Rose Au Nyat Jun
KUCHING: Outside of winning a free ticket to the Borneo Jazz Festival, ‘volunteering’ is an option available to all music fans. For Rose Au Nyat Jun, it’s that swinging time of the year again, as volunteer work is close to her heart.
The 60-year-old shows others it’s not wrong to enjoy free music this way, but when doing something you love, any money would seem less relevant.
For the next two weeks to come, it will be her sixth year as a volunteer. She is not just a familiar face in Miri come Borneo Jazz time but Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching has also become her playground during the Rainforest World Music Festival.
Really feeling glad to be called back to help Borneo Jazz again this year, Rose said she will always make a return every year, for the love of this wonderful jazz event that she has contributed in building from scratch in Miri.
A retired lawyer, but now teaching tour-guides, Rose really enjoys doing something she loves. She finds volunteer work a very interesting to do in life.
“Volunteering is enriching, being given an opportunity to learn new skills, share and train first-time volunteers. Not all paid jobs are necessarily fun jobs, volunteering is unique, (it is) rewarding to be part of Borneo Jazz – our state’s growing festival,” said Rose.
Rose has been freelancing as a DJ with Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) for 20 years and used to present “Just Jazz” with RTM for many years.
She has also been in the tourism-related industry for 13 years and it naturally follows that she loves all things tourism. During Borneo Jazz, she will be assigned as the liaison officer to the performing bands normally of a foreign country.
Very familiar with Sarawak’s tourism product is an added advantage to her task, as she can play the part of ambassador well for state tourism.
“Music lovers should come over to Miri next month. Borneo Jazz offers a very charming ambience, beautiful garden setting, people are ever ready to help and there is good food. Not many places in the region have such a mix,” she added.
Borneo Jazz is organised by Sarawak Tourism Board. STB stated that although ideal attributes will vary from role to role, all volunteers must be able to conduct themselves in line with the Festival’s core values of integrity and teamwork.
To be held over the weekend of May 9 and 10 at the Parkcity Everly Hotel in Miri, Borneo Jazz promises two days of fine jazz music with great food and a craft bazaar in a very beautiful beach resort ambience.
The festival will be featuring bands from countries never featured before and also bands having repertoires that are unique.
The performing bands will cover a wide range of jazz influences with participating jazz bands from Georgia, Germany, Cuba, Martinique, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Malaysia as well as Sarawak’s own jazz artiste who is well established in the music circuit in China.
Pre-sale promotional tickets are still available at only RM50 for adult single entry and RM95 for a 2-day pass. This offer is valid until May 8 and can be purchased online at www.jazzborneo.com.
Child ticket promotional offer is only RM25 and RM45 for a 2-day pass. After the promotional period, door sale tickets will be RM70 for a day adult pass and RM130 for a 2-day pass. Children tickets at the gate will be RM30 for a day and RM50 for 2 days.