Eugene Pook, in appropriate garb, conducting 'In The Mood'

There was something for everyone at the inaugural concert of the Kinta Valley Wind Orchestra on July 4. Opening to a sold-out audience, with 6 months in the making, the 50 odd musicians, led by artistic director and conductor Eugene Pook, certainly did “get their act together”, as so aptly put by the organising chairperson, Tan Ling-Li. This was made possible by the vision and generosity of Dato’ K.K. Lim and other sponsors.

From symphonic to classical renditions, big-band pieces to hit movie themes, pop tunes to old-time favourites in Chinese, Malay and English, the audience was truly entertained. Three soloists: Joost Flach (oboist), Foo Cheong Lin (saxophonist), Philip Boey (GuZheng), and two vocalists: Estee Pook and Alan Low, and several guest musicians, gave the concert that added touch. The members of the orchestra comprised students from different schools and people from different walks of life coming together for the first time, showing that beautiful music can be produced under the right direction.

The concert ended with calls for an encore, and the orchestra playing two more songs, Stars and Stripes Forever, because it being the USA Independence Day, and Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, to the delight of the audience.

The concert was a great success to say the least, and for those of us that were there, we look forward to more; for those who missed it, they can certainly look out for the next one!

VWSL

New Children’s Novel by Ipoh-Born Author

Ipoh-born author and former SK Raja Perempuan school student, Rebecca Loke, together with Ipoh-based Media Masters Publishing launched a children’s novel “Great Grandma’s Hairloss Remedy” recently.  She talks to Ipoh Echo about the inspiration behind her new book.

Tell Us about Your Book

Great Grandma’s Hairloss Remedy is the first in a series on Children’s Concerns published by Media Masters Publishing, which tells the story about 8-year-old James, who has a condition called alopecia universalis, or total hair loss. It is targeted for readers between the ages of seven to twelve, and offers a heart-warming tale about how James learns to cope with his hair loss condition. There is also a question and answer section about alopecia at the end of the book, explaining the cause of hair loss, who gets it, and how it affects one’s health.

What Inspired You To Write Your Latest Book?

The inspiration for this story comes from my 10-year-old son Ethan, who developed alopecia universalis when he was four years old, resulting in his losing all his hair on his head and body. Since having this hair loss condition, Ethan has received many comments and questions regarding his baldness as many people have never heard of alopecia universalis. Ethan had to learn how to cope with negative responses like name-calling, and with a lot of support from family and friends, he learned to develop a positive outlook on his condition.

What Do You Hope To Achieve With This Book?

I hope to help young minds gain an early understanding and appreciation of difficulties and differences existing in societies everywhere. Understanding hairloss in children is just one example. There are so many other concerns affecting children so we hope to educate young minds with a series of books focusing on children’s concerns.

Great Grandma’s Hairloss Remedy by Rebecca Loke is available at all major bookstores and Meru Valley Resort in Ipoh. For more information, contact: info@mediamasters.com.my or call 05-2495938.

Presents

Vision of Forever (ODISSI)

Artistic Direction: Ramli Ibrahim

Lighting & Set Design: Sivarajah Natarajan

Featuring Ramli Ibrahim & Sutra dancers

Vision of Forever is Sutra’s Odissi offering following their highly acclaimed Spellbound. Vision of Forever, received tremendous reception at its Malaysian premier in 22-25 April 2010, at the prestigious Istana Budaya with Maxis as its major sponsor. Now, Sutra’s following outside Kuala Lumpur will be able to savour Vision of Forever in several major city centres such as Seremban, Ipoh, Penang and Kuantan.

In actual fact, Vision of Forever had its world premiere in December 2006 at Kalakshetra (Chennai), the bastion of Indian classical dance. Following this premiere, Vision of Forever toured Southern India in 2007; subsequently this spectacular production was performed in Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Coimbatore and Bangalore.

The recent season of Vision of Forever at Istana Budaya, lived up its promises and did not fail to enthral and astonish audience. Performed by the talented and the disciplined Sutra dancers, lit in a spectacular multi-media presentation of award-winning Sivarajah Natarajan, Vision of Forever is a visual feat of the highest calibre that was able to reach out to both young and seasoned audiences.

Vision of Forever excellently exemplifies works of the late Odissi pioneer Guru Deba Prasad Das. Artistic director Ramli Ibrahim is unapologetic in his fathoming of the spiritual and philosophical depth of the complex psyche of India. Vision of Forever unleashes powerful images from the Shaivite and Tantric traditions, bringing out the macabre and terrifying beauty associated with the repertoire of his late dance guru.

Ramli Ibrahim has chosen Odissi repertoire from three major gurus of this tradition: Durga Charan Ranbir, Gajendra Kumar Panda and Deba Prasad himself. At the same time, Ramli has invested this presentation with his inimitable style, rearranging the works in compelling group compositions. Most the works were especially commissioned by Sutra over the last 25 years.

