Impressive starters to JB Arts Festival

12 July 2010 , By New Straits Times

THE seventh JB Arts Festival kicked off with performances by an Australian boys' choir, Singaporean string orchestra and a musical on the history of modern Johor.

The 35-member Australian Boys Choir was the curtain-raiser for the annual festival, which began on June 29 at the Johor Baru Tiong Hua Federation's Wong Shee Fun Memorial Hall

About 700 people watched the boys, aged between 11 and 18, sing to music played by the Hwa Chong Institution String Orchestra from Singapore.

The choir sang contemporary and folk tunes like Mulligan's Musketeers; What Should We Do With a Drunken Sailor?; All Is One, One Is All; Hallelujah; La La Land; Lost the Plot and Waltzing Matilda.

The boys had the audience glued with their impeccable vocals, which were impressive considering their age.

At their second show in Bukit Timbalan on July 4, which was the opening ceremony of the festival officiated by Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, conductor Noel Ancell from Melbourne praised the audience for their support.

"The enthusiasm was wonderful and the audience was appreciative and giving.

"This is our second time performing in Johor after three years and we hope to come here again in the future."

Ancell said his favourite song was All Is One, One is All, which had an environmental theme and required choir members to mimic sounds of birds, crickets, owls and other animals.

The musicians of Hwa Chong Institution String Orchestra also put on a formidable performance as they accompanied the boys choir.

They provided a soothing touch with renditions of Volkmann's Serenade, Handel's Concerto Grosso and Buxtehude's Wachet Auf.

String section conductor Trevor Sze said the orchestra did well even though they were not used to playing at an open air venue.

"We performed the first night in a hall and the second night in open air at Bukit Timbalan," said Sze, adding that he was impressed with the turnout at the JB Arts Festival.

"Johoreans should be proud of the progress they have made in the arts scene, as evident in this annual arts festival.

"We are very honoured to be part of the programme," said Sze.

Theatre director Sharuddin Manas, 32, was very happy after his troupe performed the musical Bumi Berlantai Permata (The Bejewelled Land) during the festival's opening ceremony (see page 8).

The musical featured the story of Johor during the late 19th century and depicted historical figures like Datuk Ja'afar Muhammad, Wong Ah Fook and Datuk Abdul Rahman Andak.

Sharuddin, who has been part of the JB Arts Festival since 2005, said the play has a mixture of traditional Malay song and dance with sections featuring Chinese wushu.

"It was intended to be as close to Broadway as possible but with a Malaysian flavour."

The JB Arts Festival is on until July 24. Programmes range from workshops in arts and music, to dance and musical performances, including percussion bands, nasyid, Chinese opera and indie rock and jazz.