The reverberating beats of close to 5,000 drums echoed through Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Saturday, Sept 28, marking Malaysia’s grand attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest drumming lesson.

The atmosphere was electric as participants from all walks of life united to create history with Chinese drums. 

This spectacular event, held in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, was a year in the making and was orchestrated by Pertubuhan Penyelidikan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Bai Shi Yin and BSY R&D.

Led by Bai Shi Yin, the founder of the organization, the drumming circle lasted approximately 30 minutes, with the thunderous booming of drums filling the stadium. The sight of the drummers moving in unison was truly a spectacle.

Following the event, Guang Liang, Secretariat of the Organising Committee, shared with FMT Lifestyle: “For many participants, it was their first time hitting a drum. Around 80% of them were completely new to drumming.”

Taking this into consideration, the drum score led by Shi Yin was designed to be simple, so everyone could easily keep in sync. This record attempt followed the organization’s earlier achievement this year when they set the Malaysia Book of Records for the most Oriental drummers on Jan 27, with 508 drummers participating.

However, this time, the show also celebrated Malaysia’s rich multicultural heritage. An energetic Malay kompang and gendang performance that opened the show had children jumping to the beats. Following the drumming lesson, the audience witnessed a urumi melam performance featuring traditional Indian drums, often heard during Thaipusam. 

“We wanted to highlight Malaysia’s diverse cultures coming together through the universal language of music,” Guang Liang added.

Students from over 130 schools nationwide participated in the event, including Orang Asli children from Negeri Sembilan. Some rural schools were very excited to join as many students had an interest in drumming but they lacked the resources and funds to buy the instruments, he explained. The diversity extended beyond ethnicity, with drummers ranging in age from as young as six to as old as 91.

So, did they break the record?

The previous Guinness World Record for the largest drumming lesson, set in Austria in 2019, involved 2,285 drummers.

“We had close to 5,000 drummers at the event,” said Guang Liang.

But official confirmation from Guinness World Records will take time. They haven’t yet received the title, but they are hopeful!

Though the official result is still pending, the organizers were clear about their primary goal: they brought together thousands to share the amazing impact of musical performance.