SANDAKAN: Italian a cappella ensemble Mezzotono is ready to turn voices into instruments when the five-member group performs amid the tropical rainforest at Sepilok Jazz 2026.
Often billed as the “Small Italian Orchestra Without Instruments”, the acclaimed ensemble said the Sepilok performance would add another distinctive setting to a musical journey that has taken them around the world.
“Throughout our musical life, we have had so many incredible experiences and performed all over the world, but there is no doubt that the emotion that nature can give us is unique,” the group said.
While Mezzotono has performed in Kota Kinabalu twice, this will be its first visit to Sandakan, where the members are looking forward to experiencing the jungle as well as reconnecting with Malaysian audiences.
“We are very excited to experience the nature and the jungle, together with the enthusiasm of the Malaysian audience, which we already know and really appreciate,” they said.
With Sepilok Jazz also raising funds for local sea turtle conservation, the ensemble said it was proud to contribute through music to a cause driven by an equally strong passion for nature.
“We also hope to have the opportunity to visit the places dedicated to the protection and rehabilitation of sea turtles,” the group said.
Known for recreating the sound of a full band using only their voices, Mezzotono said one of the toughest aspects of a cappella performance was maintaining precise intonation while imitating different instruments throughout a song.
The tropical heat is unlikely to faze the Southern Italians, who said temperatures at home can reach around 37 degrees Celsius and joked that they had already been “training in the heat” for the Malaysian jungle.
Their Sepilok set will draw from pop, soul, jazz and Italian music, combining the ensemble’s vocal arrangements with the humour and audience interaction that have become part of its performances.
The group said its comedy was designed to cross language barriers through English and humorous moments incorporated into the songs, while audiences are also encouraged to take part during the show.
Beyond the music, Mezzotono said it hoped to bring an Italian sense of joy and openness to Malaysia, with an emphasis on music, art, cultural diversity and respect for others and nature.
Among the other performers they are keen to catch is Malaysian guitarist Roger Wang, whom the group said they already know and admire and are looking forward to hearing live.
“We hope to leave the audience with our emotions and our joy through music, but we will also carry with us forever all the emotions we experience in the nature of Borneo and with the people of Borneo,” the ensemble said.
Sepilok Jazz 2026 will be staged at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, here, on Sept 4 and 5, with performances starting at 6pm.
