Inaugural KL Highland Games

Last Sunday we went to the inaugural Kuala Lumpur Highland Games which was held at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Centre. It was hosted by the Selangor St Andrew's Society* and featured some traditional Scottish sports events and entertainment. It was touted as one of the biggest expatriate sporting and family-friendly events of the year.

One of the opening acts (CNB 2014)

There was a stage for cultural entertainment, including dancing (Scottish, Malaysian, etc.). The traditional sports events of the Scottish hammer throw, caber toss, etc. were also entertaining, because you get to see big, burly men in skirts kilts work hard at throwing and tossing! In fact it was kilts, kilts everywhere - on burly men, spotty teenagers and even little boys. There was lots of fun and entertainment for children too, and of course, loads of food and drinks for everybody. The food and drinks were a bit on the pricey side, but hey, its all for the good cause of charity.

Burley men of Scottish traditional games (CNB 2014)

The competitions in piping and drumming seemed intense as many bands around us at the stands practiced loudly (and noisily!?). I guess pipe and drum bands cannot help being loud, but entertaining nevertheless. Among them was the Kuala Lumpur Pipes and Drums (who won), the bands from UiTM, St John's Alumni, Sri Dashmesh Pipe and Drum Band (?), etc.

A gathering of men in skirts (CNB 2014)

Last minute practice ... (CNB 2014)

The only girl band in the competition was all the way from Pulau Pinang - A and B's alma mater St George's Girls School (SGGS). A also got to meet with her former teacher Cikgu Aswan who was in charge of the band. We were also introduced to the instructor who flies from Bangkok to Pulau Pinang to impart his skill and expertise.

The St George's band play for the judges (CNB 2014)

A and her alma mater's band instructor (CNB)

The sky had been downcast since early morning and of course it all poured down for a while in the afternoon. We left before the end so we missed the massed bands perform at the conclusion to the KL Highland Games. That should have been a fantastic spectacle and really, really loud!
Note*: The St Andrew's Society was established in 1887, and is one of the oldest Loyal Societies in Malaysia. The membership comprises the Scots, descendants of Scots and people who are interested in Scotland and Scottish culture.

Va Va Voom! With the MPO

Va va voom! with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS on the 12th of January 2014, featured music "from Vienna to Broadway". On offer were Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld Overture, La Belle Hellene: Invocation a Venus' (Act 2, No.11), La Perichole: Ah! Quel diner je viens de faire' (Act 1, Scene 8b) and Gaite parisienne; Messager's Fortunio: 'Si vous croyez' and L'Amour masque: 'J'ai deux amants'; Thomas' Mignon Overture; Lehar's Das Land des Lachelns Overture, Die lustigen Witwe: 'Vilja-Lied', Ballsirenen, Walzer uber Themen lustigen Witwe, and Giuditta: 'Meine Lippen sie kussen so heiss; Strauss' Lob der Frauen, Polka francaise, Op.315; Romberg's The New Moon: 'One Kiss'; Gershwin's Girl Crazy Overture; Bernstein's West Side Story: 'I Feel Pretty' and Loewe's My Fair Lady: 'I Could Have Danced All Night'.

The program was full of  "Frivolity, sentiment, romance, glamour, luscious tunes and lots of waltzes" and "takes us to the very heart of operetta-land ... to Paris, then to Vienna, and then across the ocean to the Broadway musical".

This is the third consecutive year that Christian Schulz was conducting the new year MPO performance but I thought this year he was not so much in his element. There was so much less involvement of the audience unlike last year. He also made very few witty remarks, though his conducting, I guess was flawless. Attractive Soprano Kimy McLaren in her lovely red gown sang beautifully though. Her rendition of 'I feel pretty' and 'I could have danced all night' had me humming/lip sync-ing with her because they are such familiar songs.


I noticed that not many of the most expensive (RM250) seats were taken at this afternoon performance, but maybe it was full house the night before. This time around I attended the performance alone because everyone else had their own thing they wanted to do then. I must admit there was an instant I almost nodded off! I blame Christian Schulz not making me stamp my feet and clap my hands more. Naah, not really, it must be the previous late, late night.

Note: 1. The MPO's inaugural performance was in 1998.
2. All pictures are have been rephoto-ed from the programme book.
3. Ref: Programme Notes by Robert Markow.

