I spent my last Sunday evening at an orchestra concert by Musica Sinfonietta Penang, titled Symphonic Tapestries.
I won’t comment much on the music, except to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it’s far from the music I normally consume. It was a joyous show where an audience of all ages seemed equally entertained.
What struck me, actually, began before the concert.
Upon arrival, middle school girl scouts handed out brochures and ushered people to their seats. They weren’t 100% sure what to do all the time, but they remained friendly despite the chaos.
When I sat down, the first thing I noticed was the colourful instrument cases lined up against the wall. Each of them beaming with personality.
Kids running, friends chatting… musicians already on stage, having a laugh amongst themselves or minding their own business.
And all of that was accompanied by a messy choir of people trying to tune and warm up their instruments, all at once.
Quite different from what I assumed a classical music concert would be like.
Who told me they were all uptight and serious?
Soon, conductor Mr. Lee Kok Leong graced the stage, and the concert began.
The main orchestra opened with Beethoven’s majestic Egmont Overture, followed by Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A major, also known as the “Italian,” taking us on a journey of emotions.
After intermission, a cello ensemble performed Serenade for Four Cellos by Goltermann.
But the highlight for me was Boyce’s Symphony No. 3 in C major, performed by the training and main orchestras.
The training orchestra consists of younger musicians, complete with their kids-friendly sized instruments!
Despite how adorable they were, they were professional and blended beautifully with the main orchestra.
And that, in many ways, was what Symphonic Tapestries was about.
It takes a village
Prior to concert day, Symphonic Tapestries also included a three-day music camp for the performers.
A total of eight tutors from Malaysia, Korea, and Singapore were invited to coach the camp. The percussion tutor, Lee Hon Mun, even has a degree in neuroscience!
I only knew this because I actually read the programme booklet — which, I have to say, was unusually detailed.
The conductor, tutors, organising committee, facilitators and every single performer were introduced. It was a small thing, but it reflected something I noticed throughout the evening: a lot of people had put a lot of thought into making this happen.
Organising an event of this scale takes a village.
Even with many sponsors, it ultimately comes down to good management of that village to make any event a success.
It is always very impressive to me when a large group of humans focus on one goal and contribute their best effort towards it.
Which is one of the reasons I love attending performing arts shows.
It’s never just the artists. It’s also the technicians, coordinators, engineers, facilitators, volunteers and everyone else who comes together for the common love of the arts.
And I find that incredibly satisfying to watch.
More than the music
This concert reminded me of my chamber choir days.
I might not fully understand the European language lyrics, or the biblical stories behind the hymns, but I remember fondly the process of singing, scrambling, laughing with your friends, all on the way to the big show.
Classical or chamber music teaches us exactly this.
It’s never just about you.
It’s about honing your craft, learning from other people, listening to one another, and eventually allowing your individual contribution to merge into something much larger than yourself.
That is also what makes watching young musicians perform so rewarding.
They are not just learning how to play an instrument. They are learning how to listen, how to follow, how to contribute, and how to become part of something bigger.
I sincerely hope there are more events like this to nurture the next generation of Malaysian artists.
With an encore performance of Mussorgsky’s Gopak from The Fair at Sorochyntsi, the show closed to thunderous applause.
And suddenly, the title Symphonic Tapestries made perfect sense.
A tapestry is made by meticulously weaving threads of different colours together.
It is also a perfect metaphor for classical music, where its nature demands dedication, discipline and a lot of camaraderie in order to produce a unified, harmonious sound.
Every musician is a thread. So are the tutors. The organisers. The volunteers. The technicians. The sponsors. Even the slightly confused girl scouts trying to figure out where everyone should sit. Pull one thread away, and the tapestry changes.
Symphonic Tapestries is living proof that great art requires great people from various backgrounds to work hand in hand.
I’m glad this is how I was introduced to this organisation.
I look forward to their events to come.
Side note: Kudos to Marcus Choo, a very expressive violinist who caught my eye the whole time. I hope he keeps this passion for his music forever.
Symphonic Tapestries was presented by Musica Sinfonietta Penang and staged at SJK(C) Aik Hua, Bayan Lepas. The music camp and masterclasses took place from 3 to 5 September, with the concert on 6 September. The concert was conducted by Lee Kok Leong, with music by Beethoven, Boyce, Goltermann and Mendelssohn. It was supported by TEXCHEM and PAC.
About the writer:
Felina is new to the arts scene, young, curious, and hungry. She wants to sink her paws into as many facets of the performing arts as she can, as she believes practical experience is more nutritious than theory. Find her on, behind, or seated in front of the stage, as she is ready to pounce at any given moment.
Seni:Kita (pentaspena.pg@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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