klpac Community Orchestra
The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Orchestra
The notion of a community orchestra is very much in keeping with the vision of The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), which is to foster creative excellence and develop and nurture performing arts culture in Malaysia.
Driven by the obvious need for a community orchestra to cater for the growing numbers of classically trained music students and amateurs, the first auditions were held in October 2006. The orchestra’s debut concert in December 2006 was Candlelight Christmas, conducted by Music Director & Resident Conductor Brian Tan.
Since then, hundreds of musicians have been a part of the klpac Orchestra and its many concerts throughout the year.
klpac Symphonic Band
The klpac Symphonic Band was formed in 2009. Like the klpac Orchestra, it is a community-oriented initiative aimed at providing a platform for wind and brass musicians to hone their skills and perform regularly. It was established to fill a gap in the local music scene where many wind and brass players who started playing during their schooling years were left with no avenue to continue after graduating. The band debuted with Friendship in Concert in 2009. It is currently under the leadership of Cheryl Mah.
klpac String Ensemble
The idea of having a String Ensemble was planted back in 2010. With more and more players picking up an instrument from a young age, klpac decided it was time to reach out to these young musicians. The idea was swiftly cemented and the klpac String Ensemble was formed in September the same year with its youngest member aged only nine. The klpac String Ensemble will be debuting with Fantastikal Strings in April 2011 under the baton of Dr. Takahisa Ota.
Press
“…judging from the enthusiasm and even discipline in the style of performing, one could say that this community orchestra isn’t far off from the likes of the National Symphony Orchestra.” (Jason Cheah, 2007, ‘Strings Galore’, The Star)
“…the sinfonietta flourished, tackling the varied works with wit and passion…Amateurs, yes. Amaterish? Don’t you believe it…” (Christy Yoong, 2008, ‘Professional amateurs’, The Star)
To find out how you can be a part of the klpac Orchestra, please e-mail stanley.nicole@klpac.org
ABOUT CHERYL MAH
Resident Conductor & Music Director
klpac Symphonic Band
Cheryl Mah graduated from Elder Conservatorium of Music (Australia) with concurrent majors in Piano Performance and Music Education. She then completed Performance based Master Degree in Conducting and Directorship from Salford University (England, UK) under tutelages of Dr. David King and Dr. Roy Newsome, specializing in Brass Band Conducting.
As a music educator, she has been actively involved in conducting, lecturing, tutoring in local universities, school band camps and festivals, and as well adjudicating for local band competitions. Since 2008, she has been a part-time faculty member at UCSI University Music Department as Orchestra Conductor, where she conducts UCSIU Orchestra in regular concert performances, repertoires ranging from Bach to Prokofiev.
Cheryl was invited to represent the country in participating SEA Young Conductors’ Workshop (2009/2010) in Salaya Thailand, which jointly organized by Goethe-Instituts and College of Music, Mahidol University.
Apart from being active as band/orchestra conductor, Cheryl has played with various ensembles as Baritone Saxophonist -PJ Youth Symphonic Band, Greg Lyons Nonet. She is the co-founder of Birdian Saxophone Quartet and has performed extensively with the quartet in various occasions. Their recent concert appearance at klpac Pentas 2 “Simply the Original” featuring original literature for saxophone quartet was well-received.
Cheryl is currently Band Director of Confucian Symphonic Band, Assunta Symphonic Band, and has recently appointed as Band Director of klpac Symphonic Band. She is as well a woodwind/piano tutor based in the Klang Valley.
ABOUT DR. TAKAHISA OTA
Resident Conductor & Music Director
klpac String Ensemble
Ota-san, as he is affectionately known, started studying the flute in 1965 and he has studied under Japanese Professor Masao Yoshida and Takeshi Koizumi. He joined Waseda University Orchestra, which won the Grand-Prix at World Amateur Orchestra Competition organized by famous Hervert von Karajan in Germany. He was also the trainer at Shin-Symphony Orchestra and was attached to several other orchestras in Japan as principal flautist as well as orchestra trainer. In Malaysia, he was resident conductor of National Symphony Orchestra from 1993 to 2000, and Musical Advisor to the same orchestra from 2006 to 2008 (sponsored by Japanese government-JICA). Dr. Ota is currently leading the klpac String Ensemble since its formation in September 2010.
