host nation, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

For the SMK Bintulu team, it was not a walk in the park as in the span of less than half a year, they had to coordinate a whole new batch of members and come up with a brand new production.

Nevertheless, their hard work paid off with five notable achievements bagged during the Indonesia outing.

In the ‘Street Parade Senior Class’, SMK Bintulu clinched first place in the ‘Best Costume’ category, while their musical showmanship earned them a commendable second place in the ‘Best Music’ category.

The team also won ‘Best Performance Street Parade International Band’ title.

Moreover, the Soundsport Senior Class also made their mark, having secured third place in the ‘Best Costume’ category but more impressively, they were also awarded the title of the ‘Best Performance Soundsport International Band’.

‘Achievements and challenges’

According to the teacher-in-charge Chew Ai Fang, her team holds the distinction of being the first and only government school’s marching band in Bintulu Division.

Over the years since its establishment in 1985, the band has become a symbol of unity, dedication and also musical excellence under the guidance of the director, Janet Yeh.

“The band is divided into four main sections: brass, woodwind, percussion, and colour-guard.

“Together, these sections create harmonious and balanced performances that captivate audiences,” says Chew.

She adds that since 2014, the band has taken part in many state, national and international level competitions, consistently achieving remarkable results.

One of their most notable achievements was at the Kuala Lumpur International Youth Marching Band Competition in 2017, where they won the ‘Gold Award’ (Display Show Band Competition), ‘Best Field Commander Award’, and ‘Best Band Uniform Award’.

The Covid-19 pandemic, during its height in 2020, posed some significant challenges, but the band persevered.

They participated in the Red Sonata Fiesta International Arts Festival and the Malaysia International Virtual Band Championships 2022, securing gold, silver and bronze awards in various categories.

Their resilience and dedication shone through, even in the face of adversity.

‘Backing on uniqueness, unity’

“For us, we focus on the concept of unity, which we consider as the strength of the band.

“Students join the band voluntarily, and no one is turned away regardless of musical background. Under the patient guidance of director Janet Yeh and the senior band members, newcomers are taught musical theory and instrument techniques from scratch,” says Chew.

“We focus on music education, not competition, and the band members are all bonded with good relationships throughout the learning process.”

Another unique aspect of the band, adds Chew, is versatility.

“Unlike many bands that specialise in either concert or show band performances, SMK Bintulu excels in both.

“We are confident with our music quality, and are proud to have received great affirmations from different competitions with regard to our music performance.

“The band also has a strong alumni team who always support the band members during practice, and also in leadership.

“Due to their strong attachment to the band, there is a significant number of alumni who have been selflessly contributing their time and efforts in making the band better by working hand in hand with the band director.”

According to Chew, the selection process is relatively subjective. If the band seniors see the potential of the members, they would be invited to join any events or performances.

“As long as there is no quota imposed, we would involve all band members, even the juniors who can at least finish practising the songs demanded for all our performances,” she points out.

‘Breakthrough’

According to director Yeh, the band’s breakthrough game was 10 years apart. In 2004, the band stepped out of Bintulu for the first time and took part in a state-level marching band competition.

“That year, we opened our eyes and saw other great bands in Sarawak; we saw lots of instruments that we did not have at the time, especially seeing the sousaphone for the first time, it made us feel so novel.

“In that year, I was 16,” she reminisces.

Then came 2014, which was Yeh’s ninth year leading the band.

“It was the year when the band stepped out of Sarawak for the first time to participate in international competition, and achieved breakthrough results.

“This year marks my 19th year leading the band, and we have accomplished bigger and more breakthroughs.”

Yeh also observes that over the past 20 years, the band has changed many batches of enthusiastic members and she has trained countless outstanding students.

“Everyone has grown up, some have started their own families, and some are still studying.”

Yeh also expresses pride in seeing the band progress, despite having limited funding for development and starting slower than others.

“We never gave up. We are quietly working and moving forward, step by step, at our own pace.”

Preparation for IDCI 2024

Recalling their preparations for the IDCI 2024, Chew describes it as ‘intense and meticulously planned’.

