Blowing MCO blues with traditional music

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The musically inclined members of Mohd Nazri’s family play music to keep themselves entertained.

KUALA NERANG: A family in Jalan Batu 18, here, makes the best use of its time during the movement control order (MCO) by practising traditional musical instruments that have been passed down for generations.

Mohd Nazri Hamid, 45, said every day since the MCO came into force on March 18, he has been training his children and nephews to develop skills in playing such instruments including serunai thon, gedombak, gong, mhong and ketupun.

“Previously, we would train two or three times a week due to time constraints, but since the MCO was enforced, we have been practising almost every day at my house for 30 to 45 minutes.

Mohd Imran blows his serunai thon. Photo: Bernama

“However, the training will only be joined by six to seven family members, including those who are living in front of our house,” he told Bernama.

He said social distancing was practised during training and they were also using hand sanitisers and face masks to avoid any risk of transmission of Covid-19.

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Mohd Nazri said the training would also ensure that the traditional music would continue to be played and not be forgotten.

Besides playing traditional musical instruments, they are also members of Kumpulan Wayang Kulit Sri Nerang which is one of two wayang kulit groups that still survive in Kedah.

Meanwhile, Mohd Nazri’s son, Mohd Imran Hakimi, 14, said he had been playing the musical instruments since he was 11. – Bernama

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