Front Row

The guests share about the American influence in an industry which was once dominated by music institutions in England. More graduates from American tertiary institutions of music and they are returning to teach and perform in the country. They tell, as they engage the young what changes they as instructors and performers are they bringing to the local terrain. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Faridah Merican shows-and-tells with newspaper clippings and mementos collected of the legendary People’s Singer.  The director justifies celebrating the singer and the co-musical director shares on how the music will not only capture Malaysia in the 80s but the man and his contributions to the nation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As it is time for Budget 2017, we gathered a couple of notables from the industry to tell us what they think the Government might offer to the arts--in particular the performing arts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dancing to celebrate herself, femininity and being pregnant. In the interview January and Sean reveal how this performance which was first discussed last year before January became pregnant was rehearsed and will be executed on Bobo KL’s stage. January talks about being a pregnant dancer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This October marks the duo’s first anniversary together. They look back and tell about the year--its ups and downs--and point to whether they think their music is taking them.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The solo butoh dancer tells about performing alone on the stage, and his approach to this art form which seems to come from a very dark, strange and grotesque world which is at the same time sensual, primitive, emotional and muscular. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ushera recently launched ‘Semalam Di Malaya’ and is following that up with a live performance with friend and singer, Irma Seleman who recently returned to KL having lived in NYC and gigging after graduating from Berklee College of Music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guests tell us why this tragic Roman play by the Bard is set as a 1990s video game.  Will the gamification enhance the viewing experience or reduce the impact of the conflicts inherent to the play? Our guests detail how this setting changes their portrayals of the conflicted characters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mavin Khoo presents Intoxicating the Blue Lord, a work that delves into the transcendental spirit of Krishna. Together with renowned vocalist OS Arun, both artists revel in the complexities of improvisational phrases further challenging the relationship between dancer and vocalist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who would believe that we have Celts living among us playing this traditional music and tap dancing like the folks in Riverdance. The chief Celt introduces us to Meet The Plumber, the Celtic Asian 2.0 and F.A.T.  Band. With or without kilts, these Celtic asians are going to celebrate their International Uilleann Piping Day in the latter part of the week.   See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Back in town for a second show but with a different configuration--four new faces--in Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’.  The performers tell about their stepping into the shoes of the founders and filling them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the exhibition titled ‘Era Mahathir’, Ilham Gallery has collected works completed during the 22-year administration of the country’s fourth Prime Minister. It was during this period that the country went from an agrarian nation to a largely industrial one. The landscape of the country changed with new infrastructure and development projects. Malaysians were imbued with a burg...

Our guest tells us what makes her a rising star in the Asian Jazz scene. Known for her sultry voice, this Singapore-based singer has performed with the likes of The Count Basie Orchestra, David Foster, The Platters' Bobby Soul, William Close & The Earth Harp Collective and opened for Laura Fygi & Incognito, and has sung for A-listers like Kevin Spacey, Ethan Hawke, Joss Stone, Kurt Elling,...

Kenny Shim has just returned from more dance training in Greece, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and feels that he is in the position and with “the talent and vision to raise the contemporary dance scene in our country.” From the bold declaration we find out what bold steps he has choreographed to take contempt out of contemporary dance for some. See omnyst...

An exhibition focused on refugees opened last weekend featuring works by six photojournalists and photographers--from Turkey, Syria, Russia, France and Malaysia. The mission of the exhibition which is aided by Think City is, through “the use of images, writings and takes” to “initiate positive actions to reach a better understanding of the present [refugee] crisis. Our guests sha...

Creating a performance takes time. The ideas and concepts that inform it need time to gestate, percolate and develop.  Toccata Studio has been working ‘2020’ a project about “the future and change” since early 2015. Our guests tell us how 20 months have breathed a different kind of life and changes into the production about time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Our guest, the featured solo cellist in this weekend’s concerts, answers how being Chinese-born, and with an Australian and English education after 13 years in China inform his music. He also gives his perspective on how to listen to classical music played by different musicians when so many are technically more than able to deliver the notes. He tells about inspiring and moving the listener...

We discover the history of  this academy for adult-non-dancers to learn ballet. The two students who are performers tell about the progress they’ve made and how far yet they need to go. Dancing is also about self-acceptance and not caring too much what the world thinks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The director tells about the impetus to undertake this play which focuses on the changing landscape of our languages. He also shares his discoveries of the impediments to honest communication, as language is easily used to manipulate truth, meanings,  intentions, thoughts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British Indian sarod maestro returns to Kuala Lumpur with the Asian premiere of his new show ‘King of Ghosts’, a live film score set to an Indian arthouse film ‘Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen’ by Satyajit Ray. The musician tells of the composition and the motivations behind it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oboe player, Howard Ng, talks about English music which he will perform with Dr Tham Horng Kent at the piano, and about the oboe as a classical instrument. He instructs and informs on the oboe and points to a recital with Ensemble Virama (of which he is the artistic leader) titled ‘Unending Melody’. This performance will take place at the end of the month. He reveals the challenges of...

Is the day the start of the night, or the night the start of the day? Inspired by postcards of landscapes and informed by events in the country, Jalaini Abu Hassan--or affectionately known as Jai--marries and presents these elements in a series of 12 postcard style paintings. Six are in colour and six monochromatic.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guests are two performers who have starred in several musicals staged by Dama Orchestra, now renamed Dama Asia Production.  They tell us about ‘Musically Yours’ as a celebration of Dama’s creative journey and share with us the joys and challenges of reprising roles and relearning dance-steps which were performed sometimes more than a couple of years ago. See omnystudio.c...

The producer tells why her young theatre company, formed in 2012, is exploring the issue of stereotyping, and whether stereotypes suit best in daylight when the glare compels us to hide behind acceptable roles. Then at dusk the truth appears and only then in the half-light do we truly see and know. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 32-year-old Five Arts Centre recently received a very prestigious grant presented by the Japan Art Foundation. The grant not only recognizes the arts collective’s community engagement in the past, but provides the resources for Five Arts Centre to continue to engage and involve young people in the arts. We find out what lies ahead and how far this grant of 5 million yen (over RM200k) wil...