Amid the familiar buzz and excitement of a festival returning to KLPac, audiences can enjoy YSDAF 2026 Satellite this Sunday (April 5) - a one-day, scaled-down indoor edition of the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF).
This free admission "bite-sized" event features two programmes: a multi-sensory performance called Synesthetic Symphony Of Sound & Sight and a community arts area known as “Handyzone.”
Synesthetic Symphony, a standout of last year’s festival was a memorable collaboration. It had artists with visual impairments painting live to music, a concept exploring the interplay of art, touch and sound that earned the YSDAF 2025 Pitch Start grant.
This Sunday, the idea returns with a refreshed Synesthetic Symphony Of Sound & Sight at Pentas 2, KLPac, with performances at 11am and 2pm.
“This inclusive arts initiative, which is a collaboration between Malaysian Association for the Blind, UPSI (Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris) and Persatuan Hearts Symphony (a music outreach initiative), explores synesthesia in the visually impaired and the connection between art, tactile and sound sensations,” read a YSDAF statement.
“Synaesthesia is a phenomenon where a person experiences more than one unrelated sense at the same time such as tasting words or coloured hearing. For example, one may hear sounds, music or voices that could evoke colours or shapes. The performance will focus on blindness as a means of enhanced sensory perception," outlined the event notes.
"When we started this project last year, the participants hesitated to put their mark on canvas as they have never done it before. Skills and know-how aside, there were also psychological barriers, especially for those who were born blind. We tried to encourage them that there was no right or wrong. But once they started, there was no stopping them," says Dr Rosyida Mohd Rozlan, senior lecturer, Faculty Of Art, Sustainability And Creative Industry, UPSI.
The 30-minute experiential journey features seven newly trained artists alongside two alumni artists. They will be accompanied by an ensemble of musicians and singers, including children from marginalised and refugee communities. The group will perform Colours Of My Heart by Wong Siew Ngan under the baton of conductor Frederick Chaw, as well as two songs in the Jahai language (indigenous community from Perak) titled The Monkey and The Tiger, put to music by the Persatuan Hearts Symphony.
"We are excited to welcome four children from the Jahai indigenous tribe. I first met them in July 2025 when I accepted Dr Rosyida’s invitation to visit their settlement in Royal Belum State Park (in Perak). Apart from daily necessities, I realised that I could help preserve their culture and recorded six traditional songs in the Jahai language using modern music notation. The public will have the chance to hear two of the songs at the satellite event," says Wong, Persatuan Hearts Symphony president.
Another highlight of the project is a tactile paint co-designed with the artists themselves. Building on the pilot’s success, the team aims to help people with visual impairments experience painting.
To further this goal, the "Arti Sense Tactile Paint Kits" will be officially launched during the event, with plans to distribute them to special schools.
"During the pilot workshops, the participants tested different paint textures and materials. Their insights played a crucial role in shaping the final design, ensuring that each paint texture could be recognised intuitively through their fingertips," says Rosyida.
Those interested in the creative process can stay after the second show for a forum and Q&A session, where facilitators will share insights and respond to audience questions.
Beyond the main performance, the Handyzone will be open from 11am to 4pm, featuring eight booths of hands-on activities.
For those attending, the experience is flexible, as you can wander up close to the stage to see how each artist’s work takes shape. If you’re feeling inspired, you can also bring your own art materials and create your own piece on the side.
The last major YSDAF at KLPac was held in August 2023, with the festival touring to other venues last year.
Pre-registration is required for the “Synesthetic Symphony Of Sound & Sight” live series and the workshops. More info here.
