Special Talents Shine At 'Symphony Of Friendship' Performance At DFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- Never imagining that her talent would one day allow her to soar despite being born without sight, this Singaporean pianist now sees the international stage as a platform to share her love for music.

Performing at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) for the Symphony of Friendship 2.0 event, Siti Sakinah Zainal, 29, said it was a tremendous honour and an unforgettable experience to share the stage with musicians from the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Siti Sakinah, who performed with The Purple Symphony Orchestra, said she first started playing the piano for fun at the age of six, before taking it up seriously at 17.

“Honestly, no, I never dreamed of performing at an event like this. I played for fun when I was six years old, but only began formal lessons in 2013. My parents chose music for me because they love it and when I showed interest, they supported me,” she said when met at the event, organised by Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor and Temasek Foundation recently.

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Reflecting on her learning journey, Siti Sakinah admitted it was challenging for her as she had to memorise the keys and musical notes solely through the sounds played by her teacher.

Playing with an orchestra was also no easy task as she could not see the conductor’s hand movements. However, the production team’s support enabled her to adapt and deliver her best performance.

“The conductor found ways to help us integrate into the orchestra better, which is what makes this orchestra special,” she said.

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Another musician Choo Jun Wei, 29, who has autism, admitted feeling nervous performing on a grand stage like DFP, but was determined to make the most of the opportunity.

Choo, who plays the French horn, said he practised almost daily for several months to ensure the performance went smoothly.

He said some of the key challenges during the performance included controlling intonation, strengthening his breathing technique and maintaining coordination with the other musicians.

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Meanwhile, Central Singapore District Mayor Denise Phua, who also serves as adviser to The Purple Symphony Orchestra, said her team placed great emphasis on preparation and inclusivity to ensure all musicians with special needs were comfortable throughout the programme.

“One of the challenges was figuring out how to move musicians with different needs, some of whom may not have travelled before. We sometimes would not know what to expect, and we were also playing in a new venue,” she said.

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Commenting on the significance of the concert, she described it as a special bridge of friendship between Singapore and Malaysia.

“It is a very special kind of bridge, where both countries believe in inclusiveness. Malaysia has been gracious in inviting our orchestra of musicians with special needs to perform here. To me, it is a strong basis for friendship and a sharing of the vision of inclusiveness, and using music as a universal language to bridge people regardless of background, abilities or nationality,” she said.

-- BERNAMA