The YCA Chamber Choir
presents
‘Buatan Malaysia’

The Young Choral Academy (YCA) Chamber Choir, the result of the merger between the YCA Youth Chamber Choir and the Young KL Singers’ (YKLS) Chamber Choir, will be announcing their arrival in the Malaysian music scene with their debut production, ‘Buatan Malaysia’ featuring arrangements of Malaysian choral music.

                The reason for this, as stated by the chamber choir’s music director Susanna Saw is to “find the choir’s identity, because in past productions, both the YCA Youth Chamber Choir and the YKLS Chamber Choir sounded best singing original Malaysian songs and arrangements.” Through this production, the YCA Chamber Choir strives to show the audience that any genre of Malaysian music, be it pop, folksongs or even – yes – patriotic songs can be a pleasure to listen to and perform. For the members, Saw states that this production is to help the performers learn and understand their own country’s music better, and through this develop a love for it.

                This production features purely local arrangers, such as Geneviene Wong, Juliette Lai, Wong Shuen Da and the choir’s very own Assistant Music Director Tracy Wong.  The audience will be able to enjoy original arrangements of songs that are close to the hearts of most Malaysians, such as Tan Sri P.Ramlee’s Getaran Jiwa and Bujang Lapuk, Sheila Majid’s Sinaran and even a completely different rendition of Jalur Gemilang along with some completely original compositions such as Not Alone Anymore and Tracy Wong’s Walk With Me.

                The chamber choir will be working with stage director Melissa Teoh, who lectures at Sunway University College’s Department of Performance & Media. Melissa is also a double nominee for this year’s Boh Cameronian Arts Awards for Best Set Design for the productions Air Con and Hero. This being her first time directing a chamber choir, Melissa voices that this production also poses a challenge for her in the sense that “the approach and process that is to be adopted in tackling a chamber choir performance from a stage director's point of view”. She also feels that this production is worth watching due to “the collaborative efforts of the creative team and the performers in making the productions a sharing of music on a personal level with the audience, and not just the mere presentation of it.”

                Armed with a stage director, original arrangements and compositions, the YCA Chamber Choir’s debut production promises a reminiscent night for Malaysians with a twist as the audiences will hear familiar tunes to songs they probably know all the words to in a completely different light and will be introduced to the wonders of our very own Malaysian arrangers. The production will take place at Pentas 2 of the KL Performing Arts Center (KLPac) on the 28^th and 29^th of March with three shows: 3.00pm and 8.30pm on Saturday and a 3.00pm Sunday matinee show. Tickets can be purchased from the KLPac Box Office (03-40479000) for a flat rate of RM25.

For more information:

Pls email tracy.wong@youngchoral.com or youngchoral@gmail.com

or visit www.youngchoral.com

The YCA Chamber Choir evelybody!

Melissa Teoh, stage director

Okay now I'm going to tell you PERSONALLY why you should be there:

- I will be doing something that is completely out of my character, and I will never (NEVER) repeat it ever again. You seriously don't want to miss this.

- All shows are during the weekend. So no "I'm working lah!" or "I got CLASS lah!" excuses. I know not all of you are working in retail like yours truly OKAY!

- It's RM25 FLAT rate. No RM40 for center row or stuff like that. So, that crosses out your "no money lah!" excuse.

- You are reading this before February has even ENDED. so you can BLOCK the date that you want to watch the show. Say bye bye to your "you never tell me earlier! I got PLANS lah!" excuse.

- You don't necessarily need to go through Tracy, YCA or even KLPac to get tickets. You can get them from ME. Just email me (tgsheril@gmail.com) or text me or whatever me about the no.of tickets you want and which show. "So Ma-Fan wan to buy ticket" excuse, Bogus.

- There is a map to KLPac available on it's website, or you can Google it or Mapquest it. If not, you can just take a KTM to the Sentul KTM Station and then a cab ride from there that will cost you less than RM5. So no "I got no transport/I dunno where KLPac is" rubbish.

- You haven't even HEARD us, so you can't give me the "Aiyo, Malaysian song so boring lah" excuse. Even though our repertoire is purely arrangements of local music, it's all so damn fun to perform! So what makes you think it won't be equally fun to WATCH us performing it FOR YOU?

- If you can spend rm50 buying your international artistes CD, you can't spend half that loot to buy a ticket to watch your own local performers? SHAAAAMEEEE.

- If you are my parents or in any way blood related to me, I sure as hell expect to see YOU there.

So, since you're obviously out of any excuses (I accept the "I'm not in the country -sob sob-" excuse, it's incredibly valid.) I expect to see you there then!