Legendary Malaysian composer Alfonso Soliano’s (1925–1990) legacy continues to resonate, with a new generation rediscovering his pioneering work at Radio Malaya, his contributions to the Merdeka-era songbook and his jazz-inspired recordings.
The Singapore-born musician of Filipino heritage makes for a distinctive Malaysian story, reflecting the multicultural currents that shaped the nation’s musical landscape.
A handpicked selection of his compositions – dating back to the early 1960s – will be given new life when the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) presents A Tribute To Alfonso Soliano at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (DFP) in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 2.
The concert comes at a timely moment, with renewed interest in Soliano’s work following the vinyl reissue of his 1970s jazz recordings on Tiga Trombone last month. His music was chosen for the inaugural archival release on Audible Beauty, a new imprint by Germany-based reissue label Habibi Funk, which spotlights the region’s golden age of music.
Hailed as the “Father of Modern Malay Music”, Soliano is finding a new audience among a younger generation discovering his funky jazz breaks from the RTM archives.
But for Ahmad Muriz Che Rose, MPO’s resident conductor, the task is broader: to create a balanced programme that captures the breadth of an immensely talented musician, composer, educator and conductor.
On the DFP stage, Muriz, a conductor with a passion for Malaysia’s musical greats, will interpret and reimagine Soliano’s work for a symphonic setting.
In January, he led a project to bring P. Ramlee’s 1964 comedy classic Madu Tiga to life with a live orchestral score, while a Datuk Sharifah Aini (1953-2014) symphonic tribute in June was a sold out concert.
Those successful shows have given him the momentum to dig deeper into Malaysia’s musical heritage.
“Alfonso’s music carries a strong Malay sensibility. He was a storyteller who could create a sense of narrative through music. In Dawn To Darkness, for instance, he drew inspiration from the drums traditionally played before the call to the first prayer of the day, or subuh. Through the instrumental piece, he evokes the rhythms of rural Malaya – from the bustle of the early morning to the slower, more languid pace of the evening,” says Muriz in a recent interview at DFP.
Dawn To Darkness, one of the highlights of the upcoming MPO concert, was first released on the Malam Irama Melayu: An Evening Of Malay Music LP in the early 1960s. The Radio Malaya recording, supervised by Tan Sri Ahmad Merican, featured Soliano’s panoramic composition as its grand finale, with the visionary conductor co-leading a 45-piece orchestra.
Muriz, who tells "stories" through orchestration, is giving Malaysia’s musical history – often scattered across fragile archives, recordings and transcripts – a chance to be heard anew.
Bangsawan to big stage
Drawing on Western musical traditions while embracing the sounds of a new nation, Soliano’s tenure leading Radio Malaya Orchestra (Orkes Radio Malaya) reflected his formative years playing with bangsawan troupes in Alor Setar, Kedah, and the musical grounding he received from his family.
Those early experiences, says Muriz, gave the self-taught Soliano an instinctive understanding of the country’s diverse musical traditions, which he later brought into his arrangements. His work demonstrated how contemporary orchestration could be infused with local folk rhythms, melodies and cultural influences, helping to shape a distinctly Malaysian musical identity.
As much as he admired jazz pianists George Shearing, Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, Soliano was equally at home with traditional music, with made-for-broadcast folk tunes such as Ayam Didek, Ikan Kekek and Kenek Kenek Udang revealing his earthy and playful creative side.
“His love for the nation transcended everything. He wanted to create something fresh for a new nation. He drew from the musical traditions already around him. Having performed as a pianist with the ‘Grand Jubilee Bangsawan’ troupe from the age of seven, he was steeped in the improvisational nature of the form. The syair, gurindam and other traditional elements were already deeply embedded in his musical vocabulary,” says Muriz.
As a young working entertainer, Soliano moved between the northern states, performing in George Town, Kuala Kangsar, Alor Setar and Parit Buntar, with a brief return to his family in Singapore, before settling in Kuala Lumpur in 1948. There, he joined Radio Malaya on a part-time basis before securing a permanent position as a conductor in 1959.
“Alfonso played a pivotal role in nurturing local talent and establishing structures that contributed to the development of a sustainable orchestral music ecosystem in Malaysia," says Muriz.
"His dedication helped transform an aspiration into a lasting artistic movement, creating opportunities for generations of musicians to develop and flourish. It is therefore fitting that the MPO recognises and honours Alfonso’s enduring contribution to Malaysian music,” he adds.
Finding the Malaysian rhythm
With television introduced in Malaysia only in late 1963, radio served as a unifying force for the nation, creating a need for music that reflected its emerging national identity.
In the 1960s, introducing the “modern music of Malaysia” became part of Soliano’s work leading the Radio Malaysia Orchestra, which carried the rhythms of the country’s cultural heritage, and the Radio Malaysia Trio, giving him a platform to record jazz and popular music.
His musical reach also extended beyond performance and conducting. He spent five years as a Radio Malaya deejay, taking to the air weekly to spin the era’s swing, jazz and big-band favourites.
In the early days of broadcasting, Soliano seemed perfectly suited to a new nation – pushing musical boundaries, immersing himself in traditional asli forms and, of course, penning a classic ballad or two along the way.
Among the gems awaiting rediscovery at the MPO concert is Tunas Kaseh (The Bud Of Love), a romantic tune composed and arranged by Soliano and originally sung by Radio Malaysia announcer Samad Haroun.
His second stint with RTM in the 1970s, after leaving Malaysia in 1965 to further his jazz journey in Bangkok, is where the DFP hall might really find its groove, with Surya Pagi, Kenangan Abadi and Ku Kan Kembali taking the spotlight – all recently revived through the Tiga Trombone vinyl release.
The concert will feature 17 songs and medleys arranged by leading Malaysian music directors and composers including Datuk Johari Salleh, Luqman Aziz and Muriz.
Having Johari, now 86, on board to arrange two songs for the concert, including Canggung, is particularly significant. Soliano, who mentored a young Johari during his time at Radio Malaya, shared a close relationship with the Malaysian composer.
In a symbolic passing of the baton, Johari, then 25, succeeded Soliano as conductor of the Radio Malaysia Orchestra in 1965, following Soliano’s departure from the government broadcaster.
For the MPO tribute, these connections, rediscovered stories and new interpretations will come together to make the concert a particularly special celebration of Soliano’s legacy.
With no shortage of compositions, Muriz has crafted a well-balanced setlist, pairing feelgood orchestral works with deeper cuts from Soliano’s jazz repertoire. As a jazz saxophonist himself, the MPO conductor knows the music from the inside, giving him an instinctive feel for its phrasing, swing and improvisational spirit.
“I'll be honest, the curation is not all household songs that many will recognise – but there's a mix of his best works. While harmonies and melodies were easy for Alfonso, the challenge was to make the orchestra play together with the Malay soul inherent in his work," says Muriz.
"It's hard to explain the technicalities, but essentially much of what we hear in Malaysian symphonic music today has its roots in the foundation laid by Alfonso. It's just a matter of getting audiences into the seats first, because the music will speak for itself,” he concludes.
Joining the MPO will be members of the Soliano family and guest musicians: Isabella Soliano (vocals), Tristano Soliano (piano and vocals), Condrado Soliano (trumpet and flugelhorn), Don Alfonso Soliano (bass), Eddie Kismilardy (alto saxophone) and Arthur Kam (drums).
