今晚在國父紀念館參加一個非常奇特的表演。不是公演，觀眾必受邀請才能入場。每一位上臺表演的人都坐警備車來。主辦單位是矯正署，十個月來在臺灣各個監獄舉行才藝比賽，選出最優秀的團體或個人，八個節目上臺。第一個是彰化監獄的鼓舞團，敲大鼓(中國戰鼓)打出各種節奏，有板有眼，有呼有應，氣勢澎湃。他們本來就由優人神鼓訓練，所以也難怪表演水平那麼高。
接下來就明陽中學的街舞；或許我偏心，但我認為當年我們孝三班的不輸他們。第三個表演也是彰化監獄，演奏印尼竹琴。這團很明顯年紀較長，穿著印尼sarong裙、頭戴羽毛，很認真搖出望春風。看這些大哥兒們，有的看起來不好惹，也會想，如果二十年前有人說，「你將來會穿裙子在國父紀念館上臺表演，頭上還插三根長羽毛，頂尖還有小白羽」，不知道他們會怎麼想…可是每一位很用心、很投入音樂。
我們等待的是第四團，因為我輔導三年的同學在裏面。這團是管弦樂，由臺北、臺中、宜縣監獄、明陽中學組團。看到他緊張、嚴肅、認真的樣子，十分高興。
臺中、屏東監獄的小團演變臉、變裝，瞬間變，像魔術一樣。臺南、臺中、屏東監獄的國樂團演兩個曲子。要想，受型人本來不容易合作、不肯服從別人，而現在不只是要練琴、音準、拍子、曲調，還要與其它人配合、看指揮的指示，很不容易，但演的非常好聽。不輸外面的專業團體。
泰源技能所與臺東監獄聯合跳原住民舞蹈，活潑、有力、變化，有聲有色。其它團大概最羨慕這個團，因為只有這團是男女合舞。
最後是臺中、嘉義監獄的合唱團，唱兩首。其中我很喜歡三百六十五里路>>click<<他們唱的感觸特別深。
總而言之，高牆裏很多人才，希望他們能夠好好把他們的才華用在正途，回社會後過平安、幸福的日子。
Tonight we went to an extraordinary concert, not open to the public. The
performers all came in locked buses. The show was hosted by the Agency of
Corrections. For the last ten months, competitions have been held in prisons
all over Taiwan
for the best performers, and the winners took the stage last night. The
audience was quite a set, too: mostly family members, a lot of wardens, and
some, like us, teachers and counselors. I entered the Sun Yat Sen Memorial on
the heels of the Vice President, but he got a better seat. The place was
packed.
The first act was a drum troupe, performing
on Chinese war drums, very powerful, perfectly coordinated, endless variations.
They were followed by street dancers, then a group performing on angklung (a
bamboo musical instrument) from Indonesia,
dressed appropriately. This group was noticeably older. I wondered what would
have happened twenty years ago if someone had told one of these guys, “Some day
you’ll be on the stage of the SYS Memorial, dressed in a skirt, with feathers
in your hair.” Hmmm. But they threw themselves into their music, and performed
excellently.
We were there for the fourth act, a wind
and brass ensemble, because a student I have counseled for three years
performed, and, if you don’t mind my saying so, shined brightly.
The next act was Sichuan face and costume changes, in which
characters dressed in Chinese opera clothes change their faces in a flash, and
change whole costumes in less than a second. Very impressive.
Then there was Chinese music, Aborigine
dancing, and a chorus whose conductor stole the show.
These men have lived hard lives, bending to
no-one, questioning all authority. It is hard for anyone to learn how to play
an instrument and get the pitch and meter just right, but it is doubly
difficult for them to harmonize with others, follow directions, and work for a
common goal. They performed superbly. The drums and Chinese music were as good
or better than anything you hear from professionals. They have the talent. Now I
hope they can put their talent to good work, to build better lives for
themselves and their families.
