Music Painting: Artistic Expression Through Percussion and Singing
Helping the Underprivileged Community
Poverty is a social problem that can have negative impacts on the functioning of family systems. Studies show disruption of the functioning of family systems in all dimensions, where the greatest family disruption was found in dimensions of role, behaviour control and affective involvement. (SHS Web of Conferences 30, 2016).According to the statistics department in Malaysia, the absolute poverty rate in Malaysia is noted at 5.6% in 2019 following the revision of the national poverty line income (PLI) (Department of Statistics Malaysia). This data suggested that there are still families that are still living in poverty. Studies suggested that families experiencing poverty (FEP) are often exposed to unique stressors such as financial and housing instability, poor nutrition, and community violence. Poverty is an inequity that can create negative impact to both physical and mental health to children and adults who lives under poverty (Buckner, Bassuk, Weinreb, & Brooks, 1999; Raver, 2004).In a FEP, parents experience big economic and emotional stressors that can detract themselves from providing consistent, caring, and supportive parenting to their children. Stressors may also include single-parenthood, social isolation, substance abuse and mental illnesses. (Bolen, McWey, & Schlee, 2008). These factors may leave their children at risk on developmental challenges. (Foley, 2010). Moreover, parent-children relationship may be affected due to neglection and more seriously, child abuse. These can adversely impact children’s social and emotional development. (Bolger, Patterson, Thompson, & Kupersmidt, 1995; Samuels, Shinn, & Buckner, 2010; Sroufe, 2005). The negative chronic traumatic events can lead to behavioural issues and directly impacting children’s success in school. (Herbers, Cutuli, Monn, Narayan, & Masten, 2014; Herbers, Cutuli, Supkoff et al., 2014; Masten, 2012; Narayan, Herbers, Plowman, Gewirtz, & Masten, 2012; Obradovic et al., 2009; Smith, Stagman, Blank, Ong, & McDow, 2011).There is a growing number of scholarly studies that investigate music and poverty, that has provided valuable information on the music-and-poverty context. Psychosocial treatment interventions, including the music-based therapeutic interventions, may be used to decrease the effects of stresses related to poverty, and perhaps to restore generational gap between parents and children in a FEP context.
Overview of Issue / Background
Poverty is a social problem that can have negative impacts on the functioning of family systems. Studies show disruption of the functioning of family systems in all dimensions, where the greatest family disruption was found in dimensions of role, behaviour control and affective involvement. (SHS Web of Conferences 30, 2016).
According to the statistics department in Malaysia, the absolute poverty rate in Malaysia is noted at 5.6% in 2019 following the revision of the national poverty line income (PLI) (Department of Statistics Malaysia). This data suggested that there are still families that are still living in poverty. Studies suggested that families experiencing poverty (FEP) are often exposed to unique stressors such as financial and housing instability, poor nutrition, and community violence. Poverty is an inequity that can create negative impact to both physical and mental health to children and adults who lives under poverty (Buckner, Bassuk, Weinreb, & Brooks, 1999; Raver, 2004).
In a FEP, parents experience big economic and emotional stressors that can detract themselves from providing consistent, caring, and supportive parenting to their children. Stressors may also include single-parenthood, social isolation, substance abuse and mental illnesses. (Bolen, McWey, & Schlee, 2008). These factors may leave their children at risk on developmental challenges. (Foley, 2010). Moreover, parent-children relationship may be affected due to neglection and more seriously, child abuse. These can adversely impact children’s social and emotional development. (Bolger, Patterson, Thompson, & Kupersmidt, 1995; Samuels, Shinn, & Buckner, 2010; Sroufe, 2005). The negative chronic traumatic events can lead to behavioural issues and directly impacting children’s success in school. (Herbers, Cutuli, Monn, Narayan, & Masten, 2014; Herbers, Cutuli, Supkoff et al., 2014; Masten, 2012; Narayan, Herbers, Plowman, Gewirtz, & Masten, 2012; Obradovic et al., 2009; Smith, Stagman, Blank, Ong, & McDow, 2011).