“To avoid disrupting students’ academic schedules, the band practices were held every Saturday, from 8am to noon, and Sunday from 1pm to 6pm. These sessions focused on honing the music and marching fundamentals.

“Additionally, several band camps, lasting three to five days, were held during the school holidays to enhance the students’ musical abilities.”

Chew recalls having three professional coaches brought in from Thailand for one of the band camps, where they provided expert guidance.

“In the week leading up to the competition, the band practised more intensively every day to finalise our production. This rigorous regimen ensured that the band would be well-prepared and gain confidence for the competition,” she adds.

On the IDCI 2024 itself, Chew describes it as ‘a tumultuous, yet rewarding journey’.

“Managing the logistics of transporting over 60 students, along with large instruments and numerous small tools, was very challenging.

“However, with the support of the teachers and the band alumni, the arrangements did become more manageable.

“It was an eye-opening experience for the band members as they got to see how grand an international marching band competition could be, especially in seeing other bands that exhibited a much greater competence in their production in terms of the band size, musical instruments and props.

“I hope that such exposure would motivate our students to strive for excellence, and has also broadened their understanding of the scale of international competitions.”

Chew says another positive aspect of her charges’ participation in the Indonesia outing is that they get to interact with an international band from Hong Kong, exchanging cultures and making new friends.

This cultural exchange has added a valuable dimension to their experience, she adds.

‘Looking ahead’

The SMK Bintulu Marching Band has ambitious plans. For next year, they plan to host a concert to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary. They also plan to participate in a ‘Concert Band Competition’ to elevate their exposure in the field of concert music.

For 2026, they intend to compete in a show-band competition again; thus, they are preparing for a more exciting show concept and a larger scale of formation planning to bring about a larger and more impactful performance to the world stage.

For Chew, her hope for the marching band is for the members to continue to grow in their skills, as well as in their unity and spirit.

“May each practice session strengthen their bond, each performance showcase their dedication, and each year bring new opportunities for creativity and excellence.”

‘Voices of SMK Bintulu Marching Band’

Chin You Xuen, 17, is the current president of the band who serves as the conductor.

“Previously, I was a flutist. Before joining the band, I could only read the notes on the music score. It was after joining that I learned how to master an instrument and play good music,” she said.

You Xuen says the satisfaction gained from performing a piece perfectly has motivated her to keep improving.

“Even before entering secondary school, I had already heard about this band, and was very eager to be a part of it.

“So, when I first started secondary school, the first co-curricular activity I chose was this band. I have never regretted it.”

You Xuen says there are not many bad memories for her as far as her participation in the band goes, but one experience does come to mind.

“It was a morning practice session where the weather was extremely hot, making it difficult for everyone to get into a good practice state, and that affected the whole performance,” she recalls.

Sixteen-year-old Elphus Yu Ming Fung plays the trombone, but he has been playing other kinds of instruments since primary school like the alto and tenor saxophones, as well as the melodica.

“It was a bit tough for me at first because I did not have any knowledge about music theory, but I overcame it well.”

Elphus says he joined the band in mid-2021, but at that time, he already knew about it because his mother was a former member.

“Instantly, when I got into secondary school, I chose the school marching band as the extracurricular activity,” he adds.

Aiden Yong Shi Xun, 13, who plays percussion, says he learned music at the age of five.

“I joined the band in March this year.”

Another trombonist, Lim Yu Thong, age 14, says her passion for music has been nurtured since young.

“I self-studied some instruments such as the piano and the ‘kalimba’. I only started learning the trombone after joining the band in 2023, when I was in Form 1.

“Following the formal training on the trombone, I have been involved in many musical activities. Music lets me express myself and connect with others, and I love the discipline and the creativity that it encourages,” she says.

On the Indonesia outing, Yu Thong hails it as ‘an incredible experience’.

“There, we were up against many other skilled teams and challenging conditions, which actually pushed us to improve their performance and teamwork.

“I learned how important it was to work together and support each other, and I gained a deeper appreciation for diverse musical styles and traditions.”