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Young Southeast Asian Composers Shone at Festival

The Young Composers in Southeast Asia Competition and Festival 2013 was held at the College of Music, Mahidol University and Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music (PGVIM) from December 9-15, 2013. It was jointly organized by the two institutions and the Goethe Institut.

There are mainly three components to this event – lectures given by the established jury (Dieter Mack, Jonas Baes, Michael Asmara, Chong Kee Yong, Chung Shih Hoh, Anothai Nitibhon and James J. Ogburn), workshops for young composers(1), and two concerts.

During the first couple of days, young composers divided their times between attending lectures and rehearsing their pieces with Ensemble Mosaik(2) and traditional musicians(3). The jury shared their – at times provocative and personal – musical thoughts and experiences working with musicians and working within certain environments. It was a little unfortunate that the jury had to initiate most of the questions as their lectures were meant to stimulate discussions among young composers. Meanwhile, based on the inputs from other young composers, I gathered the rehearsals with Ensemble Mosaik went really well.

On the third and fourth day, the jury joined the young composers in their rehearsals with Ensemble Mosaik, entailing the format of the rehearsals to resemble a workshop. Many interesting topics were touched on during the workshops, one of which was the inclusion of non-Western instruments in Western notation-based music. This festival saw the use of a wide array of non-Western instruments, including Guzheng (Chinese zither), Dan Bau (Vietnamese monochord), Saw Au (Thai two-string fiddle), etc. According to the jury, there was often a balance issue in some of the compositions with a mixed milieu because Western instruments, which are usually louder in nature, tend to be sonically more dominant. They also suggested using alternative notational systems for traditional instruments if the traditional musicians are not used to reading Western notation or when the parts for the traditional instruments are not written to portray a soundscape that resembles that of a Western ensemble.

The following day was spent sightseeing around the Nakhon Pathom area, visiting places such as the Phra Pathom Chedi and Don Wai Market.

Two amazing concerts were staged during the weekend – last two days of the wonderful festival. On Saturday night, Ensemble Mosaik performed music by the jury composers and Enno Poppe at Sangkeet Vadhana Hall, PGVIM. In addition, Wu Wei, a well-known sheng virtuoso, was the featured soloist in Chong Kee Yong’s piece, “Phoenix Calling”. It was a highly moving concert. The energy exuded by the composers through the ensemble was electrifying: the air was steamy with musical vitality. At one point, the music even left the pianist in tears.

On the finale night, 10 pieces of music by the finalists - four of whom were SMCC members (Ainolnaim Azizol, Tee Xiao Xi, Yeo Chow Shern and Zihua Tan) - were performed at the Music Auditorium, Mahidol University. The myriad musical styles as heard on that night were proof that Southeast Asia is a multifaceted region and home to many talented young composers. Three winners were named at the end of the night, namely: Kongmeng Liew, Yeo Chow Shern and Zihua Tan.

On a personal note, I strongly recommend young composers to participate in this biannual festival – next edition will take place in 2015 – if they get the chance to do so. It is simply a luxury for young composers to be able to study with distinguished composers in the region and Germany and have their music performed by an extraordinarily perceptive and technically impeccable ensemble. Young composers are also free to schedule private lessons with the jury members. On top of that, for this edition, at least, excellent food and accommodation were provided by Mahidol University and the Goethe Institut throughout the whole week. At the risk of nit-picking, there is a potential room for improvement in the area of technical support, in terms of setting up the stage, moving the equipment around, and arranging certain logistics. Also, perhaps a greater publicity could have been made to ameliorate the slightly low audience turnout –composition students and the faculty of the university, for example, could be exhorted to partake in the event. Lastly, while young composers showed a lot of promise, we could probably be more proactive in voicing out our thoughts on the new music practices in Southeast Asia and the world in general, as well as our plans and aspirations in developing the new music scene in the region.

All in all, what a fantastic festival it was. The camaraderie shared amongst the musicians is something I will always treasure. And if there is anything that defines the Southeast Asian “voice”, it ought to be the great sensitivity in treating all kinds of sounds as heard in the music presented during the festival.

- Z. Tan

(1) Names of all the parcipating young composers:
Septian Dwi Cahyo (Indonesia)
Quang Ngo Hong (Vietnam)
Tanapon Patimachon (Thailand)
Piyawat Louilarpprasert (Thailand)
Tee Xiao Xi (Malaysia)
Zihua Tan (Malaysia)
Yeo Chow Shern (Malaysia)
Liew Kongmeng (Singapore)
Ainolnaim Azizol (Malaysia)
Kittiphan Janbuala (Thailand)

(2) Ensemble Mosaik:
Betinna Junge (flute)
Simon Strasser (oboe)
Christian Vogel (clarinet)
Khatchatur Kanayan (violin)
Ernst Surberg (piano)
Roland Neffe (percussion)
Karen Lorenz (viola)
Enno Poppe (conductor)
Mathis Mayr (cello)

(3)Traditional Musicians:
Ong May Yi (Zhongruan)
Shanhui Indra Chen (Guzheng)
Narisara Sakpunjachot (Saw-Au)
Sinam Klaywong (Kong Wong Yai)
Bui Le Chi (Monochord)

Some pictures of the event are shown below (photo credit: Tee Xiao Xi (1-4,6); Zihua Tan (5)):

