Pint-Sized Musicians Stage a Brassy Show

They may have been tiny, but they played their hearts out with a big, brassy sound.

Members of Bukit Panjang, a community band from Singapore consisting of children ages 4 to 7, came to Disneyland on Monday to blow their horns bridging the 18,000 or so miles that may separate us geographically, but not in rhythm or spirit.

Their instruments--trumpets, French horns, drums and others--seemed, well, just plain bigger than they were.

“It’s really amazing,” said Glenda Labelle visiting the amusement park from Alberta, Canada, with three grandchildren, Ryan, 10, Shane, 8 and Travis, 5. “I want these boys to see culture from another part of the world and especially that there’s more to life than hockey,” she said, laughing.

The Bukit Panjang Community Children Band has only been together since January, but the kids are already national mini-celebs in Singapore since performing on “Tonight With Gurmit”--that’s Singapore’s version of “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.”

And now with stops at Disneyland, Universal Studios and Circus Circus in Las Vegas, they’re ready to hit the big time in the U.S.

Disneyland is no easy gig; many who audition don’t make the grade. But band organizers sent Disney officials a videotape of the pint-sized performers and they were in.

The group plays today at 9:30 a.m. at Universal Studios and at Circus Circus in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

On Monday the musicians shared tunes from their culture and rousing renditions of American favorites such as “Oh, Susanna” and “Jingle Bells.”

The kids swayed left and right, clapped their little white-gloved hands and shouted, “Hey!” at all the appropriate times, much to the delight of their parents and passersby.

“There are still some that are using a bottle,” joked Sandra Wong, whose 6-year-old son, Nicholas Tee, plays trumpet in the group.

One listener marveled at little 4-year-old Clarissa Chua, the group’s youngest member and mallet player. (The instrument is a smaller version of the xylophone). She played every tune with steadfast determination.

“They are all so tiny and adorable,” said Kathy Robertson of Oregon. “I was lured by their music and their small size.”

Organizers are pretty confident the group of 18 is the youngest brass band in the world, so they’ve written to the Guinness Book of World Records and are awaiting confirmation.

“We are for sure the youngest band in Singapore,” said music director Simon Ng, “maybe even in all of Asia.” Ng says training the kids to read music, sit, blow their horns and to keep it all in tune and in time isn’t easy with their twice-weekly rehearsals.

“Most of the time the kids just run away and go to the toilet or something,” he said, laughing. “But if you talk to them nicely, they’ll play for you.”

Ng also offers incentives of the sweetest kind: lollipops. “After that,” he said, “they all behave very well.”

The group’s morning performance Monday followed an 18-hour flight the day before and a time difference that translated as 3 a.m. Singapore time. Jet lag seemed a nonissue for these little road warriors.

“They’re the ones with all the energy,” said a bleary-eyed but proud parent in the audience.

After the show, Disneyland handlers shuffled the little performers backstage. No media or photographers for the kids--they just couldn’t wait to get out of their costumes and into Toontown.

“They love to perform,” said Ng, “but they’re more excited to go to Disneyland.”