Twenty years ago, a humble drum circle was formed, with one goal in mind – to create breathtaking beats with the power of percussion. Like a force of nature, the small group thundered forward, experimenting and daring to be different. And now, Hands Percussion is arguably the most-recognised drum troupe in the country. And Bernard Goh, its founder, could not be prouder.
“What sets us apart is how we challenge ourselves to bring the troupe to another level and ultimately push us out of the comfort zone,” says Goh, 46, who put the ensemble together with a bunch of others including Jimmy Ch’ng Lip Hann (now Hands’ principal percussionist), Chang Yih Feng (its team manager), Tan Xue Fen & Lee Chun Kiat (who are no longer with Hands) in 1997.