Front Row

The guitar is an ancient and noble instrument, whose history can be traced back over 4000 years. Many theories have been advanced about the instrument's ancestry. But over the years, the guitar has been modified to fit into the cultural norms of our times. Since then, we’ve branched out further into the art form by experimenting with the instrument. With coming of age trends like the rocking...

A musical each and every child will enjoy, Hi-5. For almost 20 years, the children’s program has not only entertained but also educated children. We speak to Julie Greene, the Executive Creative Director & Executive Producer of Hi-5 alongside two of the program’s actors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An event celebrating patriotism, solidarity, and cheer - this year’s Malaysiaku 2015 celebrations - ‘Satu Hati, Sejuta Wajah’ aims to get everyone of all ages participating in this year’s Malaysia day. With me are Janet Pillai, theatre practitioner and Edward Soo, event organizer. Tune in as they talk about the event as well as what it means to be a Malaysian in this day an...

Relationships, whether between family members, friends, or strangers, lie at the core of our lives. ‘Me and You’, Tria Aziz’s second one-woman-show, explores this integral facet of all our lives. As she whisks the audience away through a blend of emotions, she grapples with multiple layers of relationships; with her family and children, and most uniquely, herself and her audience...

How well can Malaysians track back their ancestry? Most will answer with a simple, “I’m Malay”, “I’m Chinese”, or “I’m Indian”. Following the basic square boxes that we have to tick in, from every given form that we’ve filled in throughout our lifetime. Most of us don’t understand the complexities of where our roots come from, or kn...

For years, Japan is known to be a country, rich in art and culture with the art of making film being a familiar territory. As  Shinichi Suzuki  once said, "A work of Art is the expression of a man's whole personality, sensibility and ability." Today on Front Row, we'll be talking to Masato Harada, a film director whose works have been appreciated widely around the world. He shares with u...

Regarded as one of China's jewels, Kunqu Opera is listed as an oral and intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO. The-700 year old opera, one of China's oldest surviving opera forms, will arrive in Malaysia with 72 cast and crew and a 40 foot container from Nanjing, capital of the Jiangsu Province. With us today is Kok Kee Boon, concert promoter, producer and impresario, to enlighten us with the...

Azerbaijani music conceals thousands of traditions which can only be expressed through its musicians and performers. Alim Qasimov is one of the most renowned singers of Mugham traditions as he fuses poetry, modal music and improvisatory singing into an Azerbaijani Ensemble. Mugham traditions and melodies are, for the first time, being brought to the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas with Alim Qasimo...

The struggle for an identity is a struggle faced by many, if not all. For artist, Sean Lean, this was manifested in a conflict encapsulating the meaning of Chinese-ness as he, and his generation, are confronted by Western influences. Motherland is a collection of 18 works, which in their own way, reflect his struggle to juggle his roots with his path. Today we have Sean Lean in the studio to walk...

Their maiden concert aptly titled, 'EAST MEETS WEST' – A Fusion Music Odyssey on September 6th, 2015 at the PJ Civic Centre from 7.30pm onwards, is the brainchild of their leader and mentor, Samuel J Dass whose prowess on the Sitar is well known the world over. Together with another international personality, tabla maestro Prakash Kandasamy who leads the rhythm section of the band. Today, Sa...

Cleveland-born Nick Varricchio who plays Double J--who in the movie version is played by Paul Pape, close friend to Anthony Manero (the John Travolta character)--tells about the journey into the disco era. This show glued together with songs by the BeeGees is hitting the Istana Budaya. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We rarely ever see a harmonica playing classical music; or if nothing else, posing as a serious musical instruments among the classical ones. The musicians not only play to demonstrate how this mouth organ (aka French harp) which is a wind instrument invented only in the early 1900s does fit in but they also explain why.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human trafficking is often the subject for Current Events on BFM. On Front Row, the discussion turns to a contemporary dance performance to depict this horrible commercial exploitation of people. What will be the dance vocabulary for ‘one of the fastest-growing activities of transnational criminal organizations’? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of the DiverseCity 2015 Festival, Ramli Ibrahim curates dances under the theme: ‘Rediscover Our Heritage’.  Bilqis and January will detail not only about the dancemakers who will be bringing onto our stages 12 premieres--that is 12 new dances, but also to explain how these dances link to the theme.  They also share about the visual arts exhibitions of dance images--pa...

The Melbourne-based actor talks about doing a one-man show which highlights the plight of ‘ethnic’ actors in a predominantly white culture. He’ll tell how humor as a standup comic differs from humor in a one-man show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The producer of the event tells the history of Shanghai Jazz and points out that this genre of music has a considerable following in our country because certain musicians and groups made it popular. Loh explains how this music is being made accessible to younger listeners both through its presentation and through its more contemporary arrangements. This jazz is evolving to incorporate local color:...

The creative arts business coach details the process of germinating an idea into a musical that can be staged on the West End. The process is often long and labor-intensive requiring a great investment of money, time and energy. While there isn’t a shortcut to the creative process to engender a performance product there are ways to create an infrastructure to assist the process and to birth...

After weeks of running a music competition for young string players, the directors pull together a Gala Concert which celebrates not on the competition but the young musicians. Based on their encounters and meeting with these young musicians, they tell about the competition and share their observations on the future of classical music in the country.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

What needs to be in place for local artists to collaborate with ASEAN artists? But some argue that our separate politics and national boundaries point to a separation of cultures and collaboration is at best superficial. The guests explores how collaboration should and could fostered to break down these artificial walls that separate us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The artistic director and choreographer of the Nyoba Kan Butoh Festival marries play and dance to explore the violence committed against the individual who does not conform, who cannot fit into prescribed roles and modes of being. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writing plays and situating them in the country in order to explore and query our history. He’d written ‘At a Plank Bridge’ which he considered a dark play. He’s now writing comedies and will at the readings at ‘The Silverfish Festival of Cabbages’ sharing his comedies.  The playwright also explores English as spoken by Malaysians and how they should sound...

Art by female artists who have created a collective to support each other in their creative endeavors. But how important is it to underscore formally the gender-specificity of the collective’s exhibition (as in the catalog), especially when the art on display is not overtly about women and women’s issues only? Yet, these are not necessarily questions asked of exhibitions if the works a...

Getting Peter Ong to strip and tell us about his naked self. We see him on stage behind makeup and costume; but in the studio, in his jeans, t-shirt and baseball cap to cover his pate, he bares almost all about what he strives to do when singing, performing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The opening of a new art space that seeks to educate the public on art in the month we celebrate Malaya’s independence from colonial rule. The curator also points to the inaugural exhibition, ‘Picturing a Nation’ and details some Malaysian art history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is indeed the year of festivals with even a bookstore running its own festival of intellectual discourses and brain food. In the coming month, Diversity 2015 will offer dances, jazz, comedy and art activities for KLites.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.