KUDAT: The Music Fest 2011 at the Tip of Borneo will return again to take centre stage at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau here on July 16 and 17, starting from 5pm to 9.30pm on both days.
This year the audience can expect more from the Music Fest repertoire of performances, as it will feature Sing Out Asia singers and performers from around Asia.
N’jami from Okinawa, Japan, Yoshiro (Japan), Julianne & Nino (the Philippines), Lala, Imel & Marko (Indonesia), Art Thomya (Thailand) and Lang (Laos) are set to perform in Sabah for the first time at the Music Fest, for two consecutive days.
Singer-songwriter, musician and voice talent Amir Yussof, who is no stranger to the music scene, will also be making an appearance at the Music Fest.
With a vast experience in the music industry, high and low, Amir now boasts of three solo albums, Real (1995), Altered Native (1998), and Aquarius (2002).
He will be singing original material and covers, accompanied by Albert Sirimal (guitar/vocals) and Badar (percussion/vocals), on the second day of the event.
Highly acclaimed acoustic guitarist and award winning composer Roger Wang, together with his circle of fine musician friends, will team up once again to perform a brand of music that blends the accessibility of pop music with the intricacy of Jazz, presented through the purity of acoustic instruments. Performing on the second day with Wang are Angelina Perete (vocals), Simon Lau (bass), Peter Lau (drums), Teddy Chin Jr. (saxophone) and Daniel Mojina (guitar).
The renowned Jesselton Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO), a full orchestra headed by two established local music instructors, Yap Ling and Chou Yang Ching, will again perform at the Music Fest and enchant audience with classical favorites like they did in previous Music Fests.
The ensemble consists of 60 instrumentalists including strings, winds, brass, percussion and keyboard players.
JPO also consists of a string orchestra, concert band and chamber groups that were the winner and first runner-up of the chamber music competition of the 2007 Malaysian Youth Music Festival organised by the Malaysian Youth Orchestra Foundation (MYOF) in Kuala Lumpur.
The JPO is set to perform on the first day of the Music Fest, which will also be graced by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.
For those who are interested, shuttle bus services from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat and back to KK are also available on both days, with a fee of RM65 per return trip.
The pick-up point for the service will be at Likas Square and departure is at 1.30pm sharp, and will return to KK at the end of each event on July 16 and 17.
Tickets are priced at RM50 for the Grand Stand and RM30 for the arena view with sitting mats.
To purchase tickets and more information, contact organisers Sabah Tourism Board (STB) and Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd at 088-212121 or 088-232121, or visit the website www.sabahtourism.com.