KUCHING: The St Joseph’s Private School (SJPS) Concert Band recently took the Concert Band Junior Division Silver Award at the Malaysia International Virtual Band Championships (MIVBC) 2021, which was held virtually from Aug 27 to 31.
MIVBC was organised by the Malaysia Association of Marching Arts (MAMA) in collaboration with Pulse Music Kuching. The championship, sanctioned by the World Association of Marching Show Bands (WAMSB), attracted over 500 registrations from 22 countries with almost 5,000 performers.
It was live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook. The results were announced on Aug 31.
The objective of the event was to set up a platform for band students around the world to have a platform to show their talents and do what they love doing the most, that is, performing.
The SJPS Concert Band spent months rehearsing in preparation for the championship.
As all schools were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the students were only able to rehearse virtually through Zoom meets. The instructors and teachers worked very hard to get the students ready for the championship.
A total of 18 students in the band participated in the Concert Band Junior Division.
A few senior members also participated in the Concert Band Open Division with the community group Kuching City Winds, who won the Gold Award and first runner-up.
Band president Megan Thien said it had been so long since she had played on her instrument other than hitting drumsticks on a table due to the pandemic.
Most percussion instruments are left in school as it is inconvenient to bring them home due to the size and weight of the drums and keyboard instruments.
“We managed to achieve a Silver Award and a Gold Award in two categories for the band. This competition has pushed me beyond the limits that this pandemic has confined me to and I won’t hesitate to pick up another challenge for the band because I care for everyone in the band, who are like my second family,” said Thien.
Band member Rowena Chang, who plays the glockenspiel and vibraphone said, “I was excited to practise after I got my instrument physically. I am very grateful to my band director Wilson Tan and instructor Victoria Leong for helping and sending the instrument to my home.”
Meanwhile, band director Wilson Tan said that this result will help the band to grow in terms of music quality and also the students’ confidence.
“We are very proud of the students. They have continuously shown their perseverance and dedication in what they love doing, even during this difficult time.
“The band has not met for any face-to-face rehearsals since last year due to the pandemic but the members have been very disciplined in doing their self-practice with the guidance of our instructional staff,” he said.
Apart from SJPS Concert Band, three other schools from Sarawak took part in the championship.
