(Rose (left) signing to the deaf)When I first got involved with the deaf community, I was determined to show the world what they don't know about the deaf people and their abilities. I came up with the idea of deaf people from all races, age and social status to have a chance to be musicians and percussionists.
I explored my initial thoughts with the Hands Percussions, a local cultural performance art troupe. I wanted the world the listen and appreciate music played by deaf people. To many this attempt was unrealistic mainly because the deaf cannot hear what they play and therefore it will be very difficult to teach them tempo, rhythm and beat, etc. This was challenging both to this deaf group which has no music or stage performance background and the Hands Percussions team which has no experience dealing with a physically disable group and did not understand sign language, then. Moreover, not all deaf people in the group understand sign language. None of them showed any enthusiastic in the beginning.
I was motivated. I wanted to send a powerful message to the world that physically disable people such as the deaf group from Malaysia can overcome their physical disability and be successful percussionists and musicians if given a chance.
In November 2007, after only 5 months after forming the 'Deaf Beat', I pitched the group to perform their first international (charity) performance before a crowd of more than 1,000 hoteliers, corporates and VIPs during the Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards night 2007-2008. The audience was overhelmed and were literally speechless over the Deaf Beat outstanding performance. Donations flowed and reached closed to RM300 thousands mark over a single night. Proceeds from the donations will be partly use to stage their first concert in KLCC in May 2008.
It was a proud moment for me. Deaf Beat has broken the silence in deaf community forever although it may seem unrealistic at first. Sometimes all we need is to keep focus and move forward. Watch out for their first concert in May 2008.Youth2 : Heart-felt rhythm
