Front Row

Kembara Jiwa - The Traveling Soul is an independent project which aims to take Malaysian art and artists to the international front. Mohammad Nazli Abdul Aziz, Managing Director of Galeri Chandan, joins us to discuss his plans and aspirations for this project, which is also co-led by visual artist, Bayu Utomo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US-based Malaysian animator/ artist/ author Cheeming Boey drops in to discuss his first book, "When I Was a Kid: Childhood Stories" which is a compilation of stories growing up in Malaysia and Singapore, which he has uniquely told through stick figure drawings accompanied by endearing text. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 world renowned dancers will be in Malaysia to perform a showcase of classical, neo-classical and contemporary style-ballet, including excerpts from The Nutcracker, Spartacus, The Sleeping Beauty and many more. We catch up with Japanese dancers Ena Hirose and Hironao Takahashi about what's in store. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Takahisa Ota, the Conductor & Music Director of the klpac String Ensemble & klpac Orchestra, together with Mio Yachita, the Head of the Cultural Affairs Department at the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur (JFKL) and Malik Taufiq, the Brand Strategist and Marketing Manager of both klpac and The Actors Studio, discuss the concert "klpac Orchestra Look East! Celebrating 30 Years" and the mult...

Ivan Lam, one of Malaysia’s leading contemporary artists, joins us to discuss his latest trilogy of monumental works, which each measure 9ft x 7ft. The works are said to present the veneer of a harmonious existence, which is sometimes overshadowed by underlying issues lurking beneath the surface. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedians Rizal van Geyzel and Kavin Jay drop by to plug the One Mic Stand series, which is a weekly session of raw comedy that the duo co-host. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Art For Nature series - organised by Rimbun Dahan in aid of the WWF Malaysia - returns for its 15th installment, this time with the theme "Snapshots". Angela Hijjas, Chairperson of the Art For Nature Committee and Shahnaz Said, the new Arts Manager at Rimbun Dahan, discuss this year's offerings and the need to get creative in the fight for environmental conservation. See omnystudio.com/listene...

"Imports" is a double bill performance featuring works by directors Jude James and Marvin Wong, which explores the weight behind making decisions on love through two drastically different stories. Jude, Marvin and Kamahlaan Thiagarajan, who is the production assistant for the performance, drop by to discuss the performance and also to share their own personal experiences of working in the arts. Se...

Michiko Kasahara, who is an established authority in and curator of Japanese photography, discusses contemporary identity in photography. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visual artist Vincent Leong and curator Eva McGovern drop in to discuss Vincent's long-awaited solo exhibition, You Are Here , which presents the artist's viewpoints about Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur through nostalgic, critical and humorous bodies of work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We find out more about the art of stilt walking and non-verbal performances from Marine Moncaut, the Cultural Coordinator at the Alliance Francaise Kuala Lumpur, and from Olivier Léger, who co-founded the French acrobatic group Cie Chabatz d’Entrar. The acrobatic/ circus group Cie Chabatz d’Entrar are here to perform their latest production, Perchés for the French Art &am...

Cécile Corbel is a Breton singer/ songwriter and harper, whose music is inspired by tales and ancient melodies. She is visiting from France with her long-time collaborator Simon Caby, for a series of performances here in Malaysia that are part of the French Art & Film Festival 2012. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joseph Gonzales, the Dean of the Dance Faculty at Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA), drops in to tell us about the performance Unleash!, which is the graduation showcase from ASWARA's dance faculty, while also discussing the issues surrounding dance and art education in the country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raja Ahmad Aminullah Raja Abdullah, the Director R A Fine Arts – The Gallery drops in to plug the exhibition "Nuansa Nusantara" which features artworks by some of the country's most renowned artists, among them Syed Ahmad Jamal, Abdul Latiff Mohidin and Mansor Ghazali. He will also discuss the launch of the book he helped compile, "Nuansa Nusantara, Art & Liberation" which contains a col...

Ashly Nandong is a thirty-year old artist and sape player from Kuching, Sarawak who is at Rimbun Dahan for three months as artist-in-residence. He shares more of his eventful career and artistic pursuits, and tells us more of his personal "berjalai" which is an ancient Iban custom of journeying in search of knowledge and wisdom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This international event organised by the Malaysia Barathanatya Dance Association, is an effort to create a platform for all Bharathanatyam dancers, from both the local and international fronts, to come together to discuss the dance form. Prof. Dr. Aruna Gopinath, who is the Secretary of the Malaysia Bharathanatyam Dance Association, shares her own experiences with the ancient dance form, while fi...

Our favourite collector/ hoarder John Nicholson returns, this time with old maps, emblems and flags of Malaya and Borneo in hand. Sharing his collection of old cigarette cards which depict these flags and emblems, John, the founder of Popular Picture History Resources, also shares amusing tales of the changes from colonial rule to Independence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dithyrambic Singers are set to present a showcase of choral compositions with influences of Asia's cultural heritage. We find out more about the choir group and their upcoming performance from members Cynthia Tan, Rachel Tan and Oskar Musaev.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renowned conductor Stéphane Denève made a trip to KL for a performance with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, and he shares highlights from his illustrious career and discusses the French-themed performance at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, which includes pieces by Debussy, Poulenc and Ravel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host of Discovery Channel's latest show, "Dealers," Jenny Pat is an art consultant who specialises in high-end Chinese art. An artist herself and the granddaughter of famed Chinese artist Fu Baoshi, Jenny will shed light on the growing market for high-end Chinese art, while discussing the premiere of the show "Dealers" which is a look at the high-stakes world of art-buying and selling. See omnystu...

Local comedian Andrew Netto looks back at his career in comedy thus far, sharing insights on his creative process and source of comedic material, while plugging his upcoming solo show "Inked and Approved", which is part of the PJ Laugh Fest 2012. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a six-year absence from the KL art scene, artist Drew Harris returns with a whole new body of works, which depict his on-going exploration and personal take on nature. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dance Film Series, co-produced by MyDance Alliance and Five Arts Centre, aims to introduce international dance films to Malaysian audiences to encourage enhanced enjoyment, interest and discussion around the art of dance. We speak to Bilqis Hijjas and June Tan about the series they have put together, and find out more about the first film presented in the series - Wim Wenders "Pina" - which ca...

29-year-old bassist Alda Evan Tan is a familiar name in the local indie and rock music circuit, but just this March, he collapsed while jamming, and has been unconscious since. To help cover his running medical bills, his family, friends and the local music community have put together a fund-raising event called Come Together, and we find out more about both Alda and the event from Madeline Tan, L...

This Mothers Day, we catch up with legendary actress Azean Irdawaty and her daughters Elza Irdalynna and Inessa Irdayanty, who have both gone into the acting too. The lovely ladies recount past family experiences and share how they've all pulled together through good and not-so-good times, including Azean's battle with cancer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.