FOKL 2026 Brings Orchestral Music Closer To The Community

By Atira Khalisha Nor Adnan

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Lumpur Orchestra Festival (FOKL) 2026, which will take place from May 28 to June 28 and is organised by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), offers the public the opportunity to enjoy orchestral music performances free of charge.

DBKL Department of Culture, Arts, Tourism and Sports director Naquib Hamdan said the festival, which will be held at the DBKL Auditorium and other selected venues in the city, aims to bring orchestral music closer to the community regardless of background.

“The FOKL festival, which is returning for its third edition, is one of DBKL’s initiatives to make music, especially orchestral music, more inclusive while bridging gaps across social status, age and race,” he said during a recent interview at Wisma Bernama here. 

He said the encouraging response to the past two editions of the festival reflects growing interest among younger audiences, including Gen Z, in experiencing live orchestral performances.

“Since the very first edition, we have received strong support, including from teachers who brought their students to witness these prestigious performances so they would not miss out on such valuable experiences,” he said, adding that each performance lasts about one and a half hours.

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Naquib said that besides the DBKL Auditorium, this year’s festival will also expand to other venues, including the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre and the National Museum Auditorium. However, some performances will be ticketed to help raise funds and cover operational costs.

He said this year’s edition involves over 2,000 participants, including orchestras from Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and China, adding that what makes it even more exciting is the participation of local ensembles such as the Kuala Lumpur Orchestra, Kuala Lumpur Youth Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Orkestra RTM.

He said among those expected to steal the show is an orchestra from Japan featuring a range of instruments, including a massive saxophone, which is seldom showcased in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA