I received an email from an Alumni from the school to present a workshop to the new students. This is also my first time to host in Bahasa Melayu. It was a 45 minutes travel from our shop in Petaling Jaya.  

I presented videos and photos on the horrific consequences of the instruments if they aren’t taken care of properly. Most of these contents are only seen under the eye of “microscopes” of technicians like us.

To make things more practical and realistic, we discussed through details on all instruments of Woodwind and Brass currently owned by the school band. Throughout the live inspection, the observation didn’t look pleasant and the students were able to acknowledge and differentiate the flaws. 

Showcasing accessories which are deemed mandatory for instrument maintenance and care are useful to make instant changes. However, for woodwind instruments, it is recommended to service once a year, or max 1.5 years. For brass instruments, once every 9 months, or max 1 year is advised. 

Q&A sessions: The students of SMK Tinggi Klang were shy and quiet most of the time. We encouraged and tested their knowledge by revealing prizes and gifts worth RM50 each when answered correctly. 

Fact: School bands in Malaysia faced tremendous challenges to maintain their music ensemble qualities due to the pandemic Covid, where at least 2 batches were left untaught. Seniors aren’t as equipped with experience to continue passing down accurate knowledge to their juniors. Therefore I’m happy to be able to contribute to the schools and teachers that are in need of extra assistance.