SWARASIA Community Arts Centre, in collaboration with Mojo Projects, presents 'The Malaysian Wave', a concert that will highlight Malaysia's dynamic musical landscape.
Scheduled to take place on Nov 17 at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in KLCC, this three-hour event is poised to redefine the boundaries of cultural fusion in Malaysian music, bringing together some of the country's most renowned and emerging artistes for an evening of extraordinary performances.
DIVERSE
Founded to nurture and celebrate Malaysia's diverse musical heritage, Swarasia has been instrumental in promoting traditional and classical music forms across the country.
The centre has long been a beacon for artistic collaboration and cultural education, creating a platform where Malaysia's vast musical traditions meet modern innovation.
In 'The Malaysian Wave', Swarasia aims to take this mission to a new level, showcasing how the nation's musical roots can be blended with contemporary sounds to captivate audiences worldwide.
SYNERGY
Samuel Dass, Malaysia's foremost sitar virtuoso and one of the concert's leading performers, emphasised the significance of the fusion.
"What we are creating is a blend of Malaysia's traditional instruments and contemporary music.
"The synergy that happens when these sounds come together reflects the unity we have in our diversity. It is a true celebration of Malaysian multiculturalism, and I am honoured to be part of it."
EXCITEMENT
Ratna K. Nadarajah, founder of Mojo Projects, shared his excitement for the collaboration.
"'The Malaysian Wave' is a powerful example of how tradition and modernity can coexist in harmony.
"This concert brings together Malaysia's best talents to create a cultural experience that transcends boundaries.
"It is a celebration of our rich musical diversity and a testament to the innovation within the Malaysian arts scene."
BLENDING
The concert will highlight a blend of traditional Malaysian instruments such as the sitar, tabla, veena and classical strings with modern genres like jazz, classical guitar and contemporary world music.
It will feature an exceptional lineup of artistes who represent Malaysia's multicultural soundscape.
They include veteran pop icon Datuk Zainalabidin Mohamad, promising young singer Nadeera Zaini who is his protege, percussionist Prakash Kandasamy, classical guitarist Marco Antonio Alonso, and talented musicians Pangasaasani Gowrisan, Hadi Maswardi, Eliezer Enan, Paavendran, Shuwehtha Premkumar, Bryan Ngool and Muharidnan Ismail
WORLD CLASS
DFP is known for its world-class acoustics. Designed by renowned acoustician Russell Johnson, the hall provides an ideal setting for a performance like 'The Malaysian Wave'.
Its shoebox-style design and adaptable acoustic elements allow for a perfect balance between traditional and modern instruments, ensuring that every note resonates with the audience in stunning clarity.
GLOBAL MAP
The Swarasia and Mojo Projects collaboration aims to put Malaysia's unique cultural and musical identity on the global map.
The event seeks to showcase how a blend of tradition and innovation can resonate with audiences both locally and internationally.
A FIRST
In a recent interview, Samuel said he had performed with almost all the performers in this show except Zainal and Nadeera.
"I am excited about some of the0 the new pieces which we'll be collaborating on in this concert."
He said he had never performed in the DFP and was looking forward to his debut in the grand concert hall.
"The whole repertoire will be a mix of all three Malaysian cultures, namely Indian, Chinese and Malay with the accompaniment of western harmony.
"We are looking at 12 songs, a mix of percussion and vocals."
VEENA
As a solo artiste, Samuel will be performing in Penang for the 'Sitar and Veena' duet scheduled for Dec 20 as a wrap-up for this year.
"This concert is going to be acoustic as most of the instruments which will be performed are traditional by nature."
He is delighted to work with Zainalabidin for the first time, as he is a "legend and pride of the nation".
"I've always wanted to perform with him on the same stage. I've only done one recording for one of his albums some years ago," he said.
HARMONY
Samuel admitted that the biggest challenge for the musicians was to bring all the instruments together and keep them in harmony.
"We have already started fusing these instruments for some time. That previous experience is helping us now."
He is keeping fit with exercise to prepare himself for the big day.
"I'm always in touch with my daily practice. That has kept me fit as a performing artiste. It's a norm to have some fear before a concert, but it'll vanish the moment you take it to the stage," he said.
COMBINATION
While many musical instruments involved in the concert, Samuel is confident that combining them will produce all the right sounds.
"I've done experiments with all the instruments prior to this, so I strongly believe that we will have a blast on our big day," he said.
When asked about discovering "brand new sounds", he replied in the positive.
"It's very difficult to describe them in words, but these are beautiful new creations by a talented and gifted team.
"Perhaps all of us can savour them during the concert and definitely, they will come in handy for our future concerts," he said.