Front Row

The Choir of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor (or The Phil as they are affectionately known) caps off its 65th Anniversary celebration with a Christmas concert called Songs for the Season. The theme for this year’s production is ‘A Gift of Music’ and true to form, the programme will showcase traditional and other seasonal favourites. The Phil’s volunteer-powered community choir will be accompanied on stage by live music from a string ensemble and keyboardist, and we find out more from Brenda James, the Chairperson of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor.

Image Credit: Philharmonic Society of Selangor

Cultural organisation, PUSAKA have a delightful December planned for us, with two performances coming up. Firstly on the 3rd of December, they are presenting the Kompang Jawa Showcase in Kuala Lumpur, which is part of a larger project that aims to revitalise and enhance the sustainability of the authentic Kompang Jawa (Teruntung and Hadaro) traditions, which are older forms of Kompang that are becoming increasingly rare in Malaysia. Then on the 15th of December, they are bringing us Tinariwen, poet-guitarists and soul rebels from the Southern Sahara desert, for a one-night only performance called Tinariwen Returns to Malaysia. All Tinariwen's songs are sung in their native Tamashek language, and expresses the aspirations of their people - the Kel Tamashek or 'Touareg' of the southern Sahara desert - specifically about the need for reconciliation and dialogue in Mali, where political tensions and threats of war are still high. Pauline Fan, the Creative Director of Pusaka, joins us to discuss both the upcoming performances.

Image Credit: Seni Pusaka

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The Choir of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor (or The Phil as they are affectionately known) caps off its 65th Anniversary celebration with a Christmas concert called Songs for the Season. The theme for this year’s production is ‘A Gift of Music’ and true to form, the programme will showcase traditional and other seasonal favourites. The Phil’s volunteer-powered community choir will be accompanied on stage by live music from a string ensemble and keyboardist, and we find out more from Brenda James, the Chairperson of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor.

Image Credit: Philharmonic Society of Selangor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Symbiocene is described as an “ecopunk” tale of love, grief, and a wild re-imagination of a world where humans, plants, and animals live together symbiotically. We speak to Lim Sheng Hui (Writer, Director, Co-Producer) and Emma Martin (Production Manager and Stage Manager) to discover the inspiration behind this original work, and what we can expect in this three-act devised play.

Image Credit: Symbiocene

For the first time, Hands Percussion's professional percussionists will be performing with current students from the Little Yellow Flower Foundation and the Hands Percussion Academy (HPA),  as well as former students who are now professional performers, DeafBeat. We're promised a showcase of the 24 Festive Drum in this year-end production called RhapsoD, which will explore the fluidity of rhythms on the gamelan, to reworkings of a classical Beethoven piece using the Japanese Taiko drums as a centrepiece, and more. We catch up with Bernard Goh, the Founder & Artistic Director of Hands Percussion to find out what's in store.

Image Credit: Hands Percussion

Symbiocene is described as an “ecopunk” tale of love, grief, and a wild re-imagination of a world where humans, plants, and animals live together symbiotically. We speak to Lim Sheng Hui (Writer, Director, Co-Producer) and Emma Martin (Production Manager and Stage Manager) to discover the inspiration behind this original work, and what we can expect in this three-act devised play.

Image Credit: Symbiocene

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time, Hands Percussion's professional percussionists will be performing with current students from the Little Yellow Flower Foundation and the Hands Percussion Academy (HPA),  as well as former students who are now professional performers, DeafBeat. We're promised a showcase of the 24 Festive Drum in this year-end production called RhapsoD, which will explore the fluidity of rhythms on the gamelan, to reworkings of a classical Beethoven piece using the Japanese Taiko drums as a centrepiece, and more. We catch up with Bernard Goh, the Founder & Artistic Director of Hands Percussion to find out what's in store.

Image Credit: Hands Percussion

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oliver! The Musical is an adaptation of the story of young orphan Oliver Twist, the highs and lows he experiences, and the colourful characters he meets along the way, including the Artful Dodger and the eccentric Fagin. Adapted for the Kuala Lumpur Children's Choir, we speak to Music Director Darrel Chan to find out what they've cooked up for us, in this production which also commemorates the Kuala Lumpur Children's Choir’s 20th anniversary.

Hanyut, A Journey of Discovery is an exhibition that features artworks by Habsah Abang Saufi, Drewfunk and Joanne Loo. Through the exhibition, we're invited to explore the diverse worlds each artist has crafted, through their own unique narratives and perspectives. We catch up with all three to find out about the evolution of their respective artistic journeys, as they share their own "Hanyut" moments, and how that shaped the artistic direction taken for the works produced for this exhibition.

Oliver! The Musical is an adaptation of the story of young orphan Oliver Twist, the highs and lows he experiences, and the colourful characters he meets along the way, including the Artful Dodger and the eccentric Fagin. Adapted for the Kuala Lumpur Children's Choir, we speak to Music Director Darrel Chan to find out what they've cooked up for us, in this production which also commemorates the Kuala Lumpur Children's Choir’s 20th anniversary.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.