Front Row

Fresh from graduate school in the United States, these two co-artistic directors and partners in a dance company tell about what dancers learn in a Masters of Fine Arts programme. They share how their dancing bodies can be fed by academic information in the classroom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rozz was supposed to be at BFM some time ago to talk about a show he was performing with two other Malaysian singers. This time around, alone in the studio to tell about Christmas in Malaysia and how songs play a part in our local celebrations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know of the story about a swordfish attack in old Singapore (Singapura) which  killed hundreds.  A boy came up with a successful plan to defeat the swordfish and thereby saved the kingdom. The Sultan rewarded him by having him executed.  The playwright takes this tale and turns into a critique of society and culture.  We hear him, together with the producer and animator,...

UOB runs its annual art competition and we get to talk to this year’s winner about her work, titled ‘The Floating Castle’.  Beyond detailing her life as an artist, Yin Yen Sum shares her view on the role of both the artist and the community in the preservation of traditional art techniques and skills into the future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An art exhibition whose title begins with the prefix ‘Un-’ begs to be excused from defining what it is--what theme or idea (singular or plural) holds it together. Give it coherence. With that in mind we talk to the curator to discover what was done to put an exhibition that displays works ‘as is’. A simple no-thinking-required curation? But the curator’s words in the...

Even as the year winds down, Shakespeare continues to fuel performances in klpac, the theatre space that is giving the Bard’s anniversary full airing, full play. And has correctly anticipated KL’s appetite for all-things-Shakespeare-related.  Cheryl Mah tells about the theatre’s symphonic band and the putting together of this  Shakespeare-related concert by wind instrum...

In a recent interview, Chi Hoe Mak, a well-known baritone called The Philharmonic Society of Selangor, the  “Mother of all [Malaysian] choirs”. This community choir is nearly 60 years old. When it performs, its proceeds go towards charitable causes. And it is no different this time around. We find out how the choir is progressing and about this upcoming concert. See omnystudio.com...

Just fresh out of theatre school and keen to explore Malaysian stories, the director has gathered like-minded souls to present the stories of their lives. For this process, the group started without a script--just an empty stage.  And then the folks step into their memories. The director and performer discuss the process and explain how fragments of the past from various participants can be m...

Based on the legendary stories of Aladdin, this pantomime performance promises fun, music, with a dash of slapstick comedy. We find out what's in store. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We find out more about this concert, which is being held to pay tribute to cancer survivors and their families and loved ones, as well as those who have passed on from cancer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mathias Heise Quadrillion has created a truly unique sound combining the chromatic harmonica with rock and funk music, resulting in a vibrant fusion of jazz music. We find out more about the Danish jazz band and the methods behind their magic from Mathias Heise (Harmonica/Keyboards) and Mads Christiansen (Guitar). Find out more about them at their website on follow them on their Facebook page...

The guest conductor with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra tells about two different programs to be performed by the orchestra under his baton. He also explains what kind of sound he would like to create in the Mahler pieces: ‘Des Knaben Wunderhorn’ and ‘Symphony No.1’.  He describes himself as a musician as he tells about Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Sprin...

Two orchestras combine and collaborate to perform new music by Malaysian composers who include both the young and established ones. Our guests tell about what is needed to create a fertile ground to raise composers and describe the kind of music that is being composed.  We get introduced to the composers young and old. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the many roles of art includes inciting in us an appreciation for our home land. The university has involved young people in both art and heritage by taking them to a heritage site and at the same time impart design knowledge and art skills to the young. Dr Ng talks about the SentulWorks art exhibition project. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadian-born Gabrielle Maes performs in a  one-woman show in which she acts and sings the life of a bag-lady with a telling backstory. Maes shares her interest in voice training: she coaches singers, actors and other performers about improving the voice through yoga. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The poet, labelled “the Polish Sappho,” comes to the studio to share about reading poetry aloud and to an audience. Not in a slam poetry event or a poetry competition, but to hear the sonics of the written word and in the company of others. We ask her about poetry and poetry reading in a global culture dictated by sms-speak, Instagram and emoticons, where (visual) images matter mo...

Yudi Yap, a singer known for her rendition of Shanghai jazz numbers is celebrating 25 years as a professional singer and entertainer. Together with her arranger and piano accompanist, Tay Cher Siang, they tell about the history of locally written music and songs that came out from the 80s. They also share what they as musicians have to do and the music they themselves consume to stay relevant to a...

In town for two thirds of the month is a show by UK-based Big Wooden Horse titled ‘Monstersaurus’. The three performers tell about the show and the fun, pleasure and challenges performing for children and with cute cuddly monsters on stage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Every Brilliant Thing” by playwrights Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe scored well at the Edinburgh Fringe, and actor Qahar Aqila has picked up the script to perform locally. Find out from the actor and the director about choosing written-somewhere scripts for performance on our tropical shores and learn what questions they ask about the staging it here and the assumptions they make...

Pauline Fan and Yana Rizal throw light on the ‘Manora, also known as ‘Nora Chatri’, a folk dance-drama tradition practiced by the Thai community in the north Malaysian states of Kelantan, Kedah and Penang, as well as throughout southern Thailand. The performance over the weekend is part of the Pusaka in Publika, an initiative to keep traditional performing arts on the front burne...

The filmmaker, journalist and activist, Mahi Ramakrishnan tells about the making of this film and answers questions about storytelling and the need to balance between objective distance and caring about the subjects being filmed. She shares the plight to the Rohingya as they try to escape death in their home country Myanmar (Burma)  only to go into death camps in neighbouring countries. To-da...

This more than 10 years old ensemble was invited to perform at the Youth Olympic Games, Shanghai World Expo and Gastech 2015 Singapore launch in South Korea. The ensemble’s appeal is its blend of Asian and Western esthetics, Chinese and European instruments; and modern and traditional sounds. Dr Samuel Wong who plays the pipa and Teng Ensemble’s manager tell about the group and its mus...

Shakespeare’s anniversary continues to be celebrated with yet another performance to quench the apparently unquenchable thirst to know about the Bard’s works. If memory serves us right, this is the sixth music-related event, including one by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Find out about the original music compositions that are used to sing the Shakespeare’s words. See omny...

We stop at  the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas to to talk to a visiting harpist and to learn about the kind of harp that comes out of Latin American and how the harp is played. Leonard Jacome, from Venezuela, tells about how by playing his music truthfully, communicates through the instrument and the music created what is in his heart. He shares a poignant experiences. See omnystudio.com/listener...

We get next and up close to the General Manager of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra to discover the ins-and-outs of this rather unusual career. The GM tells about the programming process and how invitations to conductors are extended. As the weekend’s performances are of Latin music, he tells us about the visiting conductor and musicians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...