Jan 27, 2005

Little drummer boy draws the crowds

WHEN he was two years old, little Ethan Ong started hunting around the house for Milo tins, Tupperware and a pair of chopsticks to bang them with. Not satisfied with that, he arranged sofa cushions around himself to construct a make-believe drum set. Whenever that happened, his family members could not move the cushions.If they tried, his father, Mr Bernard Ong, said, 'he would get quite upset'. The 31-year-old operations manager and his wife Christina, also 31, decided to buy the boy a child's drum set - at least the family could sit down then. Thrilled with his little set, Ethan would drum away by himself for hours, accompanied by gospel tunes on the family's stereo. Now five, the boy not only has his very own $1,000 five-piece drum set, but is also possibly the youngest busker in Singapore. Since receiving his endorsement letter from the National Arts Council in December, the kindergarten pupil has pulled in crowds of up to 80 at a time outside Takashimaya and Metro Paragon.

So far he has performed six times, though his appearances cannot be scheduled.His mother said: 'He decides when he wants to play, like a true artist with a temperamental streak.'When The Straits Times visited Ethan at his house in Holland Road, the boy peeked out from behind a swivelling leather chair and said he wanted to busk 'because I feel good and I want to share my talent'.Then he skipped to his drum set for a demonstration. For the next few minutes, the drumsticks flicking in his hands were a blur, while his right foot rode the bass drum pedal in time to a gospel tune. The Ongs, who also have a two-year-old son, said they engaged a professional drummer three weeks ago to give Ethan formal training and would happily support him if he wanted to become a professional himself. For now, though, Ethan has more ambitious goals. Holding his Pokemon cards and Mighty Beanz toy, he said: 'I want to be a race car driver.

at my previous church cotl, i was pretty stunned by this little boy that jaime took care of and he was like this tiny 3 year old toddler-but when he climbed onto stage and start to play my redeemer lives. wow. my jaws dropped. esp the solo drums part... of cos with his legs a tad too short to step on the bass drum but everything was like wow to me... i really couldn't believe my eyes then... and now, playing forever and a day his current favourite... wow...

thinking: easter dresscode... funky funky~(hendra's accent)
song: my reedemer lives =D