Much has already been said about Sutra’s well-trained, talented and multi-racial dancers of Indian, Malay, Chinese and mixed parentage. Sutra’s major principal dancers such as Revathi, Rathimalar, Nishah Devi, Sivagamavalli, Tan Mei Mei, Michelle Chang, Geethika Shree, and the award-winning Guna will be featured in this production.

There will be several ‘highlights’ presented in this programme such the Rageshree Pallavi danced by Ramli and Sutra’s star, Revathi Tamilselvam. Vision of Forever will also feature the Dasamahavidhya, danced by Guna and Sutra dancers (Dasamahavidhya, an exciting new work based on the Goddess, depicts here ten different emanations and transcendent revelations.) The highlight of Vision of Forever is Ardhanariswara danced by Ramli – regarded as one of world’s best male Odissi dancers with Rathimalar, a senior dancer of Sutra and former dancer of Shobaba Jeyasingh Dance Company (London).

In May/June 2008, Sutra’s Stirring Odissi Festival created an international impact with its month-long mega-event featuring more than 120 dancers, scholars, visual artists and dance critics from all over the world. The hugely successful Stirring Odissi was a significant benchmark which establishes Kuala Lumpur as a creative scrucible of Odissi.

In that same year in September, Sutra Dance Theatre scored successes with a Europe/US tour culminating in a performance of Spellbound at Carnegie Hall, New York, invited by the Dance Festival of India. For more than 100 years, historic Carnegie Hall has presented a dizzy galaxy of famous artists from Horowitz, Caruso, Maria Callas to Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, and Duke Ellington.

The Sutra Dance Theatre is Malaysia’s international dance company and has endured, captivated and enthralled audiences, not just in India but all over the world wherever they performed. Sutra makes an excellent One-Malaysia cultural ambassador, not just for their role in transcending racial and cultural barriers, but for convincing audience that the Arts, eventually, finds it own level.

Repertoire to include light classics, contemporary favourites, jazz and pop, accompanied by vocalists

The arrival of Kinta Valley Wind Orchestra (KVWO) will breathe new life into the Perak cultural scene!

Founded in January 2010 by Dato’ KK Lim, who is a staunch supporter of the arts, KVWO is the first and only symphonic band of its kind in Perak, formed as a first step towards the creation of a formal chamber orchestra in Perak.

According to Mr Eugene Pook, Music Director and Conductor of KVWO, the idea of forming a chamber orchestra is one that has long been cherished by Dato’ KK Lim, who also founded Perak Society of Performing Arts (PSPA) in the 1980’s and was its patron until he retired last year.

“KVWO is a bold first move towards realising that dream”, Pook says.

“As a wind symphonic band, KVWO consists of all orchestral instruments except strings – so no violin, viola or cello – and players perform without making movements, unlike the more expressive string players. Wind players express their skills through proper breathing techniques that require rigorous practice and discipline”, explains Pook.

Pook is excited about the potential of KVWO. The debut orchestra comprises a diverse and lively group of 45 members, who are from all strata of society, all age groups, from all across Perak, who share a deep commitment to excel in each of their respective wind instruments and who are passionate about playing.

“The orchestra is not restricted to professional musicians either.  As long as you play a wind instrument, are committed to regular practices, keen to improve your skills and to perform, it does not matter if you are ten years old or 70”, Pook adds.

The response from the community has been overwhelming.  The first audition alone yielded more than 65 people from all over Perak.  This enthusiasm has not wavered, with the group meeting once a week for rehearsals under the professional stewardship of Eugene Pook, himself an Anak Perak, who furthered his music career in New York for more than 8 years before coming home to Ipoh in 2009.

“It is this type of enthusiasm that we want to translate into our inaugural performance, to inspire our audiences and promote the potential of KVWO.  At the same time, we hope to attract more amateur musicians from across society, who may have talent untapped thus far, to come forward and develop their potential. This is part of the process of developing into a civilised society”, says Pook.

Pook is also appealing for funds from corporations and individuals to promote the objectives of KVWO.  “We hope to raise enough funds to make the Inaugural Concert a success; thereafter to be able to afford our own premises where we can conduct rehearsals, music seminars and activities. At the moment, our practice sessions are held at Creative Music Academy, thanks to the generosity of the proprietor, and for which we are most grateful; however this is not a solution for the long term”, he laments.

KVWO’s Inaugural Concert will be performed on July 4^th at the Syuen Hotel Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. The programme will include contemporary favourites as well as light classics, jazz and pop songs. There will be a solo performance and several of the pieces will be accompanied by well-known Perak vocalists Miss Estee Pook and Mr Alan Low. In addition, soloists will also include Joost Flach, acclaimed co-principal oboist from the MPO, Philip Boey, GuZheng champion winner, and super saxophonist Mr. Foo Cheong Lin.