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  • Home
  • About SMCC
    • Visions
    • SMCC Committee Members
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    • Membership Application
  • Opportunities
    • 2022 >
      • Borneo Ensemble Composer Series
      • Tunku Zain Piano Trio Composition Competition 2022
    • 2021 >
      • TNMAS 2021 Call for Scores
      • Malaysia Young Composers' Workshop 2021
      • New Music Room Call for Scores
      • Goethe Institut Digital Mentoring Programme
      • 10th Rivers Awards Composition Competition
    • 2019 >
      • 【衛武營當代音樂平台】國際作曲徵件與彼得.于特福許作曲大師班
      • ​Call for works - ACL New Zealand 2020
      • Call for works - Solo piano pieces by Malaysian composers ​
      • 1ST INTERNATIONAL EISENACH COMPOSITION PRIZE
      • The 10th China ConTempo Composition Competition
      • 第一届上海室内歌剧作品国际比赛章程
      • Passepartout Duo - Music Seminar and a Composition & Performance Workshop ​
      • PIERROT LUNAIRE INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION COMPETITION 2019
      • 2019 年 第八届「百川奖」作曲比赛
      • 作曲专业 | 柏林音乐表演艺术学院 AfMB-恺撒堡 2019 冬季学校
      • Forum Wallis 2019
    • 2018 >
      • Call for score : ASEAN Youth Ensemble (AYE) 2018
      • 2018 Banaue International Music Composition Competition
      • Ding Yi - Composium 2018
      • Call for application: 2018 International Gugak Workshop
      • PYO CALL FOR SCORE 2018
      • ​Call for scores - 35th ACL Festival and Conference Taiwan 2018
      • Ars Electronica Forum Wallis 2018 CALL FOR STEREO OR QUADROPHONIC ACOUSMATIC WORKS
      • 寻找中国的声音——第六届刘天华奖中国民乐室内乐作品征集简章
      • 2018 Breaking music - International Composition Competition
      • Call for Composition - Breaking New Ground
    • 2016 >
      • ACL 2016
    • 2015 >
      • ACL Philippines 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013 >
      • 32nd Conference and Festival 2014, Japan: Call for Scores
      • ACL 2013 (Asian Composer League)
      • Ninth Thailand International Composers Competition 2013
      • 5th International Pharos Contemporary Music Festival and Ensemble TRANSMISSION
      • New Gamelan Music Festival: Call for Scores
      • Singapore Chinese Orchestra Composer Workshop 2013
      • Chamber•Sounds Regional Call For Chamber Opera Proposals 2013
      • Beijing International Composition Workshop 2013
  • Events
    • 2021 >
      • SoundBridge Virtual 2021
      • Hong-Da Chin Concert Presented by No Exit Ensemble
      • Ding Yi Music Company Composium 2021
    • 2019 >
      • Music improvisation workshop by Otomo Yoshihide
      • 琴弦两岸 - 马来西亚、新加坡小提琴与钢琴作品音乐会
      • Soundbridge 2019 >
        • Soundbridge 2019 - Flyer
      • Into the Sound
      • From NY To KL
      • Natural Spectra by Christoven
      • Cello Recital by Friedrich Gauwerky
      • 4th SoundBridge Contemporary Music Festival 2019
    • 2018 >
      • The 9th Malaysian Composers Concert Series 2018
      • European Journey
    • 2017 >
      • Piano Recital by Simon Nabatov
      • SoundBridge 2017 >
        • An Introduction to the festival
        • Support Messages
        • Gallery
        • 2017 SoundBridge Booklet
        • Soundbridge 2017 booklet for download
        • Post production review >
          • 五棰半 :音桥音乐节| 当代亚洲音乐的发光站
          • 邹向平 :​“音桥当代音乐节”见闻四则
          • Post production review by Teh Tian Yoon
    • 2015 >
      • SoundBridge 2015
    • 2013 >
      • KLC Malaysian Composers Concert Series 2013
      • Young Southeast Asian Composers Shone at Festival
      • ACME and Studio MusikFabrik (Chinese Version)
      • SoundBridge 音橋 2013 >
        • Festival Event Details >
          • Support Message
          • Concert 1 - SoundBridge
          • Concert 2 - Malaysian Voices III
          • Photography and Calligraphy Exhibition
          • Musicians and Artists
          • Malaysian Composers
          • Young Composers
          • Panelist
    • 2010 >
      • Composer Workshop Series I
  • Articles
    • SoundBridge 2021 - People's Music Magazine Feature
    • Sin Chew Daily Feature on SMCC & SoundBridge
    • Tracing Art Music Compositions and Composers in Malaysia
    • Malaysian Young Composers' Workshop 2021
    • 现代音乐永远的夏天 马来西亚第三届“音桥当代音乐节”之热效应 - 邹向
    • 森林里的艺术世界 - 李茜云
    • Interview with Peter Vaele - by Ruth Rodrigues
    • 新音乐中的新音乐 ——参观 2011 多瑙厄申根新音乐节 文/杨琳
    • 多元且專注─2011年第四屆上海當代音樂周總評-林芳宜
    • 亞洲音樂先鋒-亞洲作曲家聯盟暨2011亞太音樂節-林芳宜
    • SKETCHES: THE MANILA COMPOSERS LAB 2009 - BY HUEYCHING CHONG
    • JONAS BAES ON PATANGIS-BUWAYA [2003]
    • Koji Nakano New Approach to
    • Composers+ Summer Academy 2017 By Dr. HueyChing Chong
    • The Barcelona Modern International Composition Course 4th Edition 2017/18 ​By Dr. HueyChing Chong, Oct 2019
    • Atlas Lab 2016 By Dr. HueyChing Chong, Oct 2019
    • BUILDING BRIDGES: Concert 5 (SoundBridge IV), presented as part of the 4th SoundBridge Contemporary Music Festival By Jon Lin Chua
  • Contact Us