Who says orchestra concerts have to be less-than-fun? The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat and Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) Orchestra are determined to break that stereotype with their feet-tapping latest performance, Symphonic Swing.
Performing music from the 1940s and 1950s swing era, this will be the first big band-style swing show of the klpac Orchestra, something that musical director and conductor Lee Kok Leong said is a new experience for the selected 40-plus musicians.
“We’ve done mostly classical music shows before,” said Lee. It will also be the first time they collaborate with three singers on stage together. Jazz veteran Junji Delfino will be performing, alongside Ida Mariana and Peter Ong.
In an interview with them last week at the klpac, all echoed that the concert is a valuable opportunity for the public. “This is my first swing concert,” said Ong. “It’s nice for audiences to just come and listen to some big band stuff. It’s so rare here in KL.”
“And it’s played by young local people. You can usually only hear music like that if you go listen to the MPO (Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra),” Delfino chipped in, underscoring the lack of avenues for local musicians to shine. Begun in 2006, the 70-strong orchestra consists of voluntary musicians of all ages, though the majority are in their 20s and 30s.
“They’ve done really, really well. I heard them for the first time in rehearsal last week ... they’re getting it,” said Ida, who created the Kebaya Jazz series.
Ong credits the overall youthful energy for the added touch of spontaneity and vibrancy, confident that it will transmute into the performance. All three agree that the experience is a terrific one. “It’s the first time I am singing to such a big accompaniment. A 42-piece band makes a different noise [altogether] … you get all the kicks and brass coming along, the heavy percussion. There’s no sensation quite like it,” explained Ong, an accomplished musical actor in Malaysia and Singapore.
A larger-than-life sound also challenges the singers — who will be performing two solos each, two duets and a medley — to rise to the occasion, as Delfino said, “You jump in. You have no choice but to jump in and be just as big.” “You expand with the sound that is coming at you,” added Ida.
Given a free hand by klpac artistic director Joe Hasham and executive producer Datuk Faridah Merican to choose their own songs, song choices go from jazz standards such as Love For Sale, The Very Thought Of You and This Could Be The Start Of Something Big, to Disney classic The Jungle Book’s I Wanna Be like You, pop song Sunny and a multilingual medley that includes the evergreen mandarin hit, Moon Represents My Heart.
All songs have been rearranged by arrangers Ui Li and Chow Shern, working together with Lee, giving each song a swing touch.
The singers pointed out that Symphonic Swing is a great way for those unfamiliar with orchestral music to dip their toes in. “It’s a laid-back setting. Usually, when you go to watch an orchestra, you have to dress up formally. There is no dress code here,” said Ida. Ong added: “We hope people will get up and dance,” in anticipation of the infectious rhythms of swing music. “It’s going to be spontaneous for sure,” concluded Ida.
Sponsored by Japan Tobacco International, Symphonic Swing will be staged from tomorrow to Sunday at Pentas 1, klpac, Jalan Strachan. Tickets are RM80, RM60 and RM40. For more info, visit klpac.org or call (03) 4047 9000.
This article first appeared in digitaledge Daily, on August 5, 2015.