a Tribute to Millennia Institude Anglung/ Kulintang Ensemble (MIAKE)

Most of you know I love all sort of music which ranges from Cool Jazz to Thrash Metal. This month I have the most delightful of shoot involving the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) and four of the seven episodes involves music: Concert Band, Anglung/ Kulintang Ensemble, Chorale and String Ensemble. I was involved in all except the last one. In this entry, I would like to pay tribute to MIAKE for making my first experience listening to a live AKE a truly wonderful and memorable experience.

MIAKE got silver despite a spirited performance, which I strongly feel they do not deserve. It was more than a "Gold with honors" performance, it was a life changing performance to me and a whole lot of young people in the hall. I believe that those (for me at least) who heard the Ensemble today realized that AKE doesn't need to be boring by staying in the traditional style (which must be a mainstay to keep the art alive). I must admit that I thought it was going to be some boring "Chan Mali Chan" or "Singapura, Oh Sigapura" kind of music. The first piece was a surprisingly delightful tango, but the piece that slays was the second piece. Kudos to the Conductor's for a passionate display and motivation to her orchestra and that second piece was so intense, emotional and captivating. I was sitting at the edge of my sit during that piece. It took me on a roller coster ride like a Neal Morse or Dream Theatre song. I call it "Progressive AKE"!

During the judges' / expert giving their views about the day's performance and about the standard of AKE in the school scene, the more conservative judges were in favour of at least a traditional piece followed by a contemporary one. I love the American judge's assessment of the situation best when he said that a lot more exploration can be done to advance the art of AKE. I guess MIAKE were pushing the boundaries too much for some of the judge's liking. In every style of music, the advan garde or the visionary or the rebel who thinks out of the box that get kicked "out of the box", but only time will tell what great legacy these mavericks left behind to future torch-bearers. But for now, THANK YOU! As a homie in the Bt Batok area, I'll be supporting and looking out for ya!