Hairspray; the Broadway Musical

Event: Hairspray, the Broadway Musical, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, (17-22 September 2013)

Part of the cast (CNB 2013)

'Broadway's big fat musical comedy hit' deemed by the Guardian "The ultimate feel-good show". On Broadway since 2002, the musical is based on John Waters's 1988 comedy film of the same name. The 2007 film (starring John Travolta in a female role) in turn is based on the Broadway musical.

Part of the appreciative audience (WE 2013)

20 September 2013

An Eclectic Music Collection

The other day I went through our music collection, housed in one cupboard in the sitting room, to do a spot of spring cleaning. Admittedly, it is a very, very eclectic collection. Some of this and that and the other. And apart from compact discs (CDs), I still have some 45 rpm vinyl records and many cassette tapes! Very old technology, but will still be hoarded for sentimental reasons. And I am supposedly spring cleaning? Tsk, tsk!

Some of the vinyls (CNB 2012)

Anyway this eclectic collection can still be roughly classified. Beginning with Classical music,  familiarised and appreciated since being a member of the Philharmonic Society during TKC Seremban school days in the 60s. There are more than 100 CDs, mostly a series collection published by Orbis Publishing (1992-95). Among my favourites are Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no. 1 and his music for ballets, Chopin's piano concertos, Strauss' waltzes, Vivaldi's The Four Seasons and Ravel's Bolero.

Then there is the Pop/Rock music of the 60s and 70s. Especially favoured were (still are) the ballads of the Bachelor Boy Cliff Richard, also of Andy Williams (and the most beautiful Almost there), Carpenters, Simon & Garfunkel, The R'n'R King (I mean Elvis Presley), The Beatles, and compilations of the evergreen music of this era. The music of the 80s and 90s run the gamut from Cat Stevens, Scorpions, Carole King (sing: I feel the earth move under my feet ...), Boney M, Abba, Kate Bush, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, to Enya, etc., etc.

Slam 'Kesan terbukti' album

For Malay music, we have the ever familiar P. Ramlee, Saloma of the buluh perindu voice, Sharifah Aini (sing: Ooooh kuda ku lari ...), and M. Nasir. During a specially 'Malay phase' for us in the 90s, we bought and listened to the songs of Jamal Abdillah (eight albums 1992-2009), Zamani & Slam (nine albums 1994-99, and that melancholic 'Gerimis mengundang'), KRU (ten albums 1992-2001, why?) Amy Mastura (four albums 1994-2003), etc., etc..

A & B with Norman KRU at PTPM, USM (199?)

During a 'Latin phase', while trying to learn Spanish, I acquired the music of  Iglesias, not of Julio Iglesias, but his son Enrique. I remember playing the albums Vivir (1997) and Cosas del amor (1998) over and over again. But let me be truthful about it, I still do not speak any Spanish beyond "Hola, que tal?"

As for our 'World music' collection, we did buy music CDs as souvenirs of the countries visited. I still have the very first - Canta y se Feliz* - a Spanish music cassette tape from Barcelona (1975) which can no longer be played (not surprisingly). Then there are among others, Persian classical music, Carinosa; Visayan songs from Philippines, Loy Kra Thong from Thailand, Chinese Orchestra Album, Sundanese Music from Western Java, Music of  Sri Lanka, and Shinhwa's State of the Art from South Korea (2006 K-pop).

Music of the 50s, 60s ...

When we were living in  Pulau Pinang, we used to visit the Cahaya Music shop in Komtar nearly every fortnight to shop for our music. Nowadays I do still buy the occasional music CD, mostly compilations of the music of yesteryears ... the most recent, 'The Rock'n'roll Years Juke Box Gems'. Usually I listen to music while lunching but I breakfast with the birds (singing). In the evenings though, I prefer to listen to the sounds of silence, really ...

*Spain's entry in the Eurovision Song  Contest 1974

Movies I Like: Starring P Ramlee

P Ramlee in the 1948 movie "Chinta"

It would be unusual for anyone to not like our Malaysian silver screen legend P. Ramlee's movies, at least some if not all. Especially his comedies/drama-comedies. This very talented and versatile artiste not only acted, but also directed, and wrote/composed/arranged the music for most of his films. He may have left us but his film and music legacy lives on.

