An Introduction to the festival
The Society of Malaysian Contemporary Composers (SMCC), co-organizers Studio C, SEGi University & Colleges (Subang Jaya), and supporting institutes Goethe Institut and DPAC join hands to host SMCC Contemporary Music Festival, “SoundBridge 2017”. This year, we will stage three concerts on 06th-07th October 2017. The three concerts titled “Connecting Cities II”, “SoundBridge III” and “Malaysian Voices V” will be held at Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC), Black Box. In addition to these concerts, “SoundBridge 2017” sponsors five educational events: an open piano master-class and lecture by Germany-based Chinese pianist Ms Ya-Ou Xie, a mini-lecture and flute recital by Japanese flutist Daiske Kino-Shita, open rehearsals, South East Asian young composers’ workshops and a panel discussion. All events involve SMCC composers, guest composers, musicians, and artists from Malaysia, Southeast Asia and international continents. This season, we made great efforts to bring on board illustrative musicians. With 60 of them, we hope our audience will gain a fresh experience and better understanding for contemporary music.
The festival will feature well-known local and international artists, including pianists Chong Mei Ling and Tham Horng Kent (Malaysia), conductors Lee Kok Leong, Susanna Saw and Mak Chi Hoe (Malaysia), percussionists Yon Nian Shee, Yap Siu Yan and Tan Su Yin (Malaysia), flutist Daisuke Kino-Shita (Japan), violinist Saori Nakazawa (Japan), percussionist Max Riefer (Germany), percussionist Kyle Acuncius (USA), percussionist Kamiya Hiromi (Japan), Sheng player Shen Ling Hsuan (Taiwan), pianist Xie Yashuangzi (China), pianist/conductor Xie Ya-Ou (Germany/China), violist William Lane (Australia), visual/Sound artist Jean-David Caillouët (France), painter Tjindra Peni (Singapore), modern dancer Wong Jyh Shyong (Malaysia), Javanese dancer Agung Gunawan and Deasylina da Ary (Indonesia), sound artist Sudarshan Chandra Kumar (Malaysia), gambus player Nor LeyZam Ali (Malaysia), Studio C Ensemble (Malaysia), UiTM Percussion ensemble (Malaysia), MIA Ladies Chorus (Malaysia), Young Choral Academy Chorus (Malaysia) etc.
The primary objective of this festival is to foster a deep intercultural exchange between artists from Southeast Asia and beyond. Malaysia and Southeast Asian countries have blossoming avant-garde music scenes that SMCC and co-organizers Studio C and SEGi University & Colleges (Subang Jaya) aim to highlight; This festival showcases original compositions by composers from this region. Besides, our guest artists will share their expertise with local audiences and emerging composers during the festival.
In this festival, a group of young composers from this South East Asia region will collaborate with the artists to bring interdisciplinary projects to fruition. Interdisciplinary art forms such as sonic arts, digital images, painting, traditional instrument, modern and traditional dance and other live performance will be featured. These young composers will also benefit from working with the festival ensemble and artists, ultimately obtaining a professional video and audio recording of the performance of their piece.
The invited guests will conduct a series of open rehearsals to engage with local music students and audience through various dialogues.
At this juncture, I would like to express my deep appreciation all the individuals and organizations who have contributed to the success of the festival, especially the patron of Society of Malaysian Contemporary Composers (SMCC),Tunku Zain Al-'Abidin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz, colleagues from SMCC and Studio C, my mentor and founder of The Peter Eötvös Contemporary Music Center prof. Peter Eötvös, director of Goethe-Institut Malaysia Mr. Rolf Stehle, Datin Jane Lew, Bernard Goh and his team from Dpac, director of JKKN Tan Sri Norliza Rofli (Malaysia), dean of College of Music UiTM Dr. Ramona Mohd Tahir (Malaysia), the head of the Faculty of Creative Arts and Design of SEGi college Mr Roslan (Malaysia), director of Deep Culture Datin Saidah Rastam (Malaysia), Managing Director of Nusantara Performing Arts Research Center Prof. Mohd Anis Md Nor (Malaysia), National Artist for Music of Philippine Prof. Ramon P. Santos (Philippine), Sheng master and director of Dragon Ensemble Prof. Wu Wei (Germany/China), Professor of composition at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney Prof. Liza Lim (Australia), artistic director of Studio Musikfabrik Mr. Peter Veale (Germany), music Director of C-ASEAN CONSONANT, Prof. Anant Narkkong (Thailand), CEO Australian Music Centre, Mr. John Davis (Australia), Curator of Music & Dance in Komunitas Salihara Mr. Tony Prabowo, Associate Dean of College of Music, Mahidol University Dr. Narong Prangcharoen, Associate Professor of Tokyo College of Music, Prof. Keiko Harada (Japan), president of Composers Society of Singapore Dr. Hoh Chung Shih (Singapore), associate Professor of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Prof. Ho Chee Kong (Singapore), Vice-President of Musikhochschule Lübeck Prof. Dieter Mack (Germany), Director of Manila Composer lab of the University of the Philippines Prof. Jonas Baes (Philippines), Director of Shanghai New Music Week of Shanghai Conservatory of Music Prof. Wen DeQing (China), Prof. Zou Xiang Ping from The Sichuan Conservatory of Music (China), Director of Yogyakarta Contemporary Music Festival Mr. Michael Asmara (Indonesia), Chairman of Indonesia Composer Association Dr. Otto Sidharta (Indonesia), prof. Koji Nakano from Burapha University (Thailand), William Lane from Hong Kong New Music Ensemble (Hong Kong/China), Dr. Tazul Tajuddin from Universiti Teknologi Mara (Malaysia), Mr. Yii Kah Hoe from SEGi College (Malaysia), as well as all the festival team, Checkmate Creative team, designer Kua Chia Chi, recording engineer Ong Yuan Shan from Stage Strange Studio, Video/Photographer Mr. Lee Kien Fei and volunteers of “SoundBridge 2017”, for their tremendous assistance and support. A special mention also goes out to the participants and artists of the festival for their contribution and cooperation. Our gratitude goes to Graceful piano for sponsoring two grand pianos, UiTM for lending us their percussion instruments, The Guitar Store for transporting instruments, One Avenue Hotel for offering special rates, Singaporean calligrapher master Lim Juay Phing for the gift of his calligraphy, Mr. Wong Poh Fong for printing materials, Mr. Chai Chin Chuan for the festival tote bag, Mr. Seat Wong for the festival T-shirt and Mr. Nelson Wong for the video recording.
Lastly, my deep appreciation goes out to my primary, high school and college classmates, Mr. Thor Hong Chuan, KK Ng, Jack Lim, Felen Lim, Tee Siew Chin, Ling Hwa, Wong Nan Nee, Hannya Yoshiko whose financial support continues to bring this festival to life. To my friends and SMCC SoundBridge Festival friends, thank you for your generosity and continous funding for this festival.
Dr. CHONG KEE YONG
Executive producer and Artistic director of Contemporary Music Festival 2017
Creative director of Studio C and conductor of Ensemble Studio C
President of “Society of Malaysian Contemporary Composers” (SMCC)
