By Anthony Tan
Penang hosted its first Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) in 2007 and the following year. It stopped for three years after that. This year, the state government decided to resuscitate the PWMF and join the big league of music festivals around the world.
Malaysia is well known for its music fests. They include the award-winning Rainforest World Music Festival, Borneo Jazz Festival (formerly known as the Miri International Jazz Festival) and the Penang Jazz Festival.
The PWMF will return to be “bigger and better” when it is staged open air at the picturesque Quarry Recreational Park in Botanical Garden, Penang from 30 March to 1 April 2012.
The Penang’s Tourism Development and Culture Office is the organiser while UCSI Communications Sdn Bhd (UComms) is the event management consultant.
A line up of 18 international music groups has been selected from Africa, Australia, the Philippines, Colombia, South Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Bali and Malaysia with the genre ranging from the blues to salsa, reggae and traditional music.
The international bands include Maite Hontele from Colombia, Kalja Riddim Klan (Vanuatu), Gus Teja World Music (Bali), Beoga (Ireland), Tori Ensemble (South Korea) and Wild Marmalade (Australia).
They will be joined by Malaysian bands such as the Aseana Percussion Unit from Kuala Lumpur, Didit Dinai (Sarawak), Penang Dhol Blasters (Penang), Kumpulan Minang Moh (Negeri Sembilan) and Geng Wak Long (Kelantan).
For the event to be successful, sponsors and local support are vital. Hard Rock Hotel, Penang is the official hotel for the PWMF while Discovery Overland Holidays is the official tour operator.
PWMF is also supported by KDU College, Penang Campus, Penang Global Tourism and Virtual Malaysia. KDU College will assist in providing more than 100 volunteers to run the festival while Virtual Malaysia will provide the IT support.
Let me share with you some previews of the participating groups at this year’s PWMF. Please take note, these are samples clips and the performing groups may not play same the pieces at PWMF.
Tori Ensemble (South Korea) is a world music project group, comprising of four Korean traditional musicians. Combining meditative melody of royal court music with the dynamic and rough rhythm of folk, Tori Ensemble has cleverly re-arranged it into a new modern sound. Making use of Korea’s diverse traditional music, the band is harmonising Eastern with Western forms, concocting a new sound of beautiful music that can be appreciated by people of all ages and origins.
Maite Hontelé - Interview clip
Maite Hontele (Colombia) grew up surrounded by music especially the sound of son, salsa and changui beats. Being a daughter of a musician, it was only natural that Maite joined a brass band in her neighbourhood, playing the trumpet at the tender age of 14. Later on she joined bigger bands and performed in various concerts and festivals around Colombia. Now she is settled in Colombia and began a project name Lledgo’ la Mona, Tributo a la musica Colombiana.
Altan Urag (Mongolian) is Monglian folk rock band that was formed in 2002. As the band members were trained in classical Mongolian music, Altan Urag musical style is very unique after they blended in the traditional tunes with contemporary influences.
Formed in 2002, Altan Urag will showcase some of the most unique instruments from Mongolia and their performances also include throat singing.
Wild Marmalade(Australia)is an energetic trance, drum and Didjeridoo band based in Byron Bay, Australia. Playing "totally live" without using any electronic machines, Wild Marmalade’s music is inspired by dance music. Blending the ancient sounds of the didjeridoo with contemborary dance beats, their sound is a meeting of Didge Si's rhythmic didjeridu playing, combined with the explosive grooves of the drum kit.
Gus Teja World Music (Indonesia) is one of the leading artists from Bali. His an ethnic music group that blends traditional musical instruments mostly bamboo xylophone, flute and drums with modern instruments like bass guitar. His Compositions fall in to the genres of global music, traditional music and folks music played with unique instruments inspired by Balinese Gamelan.
While their music has all the Balinese influence, Gus Teja World Music will also features flutes from all over the world in their performances. He lets his music talks to mind, body, spirit and goes straight to ones soul.
The Kalja Riddim Klan (KRK)from Vanuatu was formed in 2005 after a few friends started to travel around the archipelago of Vanuatu to explain on the custom songs. Inspired by the beats and messaged deeply rooted in culture and tradition, not only did this group of friends created a musical concept, they went to form a band. Their concept is simple- mixing the strong roots and culture of Vanuatu with actual music style and blending with international instruments. The end result is a genuine fusion of traditional and modern perspectives but spurred from the stories of their great grandparents.
I can’t wait to see the above groups play live and its going be “rock with you, baby” for the three nights.
Tickets to the festival are now available online at www.ticketxpress.com.my and are priced at RM90.00 per day for adults and RM45.00 for children aged five to 12 years old. Three-day passes are also available and are priced at RM220 each for adults and RM120 for children.