I think I have seen most of his comedies/drama-comedies on our oft-repeated movie slots on our television stations; Musang Berjanggut (1959), Nujum Pak Belalang (1959), Pendekar Bujang Lapok (1959), Ali Baba Bujang Lapok (1961), Seniman Bujang Lapok (1961), Labu dan Labi (1962), Nasib Si Labu Labi (1963), Tiga Abdul (1964), Madu Tiga (1964), Masam Masam Manis (1965), Do Re Mi (1966), Keluarga 69 (1967), Anak Bapak (1968), and his last movie, Laksamana Do Re Mi (1972).

Somehow, I like his serious dramas even better; there is the very patriotic Sarjan Hassan (1955), tear-jerkers Penarek Becha (1955), Anak-ku Sazali (1956), Antara Dua Darjat (1960), and  Ibu Mertuaku (1962). Don't you just despise the mother-in-law from hell, Nyonya Mansor? Other dramas include Semerah Padi (1956), Hang Tuah (1956), Pancha Delima (1957), Sumpah Orang Minyak (1958), Sesudah Suboh (1967).

I have yet to watch (or re-watch) other titles in P. Ramlee's filmography of more than 60 which also include Chinta (1948), Aloha (1950), Rachun Dunia (1950), Takdir Ilahi (1950), Juwita (1951), Sejoli (1951), Anjuran Nasib (1952), Antara Senyum dan Tangis (1952), Sedarah (1952), Hujan Panas (1953), Ibu (1953), Siapa Salah (1953), Bakti (1955), Abu Hassan Penchuri (1955), Kanchan Tirana (1955), Melanchong ke Tokyo (1964), Sitora Harimau Jadian (1964), Dajal Suchi (1965), Ahmad Albab (1968), Gerimis (1968), Bukan Salah Ibu Mengandung (1969), Di Belakang Tabir (1969), Enam Jahanam (1969), Doktor Rushdi (1970), Gelora (1970), Jangan Tinggal Daku (1971), Putus Sudah Kaseh Sayang (1971) ...

If this entry looks more like a filmography than anything else, I guess it is.

Down Memory Lane ... Musically

Yesterday afternoon I had the privilege of attending The Tunku Kurshiah Orchestra Royal Concert 2012 at the Dewan Agong Tuanku Canselor, UiTM. It was a charity event under the patronage of the Negeri Sembilan Royalty and the programme was impressive.

The Royal Concert backdrop (CNB 2012)

The Orchestra, under the baton of young conductor Nik Nur Nadiya Nerissa Mohd Zahir, started with 'Disney Festival', a medley of Disney hits, followed by a medley of 'contemporary rakyat': Ngajat Tampi and Dikir Puteri. Then they played Ayam Den Lapeh and Sejak ku Bertemu/Cahaya, with Nur Ilham Ramli singing. (We thought she was inappropriately too 'sensual' with her sways in a very tight, very red outfit albeit wearing a tudung; quite oxymoronic!). That aside, the Orchestra played well.

The Tunku Kurshiah Orchestra (CNB 2012)

The sensuous singer in red and Ayam Den Lapeh (CNB 2012) 

Then followed some dance and gamelan performances by the Dance and Gamelan Groups of TKC. The guest artist Adibah Noor who came on after this was a show of her own; she sang her popular songs including the iconic Istimewa and also a Whitney Housten number. She sang (though not with the Orchestra but) with minus-one and the audience really enjoyed both her singing and her banter! Truly, she is Malaysia's penyanyi terbesar! (Malay pun intended - these were Adibah's own words while introducing herself!)

The Orchestra and traditional dancers (CNB 2012)

The one and only Adibah Noor (CNB 2012)

The Orchestra then came on again with a medley of some memorable Michael Jackson music. A special performance followed with two royal pianists; Tunku Zain Al-Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhriz performed with both the Tunku Kurshiah Orchestra and the Tunku Kurshiah Brass Ensemble, before playing a duet with Tengku Sarah Rahayu binti Tengku Baharuddin.

With B at the concert (JA 2012)

The Royal Concert ended with the Orchestra playing 'Abba Gold Medley', with an encore of the TKC school song. It was an afternoon well spent. Bouquets for the Tunku Kurshiah Orchestra!

