The KLPac Symphonic Band, led by music director and resident conductor Cheryl Mah, might just have the perfect show to get couch potatoes ... well, off the couch and into the concert hall.
If you’d like to immerse yourself in TV show and cartoon theme song nostalgia, you should switch channels and head to Pentas 1 at KLPAC for the Childhood Revisited concert series happening from Nov 17-19.
In conjunction with Children’s Day this month, the 57-member band invites you to celebrate your inner child and relive some of those memories with tunes from TV staples.
"I believe that Children's Day belongs to everyone, where young children and adults alike can relive and have a taste of what they grew up with," says Mah about the show, which wraps up KLPac Symphonic Band's 2023 season.
From local favourites such as Upin & Ipin, to popular anime like Pokemon, and even video game classics like Super Mario Bros, Angry Birds, the concert promises fun for the whole family. Sitcom lovers can also look forward to a medley of songs from hit TV series, including The Simpsons, The Nanny, The X-Files, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, and Friends.
"While memories fade away through passage of time, the power of music is that it helps us retains some of our fondest memories. With Childhood Revisited, we wish to draw out those fond memories that are dear to everyone, regardless of which generation you belong to," she adds.
After its well-received Music Play Date II outdoor concert and Let’s Rock 3 jukebox show earlier this year, the band has come into its own with pop culture-themed shows, which have helped to introduce classical arrangements to the masses.
"I think our lives are heavily influenced by pop culture across all the different generations. It may feel like our choice leans heavily towards that but, on the other hand, it is only natural since it is in our daily life," says Mah.
"I also included a piece like Turkey In The Straw, a folk song that I think half of the audience may be familiar with. And the opening piece, Lim Yu-Yao's Buaian Kenangan, is not a pop culture piece but a commissioned work that perfectly suits our concert title – remembering our childhood," she adds.
Childhood Revisited also features the different segments composed and arranged by Isaac Chia, Evynne Lim, Lee Si Yuan and Yeo Chow Shern. For instance, Pokemon fans, get ready for the Pokemon Medley, a symphonic band rendition arranged by Lim, while Lee will be launching the Angry Birds Medley with a symphonic sling-shot.
"The whole programme has a lot of medleys which offer many different things in a short time. I was hoping to cover as much within what we could in hope of offering even just one or two tunes that would strike a chord with an audience, help them reconnect with a memory they had of their childhood. That is the goal," says Mah.
This concert series also serves as a launchpad for the KLPAC Symphonic Band’s biggest milestone for 2023 – its first overseas tour. Forty members of the band will be representing Malaysia at the Chiayi City International Band Festival (CCIBF) in Chiayi, Taiwan from Dec 15-20. Not only will the band be featured at the opening ceremony, it will also be performing an outdoor concert and participating in exchange programmes.
“We hope that the public can help us make this dream a reality and fly us to Taiwan by chipping in to purchase the RM100 fundraising ticket at our Childhood Revisited performance,” says Mah.
Childhood Revisited is playing at Pentas 1, KLPac from (Nov 17-19). Tickets: RM100 (Fly The Band To Taiwan) and RM68 (music patron) with 15% discount for seniors above 60, disabled, students and educators. More info here.
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