Santai! RiB Style

So if you haven’t already heard, Rhythm in Bronze (RiB) is going to be performing in Singapore! And it’s a free event!

We’ll be there from 22-24 May at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. Details can be obtained from the Esplanade’s website here.

Please come along if you can, and do come over to say hi!

More info about RiB here.

Pik Chek.

2005

Anonymous friend: Hey! Where are you off to?

Me: Oh, watching a movie.

Anon friend: On your own?

Me: Of course!

Anon friend: What movie are you watching?

Me: De-Lovely.

Anon friend: Hah?

********************

Whilst listening to about 10,000 pieces of music (will explain its purpose in due time), I stumbled upon a few songs from the De-Lovely soundtrack. The movie was shot in 2004 and tells the story of the American song writer Cole Porter and his muse, Linda.

I don’t think the movie was very well received at the cinemas and I pin it down to ignorance.

For the longest time, I have been searching for that one elusive song from the soundtrack called “In the Still of the Night”.

Amidst listening and searching through a pile of songs today, I found it.

In the still of the night
As I gaze from my window
At the moon in its flight
My thoughts all stray to you

In the still of the night
All the world is in slumber
All the times without number
Darling when I say to you

Do you love me, as I love you
Are you my life to be, my dream come true
Or will this dream of mine fade out of sight
Like the moon growing dim, on the rim of the hill
In the chill, still, of the night

Like the moon growing dim, on the rim of the hill
In the chill, still, of the night

*********

Music and lyrics: Pure poetry.

Bukan dari dunia ini.

Image source

A few months ago I vowed that even if the sky fell on me, I went broke or bought a car (no, not really), I would attend a Qawwali concert performed by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s nephews, Muazzam and Rizwan Ali Khan. I knew it would be a once in a lifetime experience and having missed seeing the very great Ustad Nusrat himself (he passed away in 1997), this was one performance I could not let slip away.

To say I was blown away by the concert – understatement. I had trouble keeping my mouth closed and was in complete awe of the singing, the composition and the sound of the sung languages (songs were sung in Punjabi, Urdu and Farsi). While I could not understand any of the lyrics, the spirit of Qawwali singing – the devotional music of the Sufis – shook my core. I was particularly drawn to their first piece, sung in devotion to the Prophet Muhammad. Surely, I thought, with all the negativity surrounding Islam today this very concert transcended all barriers yesterday.

After the concert, the Gods had a short meet-the-fans session. Trying not to gush, I presented my programme to them.

Truly not of this earth.

What a week!

Exhausted as I am, I’m glad we made it through in one piece.

The concert was a success. Great turnout. Wonderful piece. Fantastic composer.

There’s talk that the show will travel but lips are sealed at the moment.

MPO Meets Wayang Kulit

Apologies for not writing, it’s been a crazy week, this week!

Our Wayang Kulit group is collaborating with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in conjunction with Malaysia’s 50th Independence celebration. Adeline Wong, a brilliant Malaysian composer (who coincidentally used to teach me at Yamaha Academy) has been commissioned to write a work for Wayang Kulit troupe and orchestra.

The concert will be on from tomorrow till Sunday.

If you’re in town, come watch it! This is ground-breaking work. And I’m not just saying this to toot my own horn. The piece is fantastic, complete with shadow play.

Would love to be an audience but I’m sitting behind the screen giving cues. Oh well.