KUALA LUMPUR, 12 June 2009 - The Persatuan Chopin Malaysia is proud to announce that the 1st ASIA Grand Piano Concert- Kuala Lumpur that was organised and staged at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Friday 12th June 2000 was a tremendous success indeed. The response from local music aficionados and members of the public towards the Concert was overwhelming, with the Plenary Hall 1 of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre filled to capacity for both the Junior and the Gala performances.
The 1st ASIA Grand Piano Concert – Kuala Lumpur attracted a total of 134 performers: 97 from Malaysia, 32 from Korea, 4 from Hong Kong, and 1 from Indonesia. The pianists, appearing in pairs, simultaneously played a repertoire of classical compositions on four full-size concert grand pianos throughout the evening. This is the first time ever that a piano concert of such a nature was being organised in Malaysia.
There were 76 young Malaysian pianists who participated in the Junior concert. Some of them were as young as 6 years old, playing flawlessly on the piano. The highlight of the Junior concert was the beautiful performance by 12 children (3 on each piano) who delighted the audience with the simultaneous rendition on the keyboard of an arrangement of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” playing with 24 little hands!
The Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong attended the Junior Concert, together with the Patron for the event, Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd. Ali as well as former Prime Minister Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed.
The Gala concert which followed the Junior Concert attracted renowned piano professors from Korea, Hong Kong and Indonesia who performed together with talented Malaysian piano students and teachers. They played a repertoire of well-loved pieces from celebrated composers such as J. S. Bach, A. Dvorak, Ludwig van Beethoven, W.A, Mozart, F. Liszt, impressing the audience with their virtuosity and musical prowess.
What stood out among the repertoire performed on the Gala night were the beautiful rendition of Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, fourth movement, by the piano professors from the Korean Piano Society, as much as the charming “Three Chinese Folk Tunes” and Julie Kuok’s “Mah-jong on Stage” performed by the Hong Kong Piano Quartet. Their spectacular display of outstanding talent and artistry on the keyboard was indeed a rare treat for the audience.
Among the VVIPs who graced the Gala concert were the Guest-of–Honour, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Tuanku Muhriz ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Munawir, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus Duli Tuanku Aishah Rohani binti Al-Marhum Tengku Besar Mahmud, Patron of the Concert, Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd. Ali, and the Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur, Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ahmad Fuad bin Ismail.
Persatuan Chopin Malaysia is now looking forward to organising the bicentennial celebration of Frederic Chopin’s birthday in March 2010. We hope to hold piano competitions and concerts to commemorate this special occasion.
Kindly visit our website at www.chopinsociety.com.my with updates of our future events.
We would also like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the following sponsors whose support has made it possible for the 1st ASIA Grand Piano Concert to achieve such tremendous success:
Host venue: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
Sponsor: Cartrade Group
Piano Sponsors: Twinkle Piano Sdn. Bhd., Bentley Music Sdn. Bhd.,Graceful Piano Sdn. Bhd.
Prepared by the Media Committee, Persatuan Chopin Malaysia
For enquiries, contact Ms. Felicia Chen at 012-6657863
Website: www.chopinsociety.com.my
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