Wednesday, April 21, 2010

开怀击鼓 赶走忧郁!Senior Citizens Take Up ‘Style-lo’ Drumming












老人的活力需要靠药物或营养的饮食来维持,而傳神义工们的斗志则来自于一颗愿意付出的心,扶持其他有需要的人,也同时照亮自己的生命!

傳神居家照顾协会的乐龄义工多半是退休人士,但是他们的生活却过得比一般的晚年留职者更加充实和忙碌。一个星期里,这些年长义工忙着服务中风老人(每星期二&四,早上-9时30分至11时30分)、为老人义剪(星期四,下午1时30分至3时30分)、居家访视老残长者(星期五,早上9时30分至12时)、分享新闻(星期一至五,早上10时至11时)等。在闲空时间里,他们也不忘展现自己热情奔放的一面,开怀击鼓!

今年4月,30位傳神的乐龄义工配合国家艺术理事会举办的“帅乐鼓”乐龄开怀击鼓班,以学习鼓乐来培养音乐感,表现出感人的动力。

燕庄是其中一位乐龄学员。他在学习击鼓的过程中,认真听取指挥官的教导,抓紧节奏和动作的要点,与其他鼓手们热力四射地敲击出曼妙的鼓声。“我一向来都很喜欢鼓声,所以当我知道有这样一个击鼓课程时,我立刻参加。打鼓的时候好象什么烦恼都没有了。我很开心。”

30个擂动撼天雄浑的鼓声,震撼着年长义工的心,也让现场气氛充斥着一片鼓乐与艺术交融的美感。指挥兼艺术总监郭勇德说道:“我在修读指挥课程时曾在瑞士看见一群老人正把鼓打得很出色、很开心。那时,我就在想能不能把鼓乐与新加坡社区结合,这次终于有机会了。学习击鼓是很轻松的事情,很多老人都渐渐爱上它!”

艺术,能滋养心灵健康;学习鼓乐也能提供富有满足感的艺术体验,增添老人的生活色彩。所谓“鼓声聚人”,这样的学习巧妙地加强了义工们的凝聚力,也让这一群义工亲身体验音乐艺术的魅力。

Support the Needy, Enrich our Lives.

In collaboration with the National Arts Council, Concern & Care Society (CCS) has gathered 30 volunteers aged above 60 years to participate in the Silver Arts Programme’s “Style-lo Drumming” Workshop.

CCS volunteers are mostly retired senior citizens who live a meaningful and active lifestyle. Their busy schedules to serve others include ‘Body & Mind Renewal Exercise’ which aims to help and to interact with stroke patients (Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9.30-11.30am), free hair-cut service for the elderly (alternate Thursdays, 1.30-3.30pm), home visits to the less fortunate elderly (Fridays, 9.30am-12pm), news sharing session (Mondays-Fridays, 10-11am). And now, these 30 volunteers are going to learn something new to improve their physical coordination, as well as to learn and appreciate Chinese percussion music.

The ‘Style-lo Drumming’ Workshop is a programme for senior citizens to lean the basics and fundamental techniques of Chinese drumming. The 4 one-hour lessons have started on 17 April 2010.

73 years old Yong Chng said, “I have always shown an interest in drumming, so when I learnt about this course, I jumped at the chance. Drumming is so relaxing.”

Associate Conductor of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Mr Quek Ling Kiong said, “I have seen a group of happy elderly in Switzerland who enjoy playing drums. At that time, I wondered whether I could introduce this to the Singapore community. I finally have this chance and find that it is a fun-filled way of exercising, relaxing and socialising. Many elderly have fallen in love with it!”