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Tourism Malaysia

Malaysian Diversity

October 25, 2011 at 12:00 pm

One of the many reasons why Malaysia is such a unique country is because of the existence of cultural diversity formed by the country’s people of different races. These unique cultural practises gives a more in-depth insight for tourists and locals to get to know more about the other races found here in Malaysia. To celebrate Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas is proud to present ‘Malaysian Diversity’ on 28th October 2011. This concert will see Mohd Yazid Zakaria taking his place as the conductor of Orkestra Tradisional Malaysia and will feature guest singers such as Jaclyn Victor and Iqwal Hafiz as well as the Orang Asli group, Bahbola.

Yazid Zakaria will be conducting the Orkestra Tradisional Malaysia at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas on 28th October 2011

Mohd Yazid Zakaria was formerly a musician and composer for the Petronas Performing Arts Group (PPAG) and has been with the group since 1993. Today, he is currently attached to Istana Budaya as the conductor for Orkestra Tradisional Malaysia. He has represented the country to many international music festivals such as the Malaysian Jazz Festival in 1993 and the ASEAN Symphony Band in Bangkok in 1994. His work that was featured in Musical Theatre Indraputra has earned him a Cameronian Arts Award in the Best Original Composition category in 2002. He has also been selected to be the music director for musicals like Puteri Gunung Ledang, Hanuman, Mahsuri and Semerah Padi.

Performances are scheduled to start at 8.30 pm on 28th October 2011. Tickets are priced at RM 58 for all seats. Early birds will be entitled to purchase these tickets at RM 48 (limited to the first 100 tickets sold). Patrons who are attending the function are required to be in smart casual dress code. For more information, please log on to the website here.

Photo (c) Orkestra Tradisional Malaysia

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Living Traditions

October 24, 2011 at 2:00 pm

If contemporary dance performances are your favourite type of shows, then make a date with Dewan Filharmonik Petronas this 26th October 2011 as the ASWARA Dance Company joins forces with the MPO Seni Ensemble to perform six contemporary pieces combining music and dance such as Lex, Vespertine Formations, Trio Tradisi, WiRama, Tapak 4 and Allarippu.

The ASWARA Dance Company together with the MPO Ensemble presents six contemporary dance performances at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas come 26th October 2011

The National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) is a boutique university that strives to produce intellectual and educated artist who are skillful and professional towards developing national creative, art and heritage industry. Formerly known as National Art Academy, it was set up in 1994 under the Ministry of Cultural, Art and Tourism Malaysia. It is the only higher learning institution in performing arts which is fully supported by the Malaysian government.

Performances are scheduled to start at 8.30 pm on 26th October 2011. Tickets are priced at RM 58 for all seats. Early birds will be entitled to purchase these tickets at RM 48 (limited to the first 100 tickets sold). Patrons who are attending the function are required to be in smart casual dress code. For more information, please log on to the website here.

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Zakir Hussain and the Masters of Percussion

October 15, 2011 at 12:00 pm

There is an unexplainable feeling of delightedness when watching an Indian classical music player perform on stage. Other than enjoying the music as they perform, it is also interesting to see the movements of the performers’ hands when playing the instruments, especially the tabla. One such renowned tabla performer is Zakir Hussain.

Zakir Hussain

Zakir Hussain and the Masters of Percussion will be performing at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas this coming 17th and 18th October 2011

This child prodigy started touring at an early age of twelve. His international career began in 1970 when he moved to the United States. Hussain also participates in the Silk Road collaborative musical project, where he teaches the Tabla to advanced students in San Francisco and Mumbai. Other than being an accomplished tabla player, Hussain has also starred in a few movies, on top of composing the scores for those movies. He has composed, performed and acted as an Indian music advisor for a Malayalam film called Vanaprastham. This film was later nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival in 1999. He has also composed soundtracks for other notable films such as Francis Coppola’s Apocalypse Now and Bernado Bertolucci’s Little Buddha.

This tabla virtuoso will be performing on the 17th and 18th October 2011 at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. The show is scheduled to perform at 8.30 pm on both dates and promises a brilliant performance that will defy genre labels. Joining him in his brilliant improvisations are Masters of Percussion. Tickets are priced at RM 58, RM 98, RM 138 and RM 178. Patrons of the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas will have to observe the hall’s dress code, which is smart casual when attending performances. For more information, log on to the website here.

Photo (c) radiobread

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Tribute to Sibelius

October 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Jean Sibelius was a famous Finnish composer of the later Romantic period. His music had an important part in the formation of Finland’s national identity. Born as Johan Julius Christian Sibelius, he began using the French form of his name ‘Jean’ during his years as a student. He is now known universally as Jean Sibelius. He studied Law for a while after his graduation from high school, but his love for music proved to be stronger and he later quit his law studies. From 1885 till 1889, Sibelius studied music in Helsinki music school.

Jean Sibelius

The Sibelius monument in Helsinki is dedicated to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius

Some of his best-known compositions include Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, Valse triste and The Swan of Tuonela. In 1908, Sibelius underwent a major operation for suspected throat cancer. Though the operation went well, his close encounter with death was said to have inspired the works that he composed in the following years. 18 years after his brush with death, many noticed a sharp decline in his output of musical works. After his Seventh Symphony, Sibelius only produced a few major works for the rest of his life. Jean Sibelius passed away at a great old age of 91 due to brain haemorrhage.

The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing three of this Finnish composer’s pieces, that is Finlandia, Violin Concerto and Symphony No. 2. The violin concerto will be performed by Mr. Barnabas Kelemen and Mr Olari Elts will be conducting the orchestra. The musical performance is scheduled for 15th October 2011 at 8.30 pm AND 16th October 2011 at 3.00 pm. Tickets are priced at RM 30, RM 60, RM 90 and RM 120. Patrons of the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas will have to observe its dress code, which is smart casual when attending the concerts. For more information, please log on to Dewan Filharmonik Petronas’ website.

Photo (c) robin-root

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Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1

October 8, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) is back with its 2011/2012 season and is kicking it off with a series of Beethoven’s Solo Concertos. The first of such series will start from 8th till 9th October 2011. This musical legend’s pieces will be brought to life by renowned pianist Stephen Kovacevich and directing the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra is the Music Director of the Polish National Radio Orchestra, Jacek Kaspszyk.

Beethoven's Bust

Beethoven was a very famous German composer and pianist.

The musical pieces that will be presented in this upcoming performance are Beethoven’s Egmont and Piano Concerto No.1 and two other pieces from two other famous composers. They are Karlowicz’s Lithuanian Rhapsody and Bartók’s The Miraculous Mandarin. Mieczyslaw Karlowic was a Polish composer and conductor who died at the prime of his life in a skiing mishap. He studied the violin as a child, for which instrument he later wrote his only concerto. He also wrote a symphony in E minor and several tone poems. Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist who was considered to be one of the most important composers in the 20th century. Bartók’s ballet, The Miraculous Mandarin, was started in 1918 but was not performed until 1926 due to its sexual content.

Classical music lovers should not miss out on this offering by Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. Performances are scheduled as below:

Saturday, 8th October 2011 at 8.30 pm
Sunday, 9th October 2011 at 3.00 pm

Tickets are priced at RM 40, RM 70, RM 110 and RM 150. Patrons of this concert are advised to observe the dress code, which is smart casual. For more information, please log on to DFP’s website here.

Photo (c) Hitchster

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