There is a growing number of scholarly studies that investigate music and poverty, that has provided valuable information on the music-and-poverty context. Psychosocial treatment interventions, including the music-based therapeutic interventions, may be used to decrease the effects of stresses related to poverty, and perhaps to restore generational gap between parents and children in a FEP context.
Project Objectives (Vision & Mission)
This project aims:
- To develop a music program specifically designed for the FEP and B40 populations.
- To provide beneficial leisure activities into FEP and to instil positive living.
- To encourage and to involve the subjects into making music together in a cross-generation context.
- To instill psychosocial well-being through active musicking.
- To expand the possibility of music teaching practices in the community apart from the conventional music studios and schools.
Project Details (Activities and Tasks)
This project aims to provide a music-based interventional program for the FEP and B40 who lives within Ampang area. The program will bring in a structured group percussion and singing curriculum that is designed for these cohorts through active musicking and song-lyrics analysis sessions in an attempt to encourage active participation and provide positive outcomes through music activities.
This program consists of two main parts, (1) active singing while playing percussion and (2) song-lyrics analysis.
- For the first part of the sessions, the active singing component is aimed to bridge the generation gap, stimulate reminiscence among the aged, as well as to encourage individual emotional expression. This will be paired with a drumming component, led by the project volunteers and joined by a few participants that will have the drums, which will be procured and distributed to within the first 4 weeks of this project’s launch in October.
- Song-Lyric Analysis involves using the song-lyrics to facilitate meaningful discussion in the group. Song-lyrics analysis can provide a sense of normalcy, facilitate an understanding of death, loss, and grief, and help them identify and express emotions in a more natural and comfortable way.
The main activities in this program component include a group singing and percussion playing session in which songs are selected from a list of preferred-songs suggested by the participants during the pre-intervention interview or hand-picked by the volunteers based on the project objectives. In this session, the enunciation of song-texts and vocal colour (dynamics of voices), as well as rhythmic accuracy of drumming patterns and fortified drumming against external stimuli will be emphasized. Another main activity in this phase is song-lyrics analysis, where subjects will be guided through a discussion session. The song-lyrics analysis is used as a tool for emotional processing, also to serve as a mean to self-expression through arts.
This program will take approximately 2 - 3 hours per week, consisting of musicking activities meant to achieve the objectives stated, as well as preparing participants for a concert at the end of the program. This concert is aimed to supplement the project objectives by providing participants with a sense of accomplishment and achievement that is important for their psycho-social well-being. In view of the pandemic, this program can be done online or to be conducted face-to-face in a smaller size group following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as suggested during the current Movement Control Order (MCO).
Expected Project Result & Outcomes
Expected outcomes:
1. The subjects find emotional shelter and supports through the active music making activity.
2. The subjects can live positively and find positive energies to face their daily lives.
3. The subjects find mutual understanding and tolerance in a cross-generation context.
0% of RM1.00 Goal
Project Information
| University name | : | Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) |
| Project leader name | : | Muhamad Haziq Bin Muhyidin , Amin Nor Azim Bin Zainal |
Section I
The project goals were aimed at helping the FEP and B40 populations’ psychosocial well-being through active music making activities. Through this project, it is intended for the targeted group to experience beneficial music activities that can instill positive living.
No other fund-raising efforts were made to contribute to this project’s execution. The project were carried out using the necessary funds given by Khind Starfish Foundation, in addition to the crowdfunding efforts that were made beginning of this project running.
Throughout the planning and execution phase of this project, the project faced many challenges. Due to the uncertain Covid-19 situation in Malaysia, the project’s planning had to undergo multiple revisions in order to be executed; whilst trying to adhere to MCO and CMCO movement restrictions. The initial planning proposed for this project were to conduct physical music programme sessions for 6 weeks in conjunction preparing for an end concert by participants. However, due to limitations placed on performance venues, that plan had to be postponed until further notice.
Therefore in order to try and solve the problem, the project turned to virtual solutions. The projects plans were modified to using Zoom online meeting platform in order to conduct the singing and percussion playing music programme. Concurrent to the initial planning of reaching out to the Keramat AU2 community, the project also turned to reaching out to the B40 population at SMK Pandan Mewah.
