Have you ever been to a Chinese wind percussion concert? Chances are, you have not. Well, most of us had not either, prior to our charity concert that was held on 1 September 2024.  

Over the course of a few months, the concert programme evolved so much that it became much more than a Chinese wind percussion concert. Guest performances were added, and WE CARE staff and beneficiaries also had their moment in the limelight, performing the Ke Mu San dance that had gone viral on TikTok.  

That is what happened on stage, and what the audience witnessed. What they were not privy to were the intense preparations that went on behind the scenes. So many details had to be finalised that it would be a disservice not to mention them. Anyone who has attempted to organise an event on such a scale would appreciate the stress and tension that surrounds things leading up to showtime.  

From the sequence of the recipients of the various awards to the timing of the videos playing on the screens, everything needed to be perfectly planned. Countless rehearsals got us there, with few hiccups - there is really no such thing as over-preparation. 

On our end, the whole centre was involved - it was all hands on deck. It was a long day for everyone involved, but seeing how much each audience member enjoyed the performance made everything worth it.  

During both the matinee and evening performances, the audience was treated to several songs performed by Chinese wind percussion band Reverberance, including children’s song Paaduvom Vaarungal and folk favourite Burung Kakak Tua.  

The diversity and provenance of the repertoire of songs reflected perfectly the diversity of persons at WE CARE - we welcome everyone at the centre, no matter their race, religion or creed, regardless of their role. 

Martial House wowed the crowd with their acrobatic Wushu moves, and Traditional Arts Centre, deftly led by our Board Director Jennifer Lim, dazzled as well..

The evening show was graced by Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development, Eric Chua, who kindly agreed to be our Guest of Honour. He even joined Dr Lim Soon Hock (Ah Boy) on stage for an impromptu performance, serving as a rousing end to a memorable performance.  

The crowd also got in on the action, with the whistles (wind instruments) that were handed out when they were welcomed at reception. They were asked to whistle along to a few of the songs, taking cues from the performers. This interactive element was no doubt a winning touch by Reverberance and organisers.  

Special mention also goes out to Flamin’co, a group of youthful dancers who agreed at the very last minute to coach our staff, beneficiaries and volunteers on the viral Ke Mu San dance. Turns out we have quite a few persons with nimble feet here at the centre! 

We are happy to report that we exceeded our donation target for the concert, and are extremely grateful to all our partners and donors, without whom nothing would be possible.  

And finally, thank you to all those that attended and supported our cause, especially to the Tote Board. 

Fundraising is never easy for an addiction recovery centre in Singapore, but we will always persevere and strive to achieve our vision of becoming the leading community hub of addiction recovery in Singapore.