“It promises to be a night to remember, and we encourage the people of Ipoh to come and enjoy an evening of great entertainment and support our local musicians!” Pook adds.

For enquires contact: Ms Kum 012-5058466, Ms. Leong 016-5442573, Mr. Oong 016-4288328.

Tickets are available from: Creative Music (05-5479828), Yamaha Music School (05-2413388; 05-5455071), The Music Store (Tel. 05-5454111), and PSPA (Tel. 05-5487814).

At 7 years old, I was not expected to read full sentences in Math of what would happen if Sumathi had 27 apples and 15 oranges in her basket and while running home at 3.6 km an hour, she fell and sent 2/3rds flying into a pond. At that age, I was running alongside Sumathi and falling beside her and laughing our heads off, after we climbed some Rambutan trees trying to add to our fruit collection adventure.

So, the burning question again is: what is the magic ingredient? Some missing chromosome, some gene x that did not meet some gene y? More importantly, how do I get some for my kids?

When it was just my first-born, and I was a stay-at-home mother, it was a natural progression from learning the ABC’s to additions and subtractions. Then things started to get complicated when fractions and decimal points came into play, ahem! I am referring to myself and not the child…. told you I was out climbing trees that day. Sometimes, I wish I still possessed some of my Std 1 books so that I have an AB comparison. Nowadays, the poor little drooly kid next door, who is barely out of diapers, is learning the multiplication tables. All right, I could be exaggerating a tad, but is it really very far from the truth?

Look at all the tuition centres here in Ipoh. Math, Bahasa Malaysia, Moral, Chinese, Science, English, and Art? Mind you, that is only the primary school we’re talking about. Correct me if I am wrong. I thought Art is a creative subject, and it is something from within and not taught? Yes, some guidelines here and there, but have you seen some of the artwork on display by some of the students from an art school? It reminds me of a production line in some factory.

So, there you go tuition, tuition and more tuition. How did education become so competitive?

It is obvious that I have a bone to pick with the education system here, but that’s another can of worms I do not care to open at the moment. What irritates me is the fact that my kids have a ton of homework and most of the time, I need to send them to tuition for extra help. Why can’t I help them myself you might ask? Very honestly, simply because I do not have the patience to go through all their homework and still remain poised and composed at the end of it all, and I cannot guarantee that my kids will not end up in tears and hate me for life for trying to help them understand the benefits of homework.

At the end of the day, I am saying that as far as I remember, school used to be a lot more fun, where students had a good balance of school work, tuition and a healthy social life. So there is no magic gene, no special chromosomes that will take away the homework blues, just plain old fashioned bump and grind, put your back into it and do your homework, please.

As a parent, what can I do? Be patient, be understanding and finally, be the best cheerleader I can be for my kids. That is the least I can do!!

BIG MOMMA

Hugh Low Bridge

A self-taught local artist, Loo Win, will hold his 6^th solo exhibition featuring about 50 paintings – 32 in water-colour and the rest are ‘line and wash’, from April 24 to May 1 at the First Floor of the Syuen Hotel Ipoh.

Born in 1945, Loo Win’s interest in art began in Shing Chung primary school in Sungai Siput Utara. Having retired from a clerical job in the private sector some ten years ago, he now spends a lot of his time painting.

He gets his inspiration from scenes he observes and the whole composition is made up from his imagination. It usually takes him 1 to 2 days to complete a painting; 80 per cent of which is done on-the-spot and finishing touches completed at home.

Ipoh High Court

His work focuses on traditional culture, heritage and modern buildings, limestone hills, mining ponds, villages, etc., in and around Ipoh; Ipohites may recognise a lot of the scenes. He mainly paints subjects that he likes but will do a painting if commissioned.

A half-size painting (38 x 56 cm) can sell for about RM1,500-RM2,000, and a full-size (56 x 76 cm) watercolour for about RM4,000.

He hopes that his exhibition will create awareness for the preservation and cleanliness of the environment, and also raise the standard of painting. Loo Win can be contacted at: 016-5533027.

VWSL

Mac & Zel, a two-piece Jazz Duo is now performing at The Bistro of Impiana Hotel Ipoh.

Razel (Zel) the lead singer has strong vocals while Marcos (Mac) is an experienced yet multi-talented musician both on keyboard and guitar.

This versatile duo have incomparable style and unique versions of hits, complete with their wide range of repertoire of Top 40′s, Jazz and Rhythm & Blues.

Catch their performance at The Bistro from 8.30pm to 12 midnight nightly, except Sundays.

The Bistro dining hours is from 12 to 2.30 p.m. and 7.00 to 10.30 p.m. daily, except Sundays.

For reservations and enquiries, please call 05-255 5555 ext. 8008.