Synopsis:

Nadi Singapura Ltd proudly presents Serentak 2: Not Much of Us Left, a drumming concert curated to stretch the potential and challenge the versatility of the Malay drums and percussion. The annual SERENTAK concert is back this year for a second installment, featuring seven members of the Nadi Singapura ensemble – Syafiq Halid, Jumali Ismail, Nurzulkhairi Zulkepli, Noraini Abas, Eddi Gunawan Zahri, Faris Ithinain and Nazri Johar. Co-founder and Artistic Director of Nadi Singapura Ltd, Mr Riduan Zalani, feels that it is essential for the company to provide platforms to challenge the minds of the artists of Nadi Singapura - giving them space to explore, dissect and create new works, and the freedom to compose and arrange, according to their own interpretation of what they have learnt. Nadi Singapura started out with only 20 members when they debuted their first song 'Kata Kita Kota' in 2012.

Over the five years, the band now boasts a repertoire of close to 30 songs, over 200 local and international performances and has since doubled its number of active ensemble members to 40.

Show Director and pioneer band member, Syafiq Halid, reminisces his early days with the band and shares more about his influences while directing the show: "The seven of us were inducted into Nadi Singapura along with the rest of the pioneering batch. I vividly remember, when we started off as a 20-man band, drumming was enjoyable and straightforward, while this time we are on a steep learning curve. In this day and age, I am learning to view things with a perspective and the people and things in my surroundings often inspire me. When it comes to thinking and speaking, we are often paralysed by political correctness and fear. Indeed, we need new ways of seeing and thinking. Serentak 2: Not Much of Us Left welcomes conversations and debates about Absence vs. Presence; driving and challenging us to imagine and look beyond our biases and pre-conceived notions."

Serentak 2: Not Much of Us Left is staged with the kind support of National Arts Council, Aliwal Arts Centre, Gamelan Asmaradana, CS Lite, Teater Ekamatra and The Audio Music Group.

Nadi Singapura Ltd
Formed in November 2011, the Nadi Singapura ensemble is made up of young, aspiring and impartial musos who believe in uplifting their traditional drums and percussions like none other. Nadi, which means 'pulse' or 'flow of consciousness' in Malay, features the most common Malayan drums found in Singapore namely the kompang, rebana, jidur and gendang in their performances. The ensemble is led by two renowned individuals in the Singapore Malay Arts scene, Rebana artisan, Yaziz Hassan and prominent drummer/percussionist, Riduan Zalani. Both founders aim to position Nadi Singapura as a dynamic ensemble which adopts an innovative approach in the use of the Malay Archipelago drums.

The aim of the formation of the Nadi Singapura ensemble is to spread the sounds of the Malayan Archipelago, with its unique and distinct presentation coming from the lion city. Such performances include Solo International Performing Arts Festival 2016 (Indonesia), Lamphun International Dance & Culture Festival 2016 (Thailand), ASEAN-Russia Festival of Cultures 2016 (Russia), Andong International Mask Dance Festival & Competition 2015 (South Korea), Sharq Taronalari 2015 & 2013 (Uzbekistan), Incheon Asian Games 2014 (South Korea), Tainan International Drum Festival 2014 (Taiwan), Hefei Wanda 2013 (China), Dangkong Festival 2013 (Indonesia) and Pesta Gendang Nusantara 2012 (Malaysia) among others. Nadi Singapura Ltd is a recipient of the National Arts Council's Major Grant for the period from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019.