C Asean Consonant Concert "The Sound and Spirit of
ASEAN"
Last Saturday, I have been invited to watch C Asean Consonant
Concert at Malaysia Tourism and Information Centre.
I haven’t seen such performance in my life before. I enjoyed
the show and almost dance when hear the music played by the musicians from Malaysia,
Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar
and Vietnam.
The songs they played were The ASEAN Way, Sarika Keo
(Cambodia), Nan bone Thi Har Bwe (Myanmar), Dayung Sampan (Singapore), Xe Chi
Luon Kim (Vietnam), Seang Khaen Lao (Laos), Hola Hela (Brunei), Salidummay
(Philippines), Tak Tong Tong (Indonesia), Loy Krathong (Thailand) and
Pandang-Pandang Jeling-Jeling (Malaysia).
All these songs were played 10 C Asean Consonant’s young
musicians and five members of Malaysian Traditional Orchestra and sang by the Universiti Teknology MARA (UiTM) choir group.
All the 15 musicians players were conducted by Mohd Yazid
Zakaria and Mr Watchara Pluemyart.
C Asean Consonant is created with the aim of using the
universal language of music to build a musical bridge that intertwines ASEAN
countries' heritages together and create stronger bonds of
understanding, friendship, and collaboration.
It has become a platform for young generation to
develop, share, learn, and preserve traditional music of
ASEAN.
This is formed by "C asean," a Bangkok-based
social enterprise whose aims are to strengthen regional connectivity by
promoting high growth environment for ASEAN businesses and uplifting public
knowledge, awareness, and understanding on region integration.
Their main missions are to build an effective ASEAN network
and community; to set a stage of showcase on business, arts,
and culture for young entrepreneurs a generations; and to build a
regional hub for ASEAN knowledge center focusing on business start-ups, arts, and
culture.
“C asean Consonant is formed by bringing together new generations
of musicians across ASEAN. Together, we selected our songs and rearrange to accentuate
the uniqueness of our traditional musical instruments. This music integration will allow young generations in ASEAN
to be more aware of the beauty in preserving their local traditions and, at
the same time, respect the differences. Additionally, emphasizing the importance to preserve their
traditional music heritage, they will find the way to craft out our ASEAN
identity amidst cultural diversity,” Dr Karndee
Leopairote, Managing Director of C asean stated.
C asean also engages with several organizations to help gain
regional recognition for this music collaboration. ThaiBev, Thailand and
Southeast Asia's leading beverage company incorporated with F&N Malaysia
and Singapore, lays plan to support C asean Consonant as a major
contributor to this series concert.
Thapana
Sirivadhanabhakdi, President and CEO of Thai Beverage Company Limited
expresses his opinion that "ASEAN integration is perceived as an opportunity to
the region, as ASEAN nations will be able to create a better future
together. In addition to business and commerce, l strongly
believe that music is one of the important elements that plays a crucial role
of uniting ASEAN citizen, connecting people, and improving their
mutual understanding."
“This traditional ensemble is inspired by an understanding
that music is the best language friendship and the establishment of C asean
Consonant is a testament that ASEAN has become one, with that same understanding,”
said Tan Sri Dr. Ong Hong Peng, Secretary General, Ministry
of Tourism and Culture Malaysia.
Associate Professor Victor R Savage of the NUS Office of
Alumni Relations, co-organiser of the concert, says, "Music after a
an international language that transcends linguistic, cultural,
religious, political and economic barriers.
C asean Consonant Concert "The Sound and Spirit of
ASEAN is scheduled to perform at Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall, Malaysia Tourism and
Information Centre (MaTIC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on April 2 to 3,
2016 for invitation and public respectively. and at the Shaw Foundation
Alumni House Auditorium of the National University of Singapore on April 8, 2016.
