Hands Percussion founder Bernard Goh believes love will find a way

MALAYSIANSKINI | It has been 25 years since Bernard Goh founded Hands Percussion. It is now considered one of the top local percussion groups for its combination of live music and well-choreographed movements that have not only mesmerised audiences in Malaysia but also across the world.

Goh (above), 51, is also the artistic director of this percussion group and has been active in the local music and live performance scene as a performer, music director, and artistic director since 1998.

His ensemble had, since 2005, performed at various international art festivals and events and bagged several accolades, including the Boh Cameronian Awards in 2003 for Best Music & Sound Design for the Theatre category (Goh and Deborah Tee). In 2011 and 2012, Goh won the “Best Musical Direction” for Hands’ production of ‘Dreams in November’ and ‘Knocking’ at 8th and 9th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards, respectively.

The art scene took a huge hit during the pandemic, and Hands was not spared. Goh tried hard to hold his team together but from nine full-time drummers, he now only...