The TKC bus that ferried us from the carpark to the Dewan
Agong & back (BB 2012)

I was glad to note that the programme book included this about the Orchestra, 'Tunku Kurshiah Orchestra telah ditubuhkan pada 2000. Pasukan ini adalah lanjutan daripada pasukan pancaragam yang telah ditubuhkan pada tahun 1970-an.'  This pioneer band of 1970 is what I reminisce about... I was a member of this TKC Band and played the trumpet. Our teacher/conductor was Miss Black, who also started our Philharmonic Society (for music appreciation) then. No doubt when we performed for the Annual Speech Day, there were squeeks and screeches, but hey, we all started from scratch! I guess the pioneer Band has come a long way to become the Orchestra today.

Note: For a pic of the pioneer band, see my post 'A TKC Album' on 28/10/11.

26th Anugerah Juara Lagu

Okay, so it may be basi (stale) already because it happened two weeks ago. You already know the outcome of this prestigious song competition, perhaps because you were there at the Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil, or you watched it live on TV, or you read it in all the newspapers. Anyway this is my take on the 26th Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) because it was my first time watching it live, not on TV (done this umpteen times), but at the venue of the competition.

The water theme was well carried throughout - especially during the opening act when guest performer Jamal Abdillah* came out in a mist, sang interspersed with thunder and lightning, and then rain fell! Awie rocked in red and Sheila Majid was all fresh and pastoral. Anyway the whole show was also ... colourful. See the pictures below if you don't believe me.

Jamal Abdillah in mist, thunder, lightning & rain (CNB 2012)

Awie rocked in red (CNB 2012)

Sheila Majid, the jazz queen (CNB 2012)

The twelve songs competing were Wanita Seluruh Dunia/composer Boy Clifford/lyricist BC/singer Projek Pistol; Gadis Semasa/Yuna; Cinta Muka Buku/Najwa Latif; Kekanda Adinda/Monoloque/M/Atilia & Monoloque; Sungai Lui/Aizat & Anas/A & A/Aizat; Kalau Berpacaran/Shohaimi Mior Hassan & Ana Rafali & Altimet; Penakut/ Yuna; Sedetik Lebih/Edry A Halim/EAH/Jaclyn Victor; Awan Nano/M Nasir/Budi Hekayat/Hafiz; Kisah Hati/Manusia Putih/MP/Alyah; Beribu Sesalan/Kevin Chen/Tinta/3 Suara (Shila Amzah, Ning Baizura, Jaclyn Victor); and Karma (Audi Mok/FT/Faizal Tahir).

1. Wanita Seluruh Dunia (CNB 2012)

2. Sedetik Lebih (CNB 2012)

3. Kekanda Adinda (CNB 2012)

4. Penakut (CNB 2012)

5. Kalau Berpacaran, with the devil on motorbike (CNB 2012)

6. Cinta Muka Buku (CNB 2012)

7. Karma and a burning piano (CNB 2012)

8. Kisah Hati (CNB 2012)

9. Sungai Lui; no Aizat because the onscreen sand art
distracted me (CNB 2012)

10. Gadis Semasa (CNB 2012)

11. Awan Nano (CNB 2012)

12. Beribu Sesalan (CNB 2012)

On the whole, performances were not only brilliant and creative, but also dramatic (Faizal Tahir and his burning piano), and heartfelt (Hafiz). Indeed I (& so many others?) guessed that the ballad Awan Nano would be the best song, and of course it was! So melancholic, so melodious, so lyrical, so beautiful... ok, enough already, I think you get it. By the way, nano in (Johor) Malay means berselerak/tidak tentu arah/pelindung.

The interlude segment was a tribute to Sudirman, with his popular
 songs sung by Black, Hazama & Azlan Typewriter (CNB 2012)

The winners and a shower of confetti for the winning song/singer
(CNB 2011)

The audience (CNB 2012)

The 26th AJL was an eventful evening! (AB 2012)

* A favourite singer of mine

29 January 2012

New Year in Vienna



The music programme (DFPetronas)

No, I was not in Vienna in the New Year. I was in the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, KLCC Twin Towers. But I was transported to Vienna, Austria by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) under the Conductor Christian Schulz. It was indeed a memorable concert by the MPO, and Schulz was very witty when engaging with the audience. We even became part of the performance twice by singing (lalala lalala...), stamping our feet and clapping our hands! I think everyone enjoyed the afternoon of music of  the waltzes and polkas by Strauss II, Strauss (Josef), Franz Lehar, Franz Suppe and Schulz himself.