Penang hosted its first Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) in 2007 and the following year. It stopped for three years after that. This year, the state government decided to resuscitate the PWMF and join the big league of music festivals around the world.
Malaysia is well known for its music fests. They include the award-winning Rainforest World Music Festival, Borneo Jazz Festival (formerly known as the Miri International Jazz Festival) and the Penang Jazz Festival.
The PWMF will return to be “bigger and better” when it is staged open air at the picturesque Quarry Recreational Park in Botanical Garden, Penang from 30 March to 1 April 2012.
The Penang’s Tourism Development and Culture Office is the organiser while UCSI Communications Sdn Bhd (UComms) is the event management consultant.
A line up of 18 international music groups has been selected from Africa, Australia, the Philippines, Colombia, South Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Bali and Malaysia with the genre ranging from the blues to salsa, reggae and traditional music.
The international bands include Maite Hontele from Colombia, Kalja Riddim Klan (Vanuatu), Gus Teja World Music (Bali), Beoga (Ireland), Tori Ensemble (South Korea) and Wild Marmalade (Australia).
They will be joined by Malaysian bands such as the Aseana Percussion Unit from Kuala Lumpur, Didit Dinai (Sarawak), Penang Dhol Blasters (Penang), Kumpulan Minang Moh (Negeri Sembilan) and Geng Wak Long (Kelantan).
For the event to be successful, sponsors and local support are vital. Hard Rock Hotel, Penang is the official hotel for the PWMF while Discovery Overland Holidays is the official tour operator.
PWMF is also supported by KDU College, Penang Campus, Penang Global Tourism and Virtual Malaysia. KDU College will assist in providing more than 100 volunteers to run the festival while Virtual Malaysia will provide the IT support.
Let me share with you some previews of the participating groups at this year’s PWMF. Please take note, these are samples clips and the performing groups may not play same the pieces at PWMF.
Tori Ensemble (South Korea) is a world music project group, comprising of four Korean traditional musicians. Combining meditative melody of royal court music with the dynamic and rough rhythm of folk, Tori Ensemble has cleverly re-arranged it into a new modern sound. Making use of Korea’s diverse traditional music, the band is harmonising Eastern with Western forms, concocting a new sound of beautiful music that can be appreciated by people of all ages and origins.
Maite Hontelé - Interview clip
Maite Hontele (Colombia) grew up surrounded by music especially the sound of son, salsa and changui beats. Being a daughter of a musician, it was only natural that Maite joined a brass band in her neighbourhood, playing the trumpet at the tender age of 14. Later on she joined bigger bands and performed in various concerts and festivals around Colombia. Now she is settled in Colombia and began a project name Lledgo’ la Mona, Tributo a la musica Colombiana.
Altan Urag (Mongolian) is Monglian folk rock band that was formed in 2002. As the band members were trained in classical Mongolian music, Altan Urag musical style is very unique after they blended in the traditional tunes with contemporary influences.
Formed in 2002, Altan Urag will showcase some of the most unique instruments from Mongolia and their performances also include throat singing.
Wild Marmalade(Australia)is an energetic trance, drum and Didjeridoo band based in Byron Bay, Australia. Playing "totally live" without using any electronic machines, Wild Marmalade’s music is inspired by dance music. Blending the ancient sounds of the didjeridoo with contemborary dance beats, their sound is a meeting of Didge Si's rhythmic didjeridu playing, combined with the explosive grooves of the drum kit.
Gus Teja World Music (Indonesia) is one of the leading artists from Bali. His an ethnic music group that blends traditional musical instruments mostly bamboo xylophone, flute and drums with modern instruments like bass guitar. His Compositions fall in to the genres of global music, traditional music and folks music played with unique instruments inspired by Balinese Gamelan.
While their music has all the Balinese influence, Gus Teja World Music will also features flutes from all over the world in their performances. He lets his music talks to mind, body, spirit and goes straight to ones soul.
The Kalja Riddim Klan (KRK)from Vanuatu was formed in 2005 after a few friends started to travel around the archipelago of Vanuatu to explain on the custom songs. Inspired by the beats and messaged deeply rooted in culture and tradition, not only did this group of friends created a musical concept, they went to form a band. Their concept is simple- mixing the strong roots and culture of Vanuatu with actual music style and blending with international instruments. The end result is a genuine fusion of traditional and modern perspectives but spurred from the stories of their great grandparents.
I can’t wait to see the above groups play live and its going be “rock with you, baby” for the three nights.
Tickets to the festival are now available online at www.ticketxpress.com.my and are priced at RM90.00 per day for adults and RM45.00 for children aged five to 12 years old. Three-day passes are also available and are priced at RM220 each for adults and RM120 for children.
To be continue
it was really a great festival. i had enjoyed it a lot.will attend it in this year definitely..
ReplyDeleteFolk Music Festival