However, converting the project execution to an online platform were also met with unforeseen challenges among project participants. Running an online music programme requires participants to have digital devices alongside stable internet connection – which for many B40 population does not have the privilege to. During the trial run of the online programme session, it found that many keen participants were not able to access the Zoom meeting because of poor internet connection, which has led to dropout rate.
Due to ongoing challenges of internet connection among participant, in order to fully take the opportunity of this project to help the B40 population, the project persevered to conduct a physical session with the community in Keramat AU2 and managed to secure a session programme activity with the community members – adhering to SOPs and taking necessary sanitation measures. The physical session was a successful run and were well-received by the community. However, the planning to conduct additional sessions were cut-short due to the implementation of MCO2.0.
In hindsight, this project has only partially fulfilled its goals. Therefore, necessary plans are still in reserve to pursue this project’s goals when the situation permits. This project still believes firmly that in order to help the FEP and B40 population for psychosocial betterment, physical meetup music activities are necessary to provide them with a programme that is beneficial and worthwhile. The financial restrictions of affording digital devices and stable internet connection are hindering their chances of benefiting from this programme.
Looking at the aspect of finances, this project has not fully utilized the budget that were proposed at the beginning. The initial budget planning were aimed at having music programme sessions with the B40 population while achieving for a concert event towards the end of project implementation. However, the Covid-19 situation in the country has made it difficult to achieve this. More details regarding the budget spending can be referred to Section III: Project Account. With the surplus amount of funds which has not been fulfilled, this project would like to propose 2 Plans in order to utilize the remaining amount to still fulfill the project goals.
Plan A: The surplus amount will still be reserved for a concert event with the B40 population at a later date that is more conducive.
Plan B: The surplus amount will be used to buy additional drum instruments that will benefit more participants per running session in future programmes.
At present a total of 27 participants has benefited from this music programme, both online and physical. The B40 population from Keramat AU2 and SMK Pandan Mewah has both benefitted from the music programme that is working towards helping psychosocial well-being and emotional growth. During the end of the online session, many of the online participants has showed improvements in confidence and has expressed gratitude. Additionally, parents of participants during the Keramat AU2 physical session also conveyed appreciation and thanks for giving their children an opportunity to experience music and join a social activity that is beneficial.
Looking into the future, this project still has the potential to help many other FEP and B40 populations. The percussion instruments bought from this project grant can be brought forward to future music programmes. This project will continue to look to help socially other communities that are underprivileged and seek to do collaborations with local bodies.
SECTION II
This project in many ways can contribute to happiness among people. Music has the power to uplift people’s lives through emotional empowerment and self-expression. Experiencing music that speaks to the heart can bring about self-change to a person. This in turn can lead to better understanding of emotional awareness and overall happiness.
By bringing community members together, it is through music sharing that communities may also see improvements in social well-being. Through a social platform that allows for self-expression and emotional growth, this project has seen a short term impact in term of happiness among participants. Looking at longer terms, the music that these participants experience will definitely have an impact on their social development and well-being. Personal development on self-expression and confidence can contribute to better
Through this project journey, this experience has taught us that many people are still struggling to have a stable life. For many people out there, certain resources are still a challenge for them and this in turn can affect their life conditions. Privilege is something that we cannot control upon birth. However, it is our duty to understand our own privileges and work towards helping those struggling to have better opportunities in life. To be grateful and thoughtful of the privilege that we have and find solutions that leaves the world a better place. We must all look within ourselves and ask what kind of community do we want to grow towards?
‘This project gave the opportunity for people to come together and create a platform for social upbringing. I learned why helping out our communities is important and what it really means to create a better world’
- Muhamad Haziq Bin Muhyidin -
‘Especially during this time when everyone is physically separated, this project further proves that music is a viable language that transcends culture and ethnicity; allowing everyone to come together despite the distance between each other’
- Amin Nor Azim Bin Zainal -
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