Johann Strauss II

Most of the music in the programme were by Johann Strauss II - Die Fledermaus Overture, Tik Tak Polka, Kunsterleben (An Artist's Life), Bauern Polka (The Farmer's Polka), Leichtes Blut (Carefree), Perpetuum Mobile (Perpetual Motion), Unter Donner und Blitz (Thunder and  Lightning), Im Krapfenwald (In the Krapfen Woods) and Kaiser Walzer (Emperor Waltz). The piece by Josef Strauss was Ohne Sorgen (Without a care), by Franz Lehar - Gold and Silver Waltz, and by Franz Suppe - Pique Dame Overture (Queen of Spades Overture). The waltzes and polkas conjured up ballrooms and dance halls in 19th Century Europe with dancers whirling and twirling around giddily, while Im Krapfenwald was complete with melodious bird sounds and a really cuckoo cuckoo!

The piece by Vienna-born Maestro Christian Schulz was 'The Black Sea Waltz', which he jokingly renamed 'The Petronas Waltz'. He also joked about talking like Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Schulz is Artistic Director of the Mozart Collegium Vienna and Music Director of the Schwingungen concert series in the Golden Hall of Vienna's Musikverein).

Part of the MPO

I was at first slightly disappointed that 'The Blue Danube' was not in the programme. But of course it was played as encore. Fantastic! That wrapped up our enjoyment of our 'New Year in Vienna' concert very satifactorily indeed! (Dare I resolve to be a culture vulture in 2012 and attend at least a performance a month at the DFP?)

Note: All pictures were taken from the DFP January 2012 Programme. (No photography is allowed at anytime in the DFP). Did you know that "The waltz's speedy whirling and couples' risque (in the nineteenth century) close embrace inspired both titillation and condemnation"?

8 January 2012

A Crush on the 'Bachelor Boy'

The New Penguin English Dictionary says, 'to have a crush on somebody' is 'to be infatuated with somebody, especially somebody unsuitable or unattainable'. And really, which teenager/adolescent never had a crush on a unattainable pop/movie star? Well, when I was a teen in the '60's, I certainly had one big crush for this 'Bachelor boy'. He was born Harry Rodger Webb in 1940 in India where his British parents lived. His family moved to England when he was eight, and at 18, he became Cliff Richard (CR), rock & roll singer, and he had girls screaming for him wherever he went. He was, then, what Justin Bieber is now, but me thinks CR was way, way cuter!

Cliff Richard at the drums (Picture taken from his autobiography)

I was infatuated in a big way and I even dreamed of marrying him (until I changed my mind, and wanted to marry Prince Charles instead!). I listened to his songs on radio, and wrote the lyrics in a special notebook dedicated to CR. I had a special CR scrapbook made, putting in all his pictures. But these two books have since been lost in transition. But I do still have one 'rojak' scrapbook where two duplicate CR postcards from the special one was pasted, hence the pictures below. I had some of his LP and EP records and cassettes (there were no CDs then, remember?), but managed to see only one of his movies - Summer holiday. I never went to any of his concerts until I was, lets say quite senior, and CR himself 11 years more senior! But I enjoyed that concert in Genting Highlands - and I should, because I paid a lot of money for that good seat!

Postcard of Cliff Richard from my 'rojak'
scrapbook (CNB 2011)

CR or rather Sir Cliff Richard (he was knighted by the Queen for his charity work) may be 71 now but he has still not retired from being a singer. In his autobiography 'Cliff Richard; my life, my way' written with a ghost/co-writer in 2008, he reveals among other things, the family's poverty during their early years in England, how he made it into the music industry to become a pop sensation and how he has been able to sustain his place even after 50 years! He was very much influenced by Elvis Presley in the beginning, and is the only singer who's had a hit single in every decade. For me, his best songs are Bachelor boy, Constantly, Congratulations, A Voice in the wilderness, and The Next time. In fact I love most of his songs of the '60's, when I had this great big crush on him!

Another postcard picture of CR from my 'rojak'
scrapbook (CNB 2011)