Playing rarely heard masterpieces

By : Dennis Chua


The Kuala Lumpur Guitar Ensemble II comprises (from left) Ong, Cheong, See and Thomas.

THE Malaysian Classical Guitar Society of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur presents Gubahanku at the Malaysia Tourism Centre in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur at 8.30pm on Dec 9 and 11.

The classical guitar concert performed by the Kuala Lumpur Guitar Ensemble II features the world premiere of Variations on an Indonesian Song (Op. 124) or Gubahanku written by the late English composer, John Duarte. This composition was commissioned by the society in 1996.

Its president, Simon Cheong, said the concert was a celebration of Malaysian music, and an avenue to highlight lesser-known musical masterpieces composed and written in the country.

Duarte composed a variation of Getaran Jiwa in 1996. The original song was made popular by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee.

“The Kuala Lumpur Guitar Ensemble II will play Malaysian tunes and the famous song Putera Puteri will have a first hearing,” Cheong said.
Gubahanku will feature two distinguished international musicians as guests.

On Dec 9, Serbia’s Professor Uros Dojcinovic will join the ensemble while on Dec 11, Canada’s Professor Isabelle Heroux will be the guest musician.

Dojcinovic will perform his own arrangements Balalayka, The Bosnian Song and Moonlit Night, and two love songs arranged by Jovan Jovicic, among others.

Heroux will perform the compositions of Patrick Roux (Canada), Juan Sorroche (Puerto Rico) and Nadia Borislova (Russia), among others.

Dojcinovic, a music lecturer, has performed in more than 3,000 concerts around the world.

Heroux, from Montreal, regularly performs as a soloist or with orchestras in France, Italy, Germany, Morocco, Turkey, Ecuador, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mexico and the United States.

She has studied under acclaimed musicians and music educationists Jean Vallieres, Alberto Ponce, Alvaro Pierri, Manuel Barrueco, David Russell, Ako Ito, Henri Dorigny and Stepan Rak.

Heroux teaches guitar and instrumental pedagogy at Sherbrooke University.

The Kuala Lumpur Guitar Ensemble II was formed by Cheong in 2005.

In 2006, the ensemble performed at the Ordu International Guitar Festival in Turkey.

The ensemble comprises Cheong, Ernest Thomas, Ong Peng Yang and See Sew Hong.

The event is sponsored by Mahogany, Chambers Music, Arrow Vision and Sonata Music and Art. The sponsors will give out about 100 tickets to various children’s homes in the Klang Valley.

Tickets to the event are available at the Classical Guitar Society, Sonata Music and Art, Chambers Music and Mahogany. Entry is by donation of RM80. Call 012-661-6000, 03-6257-7390, 03-2141-3794 or 03-7873-6388.