'Laguku 3.0' Concert To Showcase Young Talents

By Norhidayyu Zainal

KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 (Bernama) -- The third edition of the ‘Laguku’ drum concert, set to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre here from April 4-6, promises to be a unique showcase combining traditional, street hip-hop and folk music.

Presented by local performing arts group Orang Orang Drum Theatre, which won the Best Group Performance award at the 12th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards, ‘Laguku 3.0’ will highlight young talents.

Its producer Leow Hui Min said the concert serves as a platform for the younger generation, aged 25 to 35, to compose their own musical pieces using various traditional instruments and perform them for audiences.

"Most of our musicians use a primary instrument, which is the shigu (a Chinese drum), before incorporating other instruments such as the gamelan, demung, bonang, djembe (African drum), bongo, xylophone and others,” he told Bernama, adding that the upcoming performance will be very different as it will focus more on the relationship between the performer and the shigu, as well as the challenges of preserving traditional drumming arts in the modern era.

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‘Laguku 3.0’ will feature seven original compositions by eight musicians: ‘Dream-like Drum Song’ by Lim Jian Ru, ‘Quartet’ by Eng Cheah Her, ‘Little by Little’ by Low Wai Kei, ‘Rebecoming’ by Tai Chun Wai, ‘Lean Into The Wind’ by Tee Vlin, ‘1^N’ by Hanson Lee Chun Bin and ‘Vibe Check, Vibe Check’ by Nick Ng and Syamil.

"Each musician integrates elements of street hip-hop, literature, vocal ensembles and folk rituals to create unique compositions that reflect their artistic identities," he said.

Leow added that as part of Orang Orang Drum Theatre’s development process, a ‘work-in-progress’ session was held last year, allowing musicians to showcase their creations and exchange ideas with other artistes.

"They received guidance from mentors and instructors to expand their ideas through the special workshops that were held during the session," he said.

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Besides the main performance, a special session is scheduled for April 4, featuring an arts outreach programme and a discussion session with school students to enhance their understanding of drumming arts and inspire the younger generation.

Tai Chun Wai, who composed ‘Rebecoming’, said the piece features the djembe, which he has been learning to play for over 10 years.

"Before this, I used to play Chinese drums but I was drawn to the unique sound of the djembe. I had the chance to learn from musicians from Africa and Singapore, and I also explored its techniques via YouTube (videos)," he said.

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Tee Vlin’s ‘Lean Into the Wind’ incorporates elements of theatre, dance and music, and is inspired by the films ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ and ‘Dune’, as well as the novels ‘The Little Prince’ and ‘The Alchemist’.

"I use instruments like the Chinese zither, drums, demung and plastic pipes to produce captivating sounds while blending various rhythms, including physical and musical elements that lean more towards theatre," she said.

Tickets for the ‘Laguku 3.0’ concert, priced at RM48, RM68, RM88 and RM108, are available at https://www.cloudjoi.com/shows/laguku3.

-- BERNAMA